Medicare to Begin Testing Bundling

While there are physicians working in large group practices that have had some experience with bundled payments, most doctors aren’t prepared for these types of payment changes, Dr. Wilson said. So the AMA is also recommending that CMS provide technical assistance and data to interested physicians.

Health care consultant Robert Minkin urged physicians to apply for the bundling program. "The implications of bundled payments and other clinical integration models are that we come to a common, best-evidence practice approach to care that manages on a fixed budget," said Mr. Minkin, of the Camden Group. "Physicians who can survive in an environment like that will thrive. For those who have difficulty in those situations, it’s going to be very tough."