Ohio's Medicaid program will begin rewarding primary care physicians who effectively coordinate physical and mental healthcare, recommend preventive services, offer extended hours and provide other means of support to improve the health of their Medicaid patients, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
While many PCPs already offer preventive services, they are not reimbursed for them.
The state set aside $60 million to pay PCPs bonuses, beginning in 2018. Each participating physician will receive $4 on average per patient each month in addition to the existing compensation they earn for the services they provide, according to the report.
The announcement follows CMS' decision Monday to provide enhanced Medicare payments for select primary care practices in Ohio through a similar program dubbed the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus, effective Jan. 1, 2017.