Mandated report: Geographic adjustment of payments for the work of physicians and other health professionals

Medicare payments for work under the fee schedule for physicians and other health professionals should be geographically adjusted. The adjustment should reflect geographic differences across labor markets for physicians and other health professionals. The Congress should allow the geographic practice cost index (GPCI) floor to expire per current law and, because of uncertainty in the data, should adjust payments for the work of physicians and other health professionals only by the current one-quarter GPCI and direct the Secretary to develop an adjuster to replace it.