MedPAC’ will replace separate hospital, physician commissions

In the interests of efficiency, the new federal budget calls for combining the Prospective Payment Assessment Commission (ProPAC) and the Physician Payment Review Commission into one new umbrella organization, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, dubbed "MedPAC."

"Because of managed care, there is some overlap between hospital physicians and other services. One commission with hospitals and one with physicians doesn’t seem to make as much sense as it used to," says Donald A. Young, MD, executive director of the Washington, DC-based ProPAC.

The new 15-member commission will have broad authority to review both hospital and physician payment policies affecting Medicare programs.

MedPAC members are slated to be appointed by the General Accounting Office by Sept. 30, Young said.