Dr. Niran Al-Agba

There are Ways to Save – and Expand – Medicare

First, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 capped the number of residency slots in teaching hospitals which were eligible for Medicare payments. This mistake has facilitated a shortage of primary care physicians across the country. A larger supply of primary care physicians is associated with a lower mortality rate. In fact, adding 10 primary care physicians per 100 000 population increases life expectancy by nearly two months, whereas the same increase in specialty physicians only improves life expectancy by 19 days.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-15T01:25:50+00:00May 17, 2019|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: Balanced Budget Act, CMS, Corporatization, Healthcare Costs, Hospitals, Medicare, Part A, Physician Shortage, Residency|

The ‘Hybrid’ Approach to Universal Health Care

The country bearing the closest resemblance to the U.S. proposal, where decision-making is centralized, is France, where the government is responsible for 77% of total health expenditures. There is an out-of-pocket cost share for patients though it is relatively low, at 7% annually. The Netherlands, Singapore, and Taiwan are also highly centralized; however, they are smaller in scale–with populations similar to that of individual U.S. states – and their relative affluence allows them to sidestep long wait times.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-26T01:24:37+00:00April 23, 2019|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: Canada, CMS, Medicare, Universal Care, US healthcare|

MACRA Payment Regulations Should Be Evidence-Based

Whether applied to policymaking for individuals, large populations, or administration of health services nationwide, it is imperative regulatory decisions be anchored to empirical evidence. The official MACRA rule has now been released. (continue reading →)

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T23:15:25+00:00October 18, 2016|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: ACA, Burnout, EHR, EMR, Health Policy, MACRA, Medicare, MIPS, Physician Autonomy|

Building Better Metrics: Using Physician Outcomes

Government and insurance companies should stop wasting dollars and cents chasing visions of value, rather use common sense and give physician outcomes the attention they deserve. Healthcare will be on better footing now and into the future.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T22:34:52+00:00August 12, 2016|Categories: Policy, Practice|Tags: Burnout, MACRA, Medicare, MIPS, Physician Autonomy, Physician Suicide, Value-based Care|