End of Medicare bonus program will cut pay to primary care doctors

Many primary care practitioners will be a little poorer next year because of the expiration of a health law program that has been paying them a 10 percent bonus for caring for Medicare patients. Some say the loss may trickle down to the patients, who could have a harder time finding a doctor or have to wait longer for appointments. But others say the program has had little impact on their practices, if they were aware of it at all. The incentive program began in 2011 and was designed to address disparities in Medicare reimbursements between primary care physicians and specialists.