Primary Care Docs Weigh Advantages of PCMH

But until more private payers across the nation are willing to embrace the patient-centered medical home concept within their networks, Stream says many primary care doctors will keep their distance.

"You have an issue if you are in a market where only 20% of your business is WellPoint," he says. "This is a great initiative but is 20% enough if 80% of your patients are still covered by more traditional fee-for-service payment that is not paying adequately in primary care? Is that going to be enough to make the transition?"

"This is all a step in the right direction, but it is not the be all and end all," he says. "The real issue how many other payers are going to be willing to do this? Can we get to that critical mass that gets us over the hump for individual practices having enough patients under this payment model that allows them to transform and maintain their practices?"