By next year, about two-thirds of American physicians will be working as salaried employees of large groups and hospitals. This movement has been underway for years. Over the last decade, the number of independent physicians was falling by about 2% a year. But these trends are now accelerating. 

A distinguished panel of experts, including current and past members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and two former CMS administrators, will debate whether "past is prologue" in Medicare's latest efforts to save itself--and the health system.

Joesph Antos' statement on premium support for Medicare before the House Committee on Ways and Means' Subcommittee on Health

Congress will once again put off a huge cut in Medicare payments to physicians, but that will not solve the underlying problems of fee-for-service payment.  

A key government panel voted this month to whack what Medicare pays most doctors to treat patients. It's an important step on the path to ObamaCare--because the only way to make European-style health entitlements work in America is to pay US doctors lower European wages.

Paul Ryan and Ron Wyden have defined the policy parameters that could be the basis for real Medicare reform in 2013.