Legal issues in accepting capitation.

The effort to reduce the cost of medical, hospital, and ancillary services increasingly focuses on shifting the financial risk for the cost of these services to those who provide them. Shifting arrangements include capitation for physicians classified as "primary care" physicians; capitation arrangements that include primary and specialty services; risk shifting to medical groups, IPAs, and other physician organizations; as well as the packaging of physician and hospital services on a "full risk," "per case," or other basis. Accepting financial risk for the cost of medical and other health care services, as well as the responsibility for managing the provision of services, may very well be the only remaining opportunity for providers to maximize reimbursement and maintain administrative and clinical self-direction. However, physicians must work with managed care organizations (MCOs) through negotiation of contracts and throughout the relationship to make sure: Unnecessary financial and legal risks to the MCO and physicians are eliminated. Risks that cannot be eliminated are apportioned between the MCO and physicians. All risks are managed in a coordinated fashion between the MCO and physicians.