Ep 39: Negotiating with payers with Scott Dewey, chief managed care officer at PayrHealth

Medical Economics Managing Editor Todd Shryock sits down with Scott Dewey, chief managed care officer at PayrHealth, about the best strategies for payer negotiations.

Check out our previous episodes about physician reimbursement, nutrition programs for patients, and the impact of health care consolidation.

Music Credits: Gypsy Jazz Swing by tunes2go - stock.adobe.com
COCKTAIL by Mythical Audio - stock.adobe.com
The Joy of Being by Duke Herrington - stock.adobe.com

Editor's note: Episode timestamps and transcript produced using AI tools.

Introduction to Negotiations (00:00:12)
Overview of the podcast and introduction of the speakers discussing payer negotiations.

Starting Preparation for Negotiations (00:01:03)
Importance of having a strategy and understanding leverage before entering negotiations.

Timing for Preparation (00:04:04)
Advice on how far in advance physicians should prepare for payer negotiations.

Contract Length Considerations (00:05:11)
Discussion on the pros and cons of long-term versus short-term contracts.

Negotiating Power of Smaller Practices (00:06:47)
Insights on how smaller practices can find leverage against larger payer organizations.

Dealing with Non-Negotiable Contracts (00:08:54)
Advice for practices facing contracts labeled as "not negotiable."

Prior Authorizations in Contracts (00:09:53)
Strategies for negotiating limitations around prior authorization requirements.

Unilateral Amendments in Contracts (00:12:31)
Discussion on the commonality of unilateral contract amendments by payers.

Common Contract Mistakes (00:14:11)
Overview of frequent mistakes made by physicians in contract agreements.

Value-Based Care Contracts (00:16:34)
Differences between value-based care contracts and traditional fee-for-service agreements.

Final Contract Considerations (00:19:48)
Importance of getting all agreements in writing and understanding contract updates.

Conclusion (00:21:43)
Wrap-up of the discussion and thanks to the guest for sharing insights.