Realign Medicare to reimburse for comprehensive primary care, including mental health care, rather than procedures.

Medicare currently pays more for medical interventional technology and proceedures, and underpays for collaborative health care with good case management. The result is the 15 minute medical visit. Unfortunately most health insurance companies base their payments for services upon Medicare rates. By taking the lead with Medicare, and paying more for comprehensive primary care while cutting payments for interventional care, our government has the opportunity to restructure our failing health system so that it is patient centered, not technology centered. Patients have a better chance of getting thorough primary care, including risk assessment, education about preventative care, and mental health screening. More physicians will be incentivized to return to primary care.