Observational studyJournal of general internal medicine2026
Commercial Prices for Primary Care Physician Office Visits.
Observational study in Journal of general internal medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prior Authorization and Associated Delays and Denials of Branded Medication Dispensation.JAMA health forum · 2026Article
- Yonder: Social prescribing, asking about drug allergies, commercial primary care pricing, and HbA1c variability.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrimary care is the frontline and cornerstone of the US healthcare system. Prices paid by commercial insurance plans, which cover the majority of the US population, influence primary care physicians' (PCPs) labor supply and patients' access to care. However, little is known regarding the level and variation of commercial prices for primary care and the associated factors.
objectiveTo examine the level and variation in commercial prices for PCP office visits and assess physician-level, practice-level, and market-level factors that explain the price variation.
designCross-sectional observational study.
participantsA total of 174,561 PCPs offering office visit services for commercially insured patients from four national insurers-Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Cigna, Elevance Health, and United Healthcare, using insurer-disclosed Transparency in Coverage (TiC) pricing data as of March 2024. MAIN MEASURES: Outcomes are 876,079 commercial prices for level 3 PCP office visits for both new and established patients, measured at the physician-insurer-service level. KEY
resultsNational mean commercial prices were $145.2 (95% CI $145.0-$145.4) and $101.6 (95% CI $101.5-$101.7) for level 3 new and established patient office visits, respectively. For new patient office visits, PCPs with corporate ownership obtained 17.9% (95% CI 17.7-18.2%) higher prices. PCPs practicing in organizations with more than 100 physicians negotiated 28% (95% CI 27.3-28.7%) higher prices than solo practices. Prevalence of corporate ownership and large practice affiliation was substantially higher among young PCPs aged 31-40. PCPs specializing in family medicine and practicing in counties with lower median household income negotiated lower prices. Results were consistent for established patient office visits.
conclusionsPCPs' corporate ownership, size of practice, age, specialty, and local income level are important factors that explain the commercial pricing variation and are crucial for improving the US primary care system.
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Registered trials
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