Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1169964
107 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY Physicians over age 40 earn $60K more annually By Emily Rappleye P hysician earning power gets better with age, according to Medscape's "Young Physician Compensation Report 2019." The report is based on a survey of 3,400 physicians under age 40 and data from Medscape's other compensation surveys. 1. Physicians ages 40 to 69 generally earn about $60,000 more each year than their younger counterparts under age 40. This pay gap is much wider for spe- cialists ($72,000) than primary care physicians ($32,000). 2. Younger physicians are more likely to be employed (79 percent) than older physicians (60 percent). 3. Physicians under age 40 are more diverse. The young cohort surveyed was 45 percent female, compared to 34 percent of older physicians. Younger phy- sicians were also less likely to be white (56 percent versus 66 percent). The younger cohort had greater representation across all minority groups. n California hospitals may soon be required to employ more of their independent contractors By Emily Rappleye T he California legislature is considering a bill that would require companies to em- ploy independent contractors who perform work directly related to the company's main product or ser- vice, reported Capital Public Radio. The bill, AB 5, aims to help inde- pendent contractors gain more benefits, like healthcare coverage, paid time off and retirement funds, according to the report. Howev- er, Capital Public Radio notes not all healthcare workers want to give up the flexibility of being an inde- pendent contractor for these ben- efits. While the California Nurses Union supports AB 5, the Califor- nia Hospital Association has been critical of the bill, according to the report. Historically, hospitals in Califor- nia have been prohibited from employing physicians. That ban would continue under the new bill, which grants exceptions to phy- sicians, dentists and podiatrists, according to the report. More healthcare workers, such as nurse anesthetists, therapists, optome- trists and social workers, are also seeking exemptions. n Median base salary for PAs climbed 1% year over year, report finds By Kelly Gooch T he median base salary for U.S. physician assistants climbed from $105,000 in 2017 to $106,000 in 2018, according to a salary report released by the American Academy of PAs. e report — which was based on a survey of 13,088 physician assistants in February and March — also included median compensation for physician assistants who worked at least 32 hours per week in 2018. is included base salary, annualized hourly wage and productivity pay. Across the entire profession, median compensation in 2018 was $107,500, according to the report. at compares to $105,500 among physician assistants in pediatric subspecialties and $101,000 among physician assistants in primary care. "e PA workforce is strong and growing stronger every day," David E. Mittman, president and chair of the AAPA Board of Directors, concluded in a news release. "e year-to-year, steady increase in PA salary affirms that PAs are in high demand. at is why it is so important to advance policies that will eliminate administrative burdens and allow PAs to work at the top of their education, training and experience." n