Dr. James Riser, of Riser Medical, spoke to senior citizens at the Senior Center of South Pearl River County Monday morning about healthcare reform and how the program is undergoing changes that will benefit the community.

In the upcoming years, healthcare will change from a fee for service system to a fee for value system, Riser said.

In a fee for service system, physicians mainly focus on the quantity of service they provide to citizens. In a fee for value system, healthcare providers focus on providing the best possible care at the lowest cost. That means patients are able to receive a high quality of care, Riser said.

With the change, Medicare and Medicaid recommends citizens visit their primary doctor more often, in order to live a healthier lifestyle. By visiting their doctor more often, a person’s emergency room and hospital visits will decrease, Riser said.

It all begins with Medicare recommending citizens take an annual physical exam in order to prevent or treat major diseases at the earliest possible stage. By having annual checkups, citizens will be able to take charge of their health and live healthier.

Dr. Riser said Medicare will provide people who suffers from high cholesterol or diabetes but visit their primary doctor often with an opportunity to visit the doctor one or twice for free, simply because that person is working towards becoming healthier.

“The system is changing and its focus is on delivering high quality of healthcare to everyone,” Dr. Riser said.