This joint study by the Urban Institute and the Medical Group Management Association demonstrates that it is possible to simulate physician compensation as if all physician services were paid under the Medicare Fee Schedule and to compare the results with the actual compensation. This analysis confirms substantial differences in actual hourly and annual compensation across specialties, and that, under simulated Medicare compensation, the compensation ratios across specialties are narrowed very little. The non-surgical, procedural specialties, particularly cardiology, continue to do relatively better under the Medicare Fee Schedule than under current reimbursements that includes Medicare as well as other payers.