Final answer:
Medicare offers incentive bonus payments to providers working in designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) to increase healthcare access in underserved regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Providers located in areas designated by Medicare as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are eligible for incentive bonus payments from Medicare. The correct answer is option 3: Incentive.
These incentive payments are designed to attract more healthcare providers to work in areas where there is a shortage of medical professionals. The program aims to increase access to healthcare services for populations living in these underserved regions. Providers qualify for a bonus percentage on top of the Medicare-approved amount for services rendered in HPSAs.