By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Will There Be Enough PCPs To Treat New Medicaid Patients?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > Will There Be Enough PCPs To Treat New Medicaid Patients?
Health ReformPolicy & Law

Will There Be Enough PCPs To Treat New Medicaid Patients?

JasonShafrin
JasonShafrin
Share
2 Min Read
SHARE

One of the key components of health reform is expanding Medicaid eligibility to more individuals. My comments on the Health Reform provisions were expanded Medicaid coverage was that it was just taking the same poor system and expanding the coverage to more people. However, the cost of these additional people may be lower if they are healthier and wealthier than the previous cohort of Medicaid enrollees. Further research shows the cost for these new Medicaid beneficiaries may be even lower still: there may not be enough primary care physicians (PCPs) to treat all these new patients. According to an article from WSJ: “A study out this week from the Center for Studying Health System Change (CSHSC) comes to a sobering conclusion: in most areas of the country, growth in Medicaid enrollment will “greatly outpace” growth in the number of primary-care doctors who accept the joint federal-state insurance program. …Physician groups and policy-makers have been warning for years — well before the Affordable Care Act was even a gleam in President Obama’s eye — that we are facing a shortage of physicians in general, and particularly of primary-care doctors. …the American College of Physicians warned that despite the “positive sign” of an increased interest in internal medicine residencies, “the U.S. still has to overcome a generational shift that resulted in decreased numbers of students choosing primary care as a career.” But Medicaid patients have an additional hurdle: in 2008, only 42% of U.S. primary-care doctors accepted new patients covered by the program, due to its low reimbursement rates and other factors. By contrast, 61% of primary-care doctors reported accepting new Medicare patients and 84% accepted all or most privately insured patients, according to CSHSC.” The lesson is that simply expanding insurance coverage is not the same as improving the quality or quantity of medical care.

TAGGED:health care reformprimary care physician
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

cancer survival rates by patients
Policy & Law

Health Reform is a Matter of Life and Death

October 16, 2012

A Vision For Health Care In America

October 2, 2012

A New Era for the Public Healthcare Sector

April 16, 2014
Personalized Care
HealthPolicy & Law

Bridging the Gap: The Role of Personalized Care in Improving Patient Outcomes

December 16, 2024
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?