Perspective
Doctors Refusing New Medicare Patients
It has been widely reported by the American Medical Association (AMA) and other medical groups that a growing number of doctors across the country are refusing to take new Medicare patients. The AMA claims that the 5.4 percent cuts in Medicare reimbursement for doctors that went into effect in January 2002, have made doctors less willing to see new Medicare patients. While recent studies have found that there are increasing numbers of doctors who are not opening their practices to new Medicare patients, little research has been done to indicate whether people with Medicare are actually having more trouble accessing Medicare primary care doctors or specialists as a result.
The Medicare Rights Center surveyed state directors who oversee the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) in 31 states, and seven Medicare advocacy organizations that counsel people with Medicare to learn whether Medicare patients' access to health care has been affected since the January 2002 doctor reimbursement cuts. Here's what we found:
- 50% of SHIP directors and advocacy groups report that clients express difficulties finding doctors that take Medicare patients in general.
- 21% stated that they have received a higher volume of calls since January 2002 from people who could not find a doctor who accepts new Medicare patients.
- 13% of SHIP directors and advocacy groups stated that since January 2002 they had received more calls from people who could not find specialists taking new Medicare patients.
- Of those surveyed who received more calls about doctors refusing new Medicare patients since January, 38% reported that their clients were told by doctors that the lower payment rates were the cause of why they would not be taken on as new patients.
Congress needs to focus on ways to create continuity of care for people with Medicare and should find out if Medicare rates sufficiently cover the costs of care for doctors. Congress should also explore ways to encourage doctors to take Medicare patients.
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