32% more Medicare doctors 2000-2010, but 3 out of 10 limit their exposure to Medicare patients

Released:

January 11, 2013

There are more Medicare doctors, but concerns over pay have many limiting the Medicare patients they’ll treat.

There are more Medicare doctors, but more of them are limiting their access to Medicare patients. The number of doctors billing Medicare rose 32 percent between 2000 and 2010, but three out of ten say they restrict the number of Medicare patients they see – because reimbursement rates are too low, the program is an unreliable payor, or both.

So how many Medicare beneficiaries say they have trouble finding care? Today’s full-size infographic has the story; just click above. And us our “What Do Others Say?” section below to get dialed in on the Medicare doctors’ dilemma.

Sources:

Medicare Payment Advisory Committee: “Report To The Congress Medicare Payment Policy” (2012)

Medicare Payment Advisory Committee: “Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy” (2005)

American Medical Association: “AMA Online Survey Of Physicians: The Impact of Medicare Physician Payment on Seniors Access’ To Care”

American Academy of Family Physicians: “Facts About Family Medicine”

What Do Others Say:

Fox News op-ed: “A doctor tells the truth about Medicare”

American Medical Association: “Problem finding new Medicare doctors small but growing”

NPR audio: “Doctors disgruntled and frustrated by looming Medicare cuts”

AARP video: “AMA’s president on fixing Medicare’s physician payment system”

Journal of the American Medical Association: “‘Doc fix’ saves Medicare payments again but takes the funds from public health”

National Center for Public Policy Research: “The next exodus: Primary care physicians and Medicare”

Face the Facts Events & Debates

Face the Facts USA - Ending Senior Hunger

Senior hunger is a major, largely hidden, problem in America. According to a study prepared for Meals on Wheels, 1 in 7, or 8.3 million seniors, faces the threat of hunger.

» Read More