Center for Studying Health System Change

Providing Insights that Contribute to Better Health Policy

Search:     
 

Insurance Coverage & Costs Costs The Uninsured Private Coverage Employer Sponsored Individual Public Coverage Medicare Medicaid and SCHIP Access to Care Quality & Care Delivery Health Care Markets Issue Briefs Data Bulletins Research Briefs Policy Analyses Community Reports Journal Articles Other Publications Surveys Site Visits Design and Methods Data Files


Do Reimbursement Delays Discourage Medicaid Participation by Physicians?

Nov. 18, 2008
Health Affairs, Web Exclusive
Peter J. Cunningham, Ann S. O'Malley

Policymakers have focused primarily on increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates to increase physicians’ participation in Medicaid, although physicians often complain of payment delays and other administrative burdens associated with Medicaid. Linking state-level data on average reimbursement times to the 2004–05 Community Tracking Study Physician Survey, this study examines how Medicaid reimbursement time affects physicians’ willingness to accept Medicaid patients. Delays in reimbursement can offset the effects of high Medicaid fees, thereby lowering participation to levels that are closer to those in states with relatively low rates. Increasing these rates may be insufficient to increase physicians’ participation unless accompanied by reductions in administrative burden.

This article is available at the Health Affairs Web site by clicking here. (Subscription required.)

 

 

 


 

Back to Top
 
Site Last Updated: 9/15/2014             Privacy Policy
The Center for Studying Health System Change Ceased operation on Dec. 31, 2013.