About 1/3 of office-based MDs declined to accept new Medicaid patients in 2011 according to an article in the journal, Health Affairs. Acceptance was directly related to financial reimbursement. In the state of Wyoming more than 99% of MDs accepted Medicaid patient; their reimbursement was 150% of that of Medicare. In the state of New Jersey, where the rate of payment was just 37% of the Medicare rate, only 40% participated.
The Affordable Care Act calls for more than 30 million new participants and a higher rate of reimbursement than is present today. It is difficult to see how America will be able to keep health care costs down.
