Paul Ryan’s claim that ‘more and more doctors just won’t take Medicaid’
Paul Ryan’s claim that ‘more and more doctors just won’t take Medicaid’
By Michelle Ye Hee Lee The Washington Post
The problem that we’re seeing in Medicaid is more and more doctors just won’t take Medicaid, because they lose money on Medicaid.”
— House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), town hall on CNN, Jan. 12, 2017
During a town hall on Republican plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Ryan described the need for changes to the Medicaid program at the state level. Some states made changes so that low-income enrollees could get coverage and access to care, but not all states did, he said.\
Ryan claimed that “more and more doctors just won’t take Medicaid because they lose money on Medicaid.” He also said during the town hall that his concern was that Medicaid is “so over-regulated and so bureaucratic that physicians just won’t take Medicaid patients. And so our concern is that people on Medicaid can’t get a doctor, and if you can’t get a doctor, what good is your coverage?” We explored the facts.
The Facts
Low payment rates are often cited as the main reason doctors don’t want to participate in Medicaid. Doctors also cite high administrative burden and high rates of broken appointments. So Ryan is addressing a real problem that doctors face when participating in Medicaid.
READ MORE: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pau...
By Michelle Ye Hee Lee The Washington Post
The problem that we’re seeing in Medicaid is more and more doctors just won’t take Medicaid, because they lose money on Medicaid.”
— House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), town hall on CNN, Jan. 12, 2017
During a town hall on Republican plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Ryan described the need for changes to the Medicaid program at the state level. Some states made changes so that low-income enrollees could get coverage and access to care, but not all states did, he said.\
Ryan claimed that “more and more doctors just won’t take Medicaid because they lose money on Medicaid.” He also said during the town hall that his concern was that Medicaid is “so over-regulated and so bureaucratic that physicians just won’t take Medicaid patients. And so our concern is that people on Medicaid can’t get a doctor, and if you can’t get a doctor, what good is your coverage?” We explored the facts.
The Facts
Low payment rates are often cited as the main reason doctors don’t want to participate in Medicaid. Doctors also cite high administrative burden and high rates of broken appointments. So Ryan is addressing a real problem that doctors face when participating in Medicaid.
READ MORE: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pau...
