Competition for Medi-Cal Patients

 

Although many physicians do not accept medi-cal as compared to private insurance, there is a trend toward accepting medi-cal patients.

Strange as it may seem, a recent analysis of the number of physicians accepting Medi-Cal is on the rise.

Physician Participation in Medi-Cal, 2008 (1.12Mb)

Physician Participation in Medi-Cal, 2001 (800k)

Physician Participation in Medi-Cal, 1996-1998 (402k)

Read more: http://www.chcf.org/publications/2010/07/physician-participation-in-medical#ixzz0v6FET6U4

 

Although these statistics seem to fly in the wrong direction, especially since physicians are so opposed to government intrusions into medical care there may be reasons this is occuring

1.The development of Managed Care Medi-Cal programs. This affords much easier billing and reimbursement guarrantees.

2. The shift from private small practices to larger medical groups, which afford more administrative support..

3. The real impact of decreased reimbursement by medicare and private carriers. 

4. The increasing number of patients who rely only on medi-cal for insurance. 

5. The increase in premiums for private insurance

6. The expansion of the CHIP program, and HealthyFamilys program.

Health Reform and the APPA will tilt the balance even further, if the states can even afford it.