Effects of changing Medicaid fees on physician participation and enrollee access.

Authors

Andrew F. Coburn Ph.D., University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center
Stephen H. Long Ph.D.
M. Susan Marquis Ph.D.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1999

Keywords

Health Care Costs, Humans, Insurance, Health, Reimbursement, Maine, Medicaid, Michigan, Physicians, United States

Publication Title

Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financing

Abstract

This paper assesses the effects of Medicaid fee changes on physician participation, enrollee access, and shifts in the site of ambulatory care using several natural experiments in Maine and Michigan. We use Medicaid claims and enrollment data to measure these outcomes. The reimbursement changes included substantial percentage changes in fees, however the value of the Medicaid fee improvements relative to the private market eroded very rapidly in the months following the interventions. Although the fee increases did not improve the outcome measures, they might have prevented conditions from worsening.

Recommended Citation

Coburn, A.F., Long, S.H., & Marquis, M.S. (1999). Effects of changing Medicaid fess on physician participation and enrollee access. Inquiry, 36(3), 265-279.