Mandate that all licensed physicians accept at least 5 Medicaid patients in their patient panel at any given time. This policy aims to distribute the care of Medicaid patients evenly across providers, instead of concentrating it among a small group of physicians.
This would:
1. Reduce Wait Times: Distributing Medicaid patients more evenly among physicians will decrease appointment wait times, allowing for more timely care.
2. Lower Healthcare Costs: Improved access to office-based care will reduce non-emergent ER visits, lowering overall healthcare costs.
3. Enhance Equity: Ensures broader access to care for Medicaid patients and prevents patient “dumping” onto a few willing physicians.
Do this by: Provide tax credits or bonuses for physicians exceeding the requirement OR simplify Medicaid payment processes and consider increased reimbursement rates.
Also, streamline paperwork or offer support to ease Medicaid billing for providers.
This policy promotes equitable access, reduces costs, and shares the responsibility of serving Medicaid patients across the entire physician workforce.