Cunningham Peter J
Track Rep. 2002 Dec(6):1-4.
The proportion of doctors providing any charity care decreased from 76.3 percent in 1997 to 71.5 percent in 2001, according to a new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The proportion of physicians serving Medicaid patients also decreased from 87.1 percent in 1997 to 85.4 percent in 2001. The small decrease in physicians serving Medicaid patients does not appear to have had any negative effects on access to physicians among Medicaid beneficiaries. On the other hand, the more sizable decrease in physicians providing charity care is consistent with other evidence showing decreased access to physicians by uninsured persons. New budget pressures could lead states to freeze or cut Medicaid provider payment rates, which could then trigger access problems.
根据医疗系统变革研究中心（HSC）的一项新研究，提供任何慈善医疗服务的医生比例从1997年的76.3%降至2001年的71.5%。为医疗补助计划患者服务的医生比例也从1997年的87.1%降至2001年的85.4%。为医疗补助计划患者服务的医生数量略有下降，这似乎并未对医疗补助计划受益人的就医机会产生任何负面影响。另一方面，提供慈善医疗服务的医生数量有更显著的下降，这与其他证据一致，表明未参保者获得医生服务的机会减少。新的预算压力可能导致各州冻结或削减医疗补助计划对医疗服务提供者的支付费率，进而引发就医问题。
