Al Agili Dania E, Pass Mary Ann, Bronstein Janet M, Lockwood Stuart A
Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Pediatr Dent. 2007 Jul-Aug;29(4):293-302.
The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between private dentists' attitudes toward Medicaid and Medicaid patients and their extent of Medicaid participation.
A survey was mailed to all Medicaid dentists in Alabama in 2003 (N = 518). Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multiple regression models were tested. The "dentists' extent of participation" was a measure of the percentage of Medicaid patients seen in one month. Independent variables included dentists' personal and practice characteristics; market area characteristics; and dentists' attitudes toward Medicaid and Medicaid patients.
A total of 277 (54%) surveys was returned. Non-Caucasian dentists in group practice had a higher mean of extent of Medicaid participation than Caucasian dentists in solo practice. Moreover, compared to privately insured families, dentists had significantly higher mean of extent of Medicaid participation if they perceived Medicaid reimbursement as generous; payments being processed faster; and families as not acceptable to non-Medicaid families in the practice.
Dentists' perceptions of Medicaid policies, such as generosity of payment and speed of processing payment, are important to ensure continued provider participation in Medicaid. Strategies to improve dentists' participation in Medicaid must be multifaceted to increase access to dental services for Medicaid children.
本研究的目的是探讨私人牙医对医疗补助计划及医疗补助计划患者的态度与其参与医疗补助计划程度之间的关系。
2003年向阿拉巴马州所有参与医疗补助计划的牙医邮寄了一份调查问卷（N = 518）。计算了描述性统计数据，并对多元回归模型进行了检验。“牙医的参与程度”是指一个月内接待的医疗补助计划患者的百分比。自变量包括牙医的个人和执业特征；市场区域特征；以及牙医对医疗补助计划和医疗补助计划患者的态度。
共返回了277份（54%）调查问卷。团体执业的非白人牙医的医疗补助计划参与程度均值高于个体执业的白人牙医。此外，与有私人保险的家庭相比，如果牙医认为医疗补助计划的报销慷慨、付款处理速度更快，且该家庭在诊所不被非医疗补助计划家庭接受，那么他们的医疗补助计划参与程度均值会显著更高。
牙医对医疗补助计划政策的看法，如付款的慷慨程度和付款处理速度，对于确保提供者持续参与医疗补助计划很重要。提高牙医参与医疗补助计划的策略必须是多方面的，以增加医疗补助计划儿童获得牙科服务的机会。
