Perceptions of government-assisted payors: a survey and analysis of American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons current Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid practice allocation.

INTRODUCTION

Significant discrepancy and variance exist in the United States health care system with regard to patient access to medical care based on a patient's insurance type, whether that be government-assisted or a private insurer. There are currently 3 major government-assisted insurance programs, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid, each of which has its own patient mix and regulatory processes that govern care delivery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current perceptions of shoulder and elbow surgeons surrounding practice patterns and barriers to access for patients whose primary insurance is a government-assisted payor.

METHODS

This was a national, observational study that surveyed the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) society membership. This 15-question survey assessed surgeon demographics, practice types, reimbursement models, as well as rates and trends of their access to patients with government-assisted insurance. Subgroup analysis between practice type and barriers to access for patients with one of these 3 government-assisted insurance were also analyzed and compared. Pearson χ test or Fisher exact test was used to test association between categorical responses and categorical/binary respondent characteristics. A P value <.05 was deemed statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 257 ASES members completed the survey. Mean years in practice for respondents was 14. For Medicare patients, the most common perceived barriers were reimbursement (49%) followed by administrative burden (33%) and then implant reimbursement at the surgeon's primary surgical facility (32%). For Medicare Advantage patients, the most common barrier to access was administrative burden (52%), reimbursement (50%), and the patient's ability to access perioperative services such as physical therapy and home health (40%). The most common barriers for Medicaid patients were relatively evenly distributed between reimbursement (62%), low patient engagement in their care (61%), and patient's ability to access perioperative services (60%).

CONCLUSION

Among members of the ASES, barriers to patient access varied by government-assisted payor. For Medicare advantage, administrative burden was the largest barrier to access. Whereas for Medicare and Medicaid, reimbursement was the most significant barrier. Further investigation and understanding of these barriers to patient access are necessary to improve availability of shoulder and elbow subspecialized care to a broader population of patients insured by government-assisted payors.