Number Of Physicians Who Do Not Participate In Managed Care Plans Rises, Study Says

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Number Of Physicians Who Do Not Participate In Managed Care Plans

Rises, Study Says

08 May 2006

The rate of U.S. physicians who do not participate in managed plans

increased to 11.5% in 2004-2005 from 9.2% in 2000-2001 and 8.6%

percent in 1998-1999, according to a report released on Thursday by

the Center for Studying Health System Change, the AP/Houston

Chronicle reports. The report, which involved telephone interviews

with more than 6,600 physicians in the continental U.S, also finds

that the rate of ob-gyns who do not participate in managed care plans

more than tripled to 11.8% in 2004-2005 from about 3.5% since

1996-97. According to Ann O'Malley, a senior researcher at HSC and a

co-author of the study, physicians often decide not to participate in

managed care plans because of low reimbursement rates and paperwork

issues. In addition, she said that managed care plans in some cases

exclude certain physicians, such as those who are not board certified

in their specialties. Physicians in individual or two-physician

practices and those in practice for more than 20 years are less

likely to have contracts with managed care companies, according to

the study. O'Malley also said that the recent increase in the rate of

ob-gyns who do not participate in managed care plans might have

resulted from a decrease in the number of ob-gyns who no longer

deliver babies, a requirement of some plans. According to the AP/

Chronicle, the report might " signal a trend toward higher patient

costs and less access to doctors " (Agovino, AP/Houston Chronicle, 5/4).