Access to Care: Measuring Low-Income Adult Access to Medical Specialists Based on Physician Report Data

The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) promises positive health care reform and transformation of our primary care system. While primary care physicians are more likely to treat uninsured patients and low income individuals, we know little about the role of specialty physicians in providing access to care for those who are uninsured. Many Americans suffer from chronic diseases such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, renal diseases, lung diseases, and cancer which are among the leading causes of death in the United States. Understanding physician attitudes and beliefs about the current model of health care is critical for identifying barriers to specialized care for low-income individuals/uninsured individuals and reducing the number of deaths related to chronic disease.

This study draws from survey data to examine if physicians’ attitudes regarding healthcare reform in the U.S  correlates with their practice behavior. Particularly the likelihood of treating low-income patients who are uninsured, have state funded Medicaid or Medicaid Managed Care. In addition to attitudinal measures, we will explore whether differences in demographic characteristics of physicians impact the likelihood of treating low-income individuals.