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- Title
Primary care office policies regarding care of uninsured adult patients.
- Authors
O'Toole, Thomas P.; Simms, Peter M.; Dixon, Bruce W.; O'Toole, T P; Simms, P M; Dixon, B W
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>To describe primary care office policies regarding care of uninsured patients.<bold>Design: </bold>Telephone survey of all adult primary care sites advertising in the area telephone directory. Sites were defined by ownership status, number of physicians, use of physician-extenders, and location. Policies assessed were whether the site was accepting new uninsured patients, billing policies, the availability of free or discounted care, and payment plans.<bold>Setting: </bold>Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.<bold>Participants: </bold>Of the 359 sites identified, 240 (66.9%) responded, representing 794 physicians. Survey respondents included receptionists (40.4%), office managers (36.2%), and physicians (22.9%).<bold>Results: </bold>While the majority of all sites reported accepting new patients without health insurance (87.5%), policies regarding these patients varied significantly by ownership status and the number of physicians. Sites with 3 or fewer physicians were more likely to accept uninsured patients. Self-owned practices were more likely to require payment at the time of service, and provide discounted care, free care, and payment plans compared with hospital/health system practices or multisite group practices.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Willingness to accept uninsured patients does not always equate to affordable or accessible care. Office policies have the potential to be substantial obstacles to primary care.
- Subjects
PENNSYLVANIA; ALLEGHENY County (Pa.); UNITED States; PRIMARY care; MEDICALLY uninsured persons; COMPARATIVE studies; DECISION making; HEALTH services accessibility; MANAGEMENT; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; MEDICAL office management; MEDICAL practice; RESEARCH; SURVEYS; EVALUATION research; UNCOMPENSATED medical care
- Publication
JGIM: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2001, Vol 16, Issue 10, p693
- ISSN
0884-8734
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1525-1497.2001.00920.x