Medicaid Participation by Private and Safety Net Pediatricians, 1993 and 2000

Abstract

Although Medicaid children were still disproportionately served in the safety net in 2000, their access to private pediatricians had improved since 1993. But a ceiling in the safety net's capacity to absorb more Medicaid patients was suggested by the finding that safety net pediatricians turned away Medicaid patients as their Medicaid caseloads increased. Combined with decreasing participation by commercial plans in the Medicaid managed care market, increasing hospital emergency department overloads, and growing Title XXI Medicaid enrollments, interventions may be needed to avert a looming pediatric provider shortage for publicly insured low-income children.