GAO Report Finds Difficulty Referring CHIP, Medicaid Children for Specialty Care - July 6, 2011

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on June 30 issued a report on Medicaid the and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Specifically, GAO was asked to determine if children covered under the two programs are able to access care. The report, based on data from a survey of 932 responding physicians, indicates 83 percent of primary care physicians participate in the Medicaid and CHIP programs. Although the report noted that physicians were less likely to accept new patients with Medicaid and CHIP. Specifically, while 79 percent of respondents stated they would accept all privately insured children, only 47 percent said they would accept new Medicaid and CHIP patients. Furthermore, 84 percent of physicians stated they had experienced difficulty referring Medicaid- and CHIP-enrolled children to specialty care, compared with 26 percent who indicated similar problems for privately insured children. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has stated it will review the report to find ways to improve access to care for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.