While almost everyone in Massachusetts is covered under the state's healthcare reform law, some residents face long waits to see a physician because some physicians are unwilling to deal with the state's subsidized insurance programs, according to a release by the Massachusetts Medical Society.
Critics of the federal healthcare reform program have said similar problems would stymie the federal program. Massachusetts' healthcare program, introduced five years ago, is often regarded as a model for President Obama's 2010 healthcare reforms.
However, despite access problems, Massachusetts has done "an incredible job" rolling out its reform plan, said Alice Coombs, MD, president of the medical society. "It's a success in terms of the number of patients who have seen a doctor in the past few years, but the physician workforce has been strained," she said. She noted that shortages of doctors for poorer patients are not unique to Massachusetts.
Read the release by the Massachusetts Medical Society on healthcare reform.
Related articles on healthcare reform in Massachusetts:
Recruiting Physicians Takes Twice as Long as a Decade Ago
Massachusetts Inspector General Says Out-of-Staters Take Advantage of "Free Care"Massachusetts Medical Bankruptcies Continue, Despite State Health Reform