Medicaid expansion under the ACA will mean little if few doctors are willing to participate in the program. Physicians that accept Medicare should be required to accept Medicaid on an equal basis.
Why is this important?
Well-established physicians, particularly those in suburban practices, have little incentive to accept Medicaid because they can fill their schedules with patients whose insurance offers higher payments. This means that people who rely on Medicaid are largely shunted to a limited number of doctors, often those with less experience or lesser credentials, for example, no board certifications. "Healthcare for all" should mean "all healthcare for all."
