Medicaid Policy and the Supply of Primary Care

This project aims to answer the following specific questions:1. How has the local supply of Medicaid primary care services (number of providers, use of NPs, place of service) responded to the first 3½ years of Medicaid expansion? 2. How do the supply factors from question 1 and prices paid to local primary care providers affect patient-level access to primary care? 3.How do the answers to question 2 vary by patient subgroups, including those with a history of homelessness or SMI and newly enrolled versus previously enrolled? | Findings will inform efforts to ensure primary care access for growing and diverse Medicaid populations. They will inform the debate over capping federal commitment to Medicaid, which makes it imperative for states to understand how local primary care markets respond to changes in Medicaid demand and provider payment rates. Subgroup analyses will inform strategies for managing complex patients, which is a growing priority for state Medicaid programs.