Choosing a retirement destination often starts with dreams of sunshine, quiet mornings, lower taxes, and a backyard that finally gets the attention it deserves. But new Medicaid research highlights a practical detail that deserves a spot near the top of the checklist: healthcare provider access. A charming small town may look perfect on a map, but a shortage of nearby providers can turn routine medical care into a frustrating road trip.
The research, led by investigators at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and published in The American Journal of Managed Care, found that states with higher Medicaid reimbursement rates for psychiatrists had 24% lower overall healthcare costs and 19% lower psychiatric-specific costs among Medicaid patients with serious mental illness. Researchers believe one reason may be that higher reimbursement encourages greater provider participation and better continuity of care.
