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I tried to find a GP for a young adult on Medicaid this year, and the first half dozen that I tried (selecting specifically places that said on their website th

I tried to find a GP for a young adult on Medicaid this year, and the first half dozen that I tried (selecting specifically places that said on their website they took Medicaid) would not take a new patient on Medicaid. So yes, your experience as someone who already had a doctor may be much better than it is for the normal Medicaid recipient, who did not start with private insurance. At the same time, I was looking for a new dentist for myself and for this kid. There are a half dozen dentists who would see me within ten minutes walk. I finally found her a dentist some 20 minutes drive away (bonus: she can't drive). And the mental health provider we found who would take Medicaid did intake for new patients on Friday mornings between 9am and 12 noon, no appointments, recommend you arrive early in order to be seen. This is in WA.

devbent 3y ago
Mental health providers are nearly impossible to find in the Seattle area, no matter the insurance, or even paying cash. For whatever bloody reason they just don't exist in anything near enough quantity.
sh34r 3y ago
Have you tried to find a new GP for an adult with private insurance recently? Many areas have a shortage in general. This has little to do with insurance coverage, and everything to do with the bad incentives of the medical profession. Who would become a GP with your MD, when you can make twice as much money as a specialist instead? It's like getting a CS degree from Stanford and deciding to become a sysadmin at a high school with it, instead of becoming a SWE. Conversely, I'm surprised you found a dentist and a mental health provider that takes any insurance at all, and didn't have a months-long wait list. I've almost always had to self pay for both...
- lazyasciiart 3y ago
  Yes, in fact several of the doctors I called would have been happy to take her on if she had private insurance. This has everything to do with insurance.

devbent 3y ago

Mental health providers are nearly impossible to find in the Seattle area, no matter the insurance, or even paying cash. For whatever bloody reason they just don't exist in anything near enough quantity.

sh34r 3y ago

Have you tried to find a new GP for an adult with private insurance recently? Many areas have a shortage in general. This has little to do with insurance coverage, and everything to do with the bad incentives of the medical profession. Who would become a GP with your MD, when you can make twice as much money as a specialist instead? It's like getting a CS degree from Stanford and deciding to become a sysadmin at a high school with it, instead of becoming a SWE. Conversely, I'm surprised you found a dentist and a mental health provider that takes any insurance at all, and didn't have a months-long wait list. I've almost always had to self pay for both...

lazyasciiart 3y ago
Yes, in fact several of the doctors I called would have been happy to take her on if she had private insurance. This has everything to do with insurance.