Doctor Shortage Will Impact Ohio Health Insurance

One of the major objectives of health reform is to extend coverage to more than 30 million more people. However, providing them all with timely and proper medical care will be an issue. The Department of Health and Human Services has pointed out that America has a serious doctor shortage. By 2015, America could have nearly 63,000 fewer doctors than needed.

Ohio is also hit

As in the case of many other states, Ohio is also hit. Though there are about 30,000 physicians practicing in Ohio, primary care doctors are scarce in many rural and urban areas of the state. So the irony is that while you may have OH health insurance, this may not assure treatment when you need it.

Many reasons for doctor shortage

There are many factors contributing to the doctor shortage:

* The growth in the US population
* The failure of medical school enrollment to keep pace with population growth
* The cap on government funding for residencies
* Better insurance coverage for preventive care under the ACA, especially for seniors and women
* A third of the country’s physicians are nearing retirement
* Younger doctors are working fewer hours
* The growth in the number of older people and Medicare enrollees means a greater proportion who require more intensive care
* The compensation for primary care physicians is much lower than that earned by specialists

The government has taken steps to increase the number of physicians. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid reimbursements to primary care physicians will rise. More funds are going into doctor training, into support for community centers, and incentives for those who serve undeserved communities. But these measures are insufficient. Experts point out that nurses are ideally suited to handle preventive care, but the U.S. also has a shortage of nurses.

Buy health insurance

Even with all these potential problems, it is highly advisable to buy Ohio health insurance. Not doing so would attract a penalty which will increase progressively from 2014 to 2016. Affordable Ohio individual health insurance policies are available that can cover every type of contingency.

If you are young and healthy, you can easily find an affordable Ohio health plan with some professional guidance. You can compare your options and choose a budget-friendly plan that would work best for you. If your employer offers a health plan, ask what it covers and how much you have to pay for office visits and prescriptions. You can stay on your parent’s plan till age 28, but if you cannot get coverage through your parent or employer, find out about low-premium, high-deductible, or catastrophic policies that cover hospitalizations and offer discounted rates on primary care. You can also opt to combine a high-deductible plan with a health savings account which allows you to save money tax-free, to pay for your medical expenses. Remember that even with the doctor shortage, you can still get care, though the process may be slow.