📋 How Long Do Medicare Patients Wait to See a Doctor? (AARP Article)

[SummerIsTooHOT]

I TURNED 65 IN SEPTEMBER 2023 AND "FINALLY" FOUND A "MEDICARE" DOCTOR AS MINE DIDNOT ACCEPT IT. HAD TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY 2024 FOR 1ST APPOINTMENT!  😎  ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SHARE?  🤔

A third face month-long delays for appointments, but most are happy with their overall care.

By​ Dena Bunis. Published February 28, 2024.

https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2024/medicare-doctor-wait-times.html

[GailL1 · Accepted solution]

For primary care type docs it is probably they are just overbooked with Medicare patients and then add to that those that accept Medicaid patients.

For specialist - could be they have less incentive since their Medicare reimbursement rate is suppose to be cut - Congress is still kicking it around - already approved by CMS so I don’t know if Congress can actually stop it at least in the present time.

Many doctors are limiting the number of patients they have on their rolls that have Medicare or Medicare/Medicaid - They get paid more from private insurance companies especially those that come through employment.

A lot of availability has to do with your geographical location - and probably the COL and medical infrastructure that is available in those areas - 

The situation is only gonna get worse - with more and more seniors joining the ranks of Medicare in the next several years (baby-boomers) and fewer and fewer docs graduating into the ranks - especially primary care docs.

So just grab one, hopefully a lot younger than you, and hold on tight !