MEDICARE - Finding Primary Care Physicians

Note that this problem applies to patients who use private doctors.  It does NOT apply to those who use 'true' HMOs which own/operate hospitals, clinics, labs, pharmacies, and doctors are employees.  (also tend to be not-for-profit)

Example:  Kaiser Permanente HMO, Southern California, which I belong to, has NO premium for their Senior Advantage (Medicare), just co-pays, and when I first enrolled I had a choice of 15 primary physicians to choose from in the nearest clinic.

Also, the approach in finding a primary care physician, as presented in this article, is (IMHO) wrong.  You look for a heath care insurance plan FIRST, then look at the plan's list of physicians.

"Access to Doctors Shrinks for Some Medicare Patients" PBS Newshour 3/4/2013

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  It's getting harder and harder for some seniors to find a primary care physician.  Ray Suarez reports on why the threat of massive cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates has left some doctors so worried that they've decided to stop taking new Medicare patients.