Oklahoma predicted to face worst PCP shortages under healthcare reform

OKLAHOMA likely will face the biggest shortage of family physicians due to the broader Medicaid eligibility requirements contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (PPACA) according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study compares primary care capacity in each state with the number of uninsured, nonelderly adult residents who might enroll in Medicaid. Other states likely to face problems include Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Nevada, North Carolina, and Kentucky, according to the study.

The PPACA raises the Medicaid eligiility threshhold for nonelderly adults to 133% of the federal poverty level.