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3 Things To Think About When Choosing A New Doctor That Accepts Medicaid Payments

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Unfortunately, not all doctors accept Medicaid payments in exchange for their services, so you'll have to do a little legwork to find a quality care provider you can rely on in the coming years. Here are a few important things to think about when comparing your options and choosing a new doctor that accepts Medicaid, like Lakewood Family Health Clinic:

Specialty Referrals

When initially consulting with prospective doctors that will accept your Medicaid benefits, it's important to inquire about specialty referrals in case you find yourself in need of one at some point in the future. Not all Medicaid doctors have connections and working relationships with specialists who also accept Medicaid, which means you'd have to contact your county to try and find referrals for any specialty healthcare needs that you have. Make sure that the doctor you decide to work with long-term has access to a specialty network in which they can refer you to someone they trust without having to worry about whether your Medicaid will be accepted.

Prescription Payment Plans

Medicaid may not always cover all the costs of any medication that is prescribed to you as time goes on, which means you will have to figure out how to pay the leftover costs out of pocket. Whether that would be a financial strain for you now or not, you never know what the future holds. Because of this, it's a good idea to choose a Medicaid doctor who is willing to take payments for a prescription copay if you find that you can't cover all it up front. This will help keep stress levels low as you and your doctor work together to keep you healthy as the years pass and ensure that you don't end up having to make a choice between buying the medication you need and paying a bill that's overdue.

Treatment Waiting Lists

Another thing to consider when choosing a Medicaid doctor to work with is their patient roster. If their roster includes patients with personal insurance or who pay out of pocket for their services, find out whether or not you'll be put on a waiting list based on your payment status. Because some doctors charge commercial insurance companies and those who pay cash more for their services than they do their Medicaid patients, they may make the higher-paying patients a priority.

So, choose a doctor to work with who works only with Medicaid patients or who is willing to commit to prioritizing their patients based on need as opposed to finances. There are plenty of Medicaid doctors available who meet both of these criteria, so don't be put off if you run across one or two who don't.


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