title: Access to primary care physicians differs by health insurance coverage in Mississippi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to measure how access to primary health care in Mississippi varies by type of health insurance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We called primary care physician (general practitioner, family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, and pediatric) offices in Mississippi three times, citing different types of health insurance coverage in each call, and asked for a new patient appointment with a physician.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all of the offices contacted, 7% of offices were not currently accepting new patients who had private insurance, 15% of offices were not currently accepting new Medicare patients, 38% were not currently accepting new Medicaid patients, and 9% to 21% of office calls were unresolved in one telephone call to the office.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Access to health insurance does not ensure access to primary health care; access varies by type of health insurance coverage.
authors.affiliation: From the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Cossman
authors.affiliation: From the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
authors.forename: Jeralynn S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cossman
authors.affiliation: From the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: From the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.affiliation: From the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
authors.forename: Xiaojin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: From the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
authors.forename: La'Mont
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: From the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stubbs
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008922:Mississippi; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*