title: Payment source and provider type in the US healthcare system.
abstract: Greater use of physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) to meet growing demand for healthcare in the United States is an increasingly common strategy to improve access to care and control costs. Evidence suggests that payment for services differs depending on the type of provider. This study sought to determine if the source of payment for a medical visit varies based on whether care is provided by a physician, PA, or NP. Data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2006 through 2010) were analyzed. Physicians were proportionally more likely than NPs or PAs to provide care for medical visits compensated by private insurance or Medicare. Conversely, PAs and NPs were more likely to serve as providers of care for services with other payment sources such as Medicaid and out-of-pocket.
authors.affiliation: Joseph Benitez is a health services researcher and doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Public Health. Bettie Coplan is an associate clinical professor in the PA program at Northern Arizona University in Phoenix. Richard W. Dehn is a professor in the College of Health and Human Services at Northern Arizona University's Phoenix Biomedical Campus, and chair of the university's Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Roderick S. Hooker is a retired PA and healthcare analyst. The authors disclose that a portion of this research was funded by a grant from the Physician Assistant Education Association.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benitez
authors.forename: Bettie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coplan
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Dehn
authors.forename: Roderick S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hooker
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014481:United States