2013 Affordable Care Act changes to affect Medicare patients

Camillus (WSYR-TV) -- People on Medicaid will have better access to doctors in 2013 thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

Before this year, doctors received less reimbursement – more than 50 percent less – for Medicaid Patients than Medicare. But the Parity Act changes that and makes reimbursements equal for patients getting a routine physical.

The goal is to encourage doctors to take on more Medicaid patients.

However, one doctor NewsChannel 9 spoke with said the change should go beyond just physicals.

“If you have a skin lesion that I remove…it does not cover the cost of delivering the care. I think while most physicians view charity care or taking care of the poor as part of your social responsibility, you can only do that so much with your practice,” said Dr. David Page with the Family Care Medical Group in Camillus.

Two other changes under the Affordable Care Act expand the number of Americans getting preventative care and bundle payments for doctors, hospitals and insurance providers.