Medicaid Patients May Have Doc Visits Limited
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – If you're on Medicaid and you get sick too many times in a month and need to see a doctor, you may be out of luck.
A budget deal reached Sunday night will limit the number of times Medicaid beneficiaries can see general physicians per month, according to the News Service of Florida.
The details of the deal have not been released, but the budget deal predicted a savings of $3.3 million by limiting doctor visits. An earlier House proposal would have limited the number of non-pregnant adult visits to just two a month, according to the NSF.
It's the second cut in benefits for Medicaid beneficiaries during the current Legislative session. Previously, negotiators limited the number of emergency room visits to six a year in order to save approximately $46 million, according to the News Service of Florida.
Critics say the limits could force Medicaid patients to seek help through emergency room visits that can't be paid for and thus send the cost back to insured patients in higher benefit costs.
