Objectives: 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.