1. The department, in cooperation with the appropriate professional medical organizations, shall collect and analyze information on the number of physicians in Iowa in each of the following categories, including breakdowns by geographic region and by medical specialization:
a. Physicians who accept medicare assignments as payment in full for all medicare patients.
b. Physicians who accept medicare assignments as payment in full for all medicare patients with income and resources below the level established by the department.
c. Physicians who participate in a voluntary medicare assignment program.
2. The department shall identify any areas of the state and physician specialty areas in which physician participation in any of the categories under subsection 1 is not sufficient to meet the access to care needs of medicare patients in Iowa and shall recommend activities to improve access in those areas.
3. The information developed by the department shall be provided at least annually to the governor and the general assembly and to other interested persons upon request.
4. As used in this section:
a. "Medicare" means the program of health insurance established under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act.
b. "Medicare assignment" means payment by medicare of charges for health care services provided to medicare patients.
c. "Medicare patient" means a patient who is a beneficiary under medicare.
89 Acts, ch 304, § 303
CS89, § 249D.24
C93, § 231.24
Legislative findings; 89 Acts, ch 304, § 302
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