Medications have side-effects; so do health care laws. Is California's scramble to find a solution to the overwhelming provider access issue a sign of things to come? California may be different in many respects and the same could be said of any of the other 49 states, but on this issue, they do not stand alone. Their "solution", however, may create some new side-effects of its own.
The LA Times article cites the following:
Problem: There aren't enough doctors to treat a crush of newly insured patients.
California Lawmakers' Solution: Fill the gap by redefining who can provide healthcare. They are working on proposals that would allow physician assistants to treat more patients and nurse practitioners to set up independent practices. Pharmacists and optometrists could act as primary care providers, diagnosing and managing some chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and high-blood pressure. Read more...
