Medicaid payments to doctors restored

Tuesday, July 15, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- In an effort to draw pediatric physicians back to treating Medicaid patients, the state has restored rates that were cut on May 7.

Mike Willden, director of the state Department of Human Resources, said today all of the pediatric doctors left Medicaid when the state reduced rates.

Three children were transferred to either Arizona or Southern California because of a lack of care in Las Vegas, he said.

But he said he hopes the reinstatement of the rates retroactive to May 8 will entice some of them to return.

Charles Duarte, chief of Medicaid, said the state had the highest rate in the nation, paying 170 percent of Medicare for surgery. It reduced it to 80 percent of Medicare.

Duarte said it is now being restored to 170 percent of Medicare rates for doctors who perform surgery on those under 21 years old. Those who provide radiology services for those under 21 will receive 120 percent of Medicare rates.

Physicians who perform surgery on adults will receive 100 percent of Medicare.

Medicaid is the federal-state program that provides medical care for the needy.

Willden said the state had hoped to save $15 million over the next two years by changing the rates. By reinstating some rates, the savings will be $11 million.

Twenty-five specialists left the program, most of them in Las Vegas. Willden said he expected those who billed Medicaid more than $100,000 a year for services to return. Those who only occasionally treat a Medicaid case may not re-enroll.