New Managed Care Findings from University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Outlined (Medicaid patients have decreased access to urologic care: a nationwide cross-sectional study): Managed Care

2026 JUL 08 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Fresh data on Managed Care are presented in a new report. According to news reporting originating in San Francisco, California, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “This study quantifies 1) appointment accessibility and 2) need for referral for Medicaid and Medicare patients seeking urologic care nationwide. We conducted a cross-sectional audit study of urology clinics across all 50 states.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), “Using a standardized script, callers posed as Medicaid or Medicare patients requesting a new patient appointment. The primary endpoint was insurance acceptance (Medicaid vs Medicare) and the secondary endpoint was need for referral prior to appointment scheduling. We evaluated factors associated with these endpoints using multivariable analyses adjusting for clinic-level and state-level characteristics. Of 1,150 urology clinics contacted, 894 (77.7%) accepted Medicaid, and 1,141 (99.2%) accepted Medicare. On multivariable logistic regression, hospital-based clinics (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.33-4.36, p=0.004), academic clinics (OR 3.63, 95% CI 1.96-6.72, p<0.0001), rural clinics (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.11-5.78, p=0.027), and clinics with lower neighborhood income (OR 0.92 per $10,000, 95% CI 0.86-0.98, p=0.009) were associated with increased Medicaid acceptance. The odds of a clinic requiring a referral were 13 times higher for Medicaid versus Medicare patients (OR 13.1, 95% CI 8.6-21.0, p<0.001). Higher state Medicaid reimbursement rates were correlated with higher state Medicaid acceptance rates (p <0.05). Compared to Medicare patients, Medicaid patients nationwide face lower appointment availability and greater need for referrals when seeking urologic care.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “States with higher Medicaid reimbursement rates were associated with greater Medicaid accessibility.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Medicaid patients have decreased access to urologic care: a nationwide cross-sectional study. Urology Practice, 2026.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Joy Barrett, Dept. of Urology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States. Additional authors for this research include Walter Hsiang, Darren Chau, Lindsay Van Winkle, Arnav Supur, Angela Kim, Bao Nguyen, Patrick Hoang and Marshall Stoller.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)