Feb. 26—Some 44 million people could face a significant shortage of available primary care providers with the expansion of insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to a study released online. Of that amount, 7 million live in areas where the demand for primary care providers could exceed current baseline supply by more than 10 percent, according to the study, which will be published in the March 2013 issue of Health Affairs.

With the national average for this shortage expected to be between 1.5 and 2.4 percent, the findings emphasize the need to promote policies that encourage more primary care providers to practice in areas where shortages will be exceedingly high.

The authors, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the University of Chicago, used estimates of the number of uninsured in primary service areas in 2010 as a starting point for the study.

Publication Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2013