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MCC finds barriers to prenatal care in Philadelphia and Norristown

MCC regularly explores the barriers--long waits, less providers-- faced by pregnant women on Medicaid seeking prenatal care in Philadelphia and in Norristown.

 

Philadelphia

In 2007, there were three managed care organizations (MCOs) that offer plans to Medicaid recipients: Keystone Mercy Health Plan, AmeriChoice, and Health Partners. In our Survey of Prenatal Care Availability for Medicaid Managed Care Recipients in Philadelphia, MCC found that:

  • The directories were more than 85% inaccurate. 
  • Listed practitioners frequently were no longer available; the phone number was wrong; or the site listed no longer offered prenatal care. 
  • Out of 1,500+ listings, only 139 practitioners at 61 prenatal care sites were available. 
  • The waiting time for an initial appointment averaged just above the two-week standard.     

The consequences of inaccurate information were recognized and policy changes have been implemented by some of the MCOs and the Department of Public Welfare to assure consumers have accurate and easily accessible information. 

 

 

Norristown

 

Annual Data on Providers and Wait Times
MCC staff annually call each listed practitioner for all Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) for Norristown to learn how long the wait is for the first available prenatal care appointment. The charts below summarize what we have learned.  
 

The average wait time for an initial prenatal care appointment is now a shocking 11.5 weeks, just shy of a full trimester. Equally disturbing, of the 6 available practitioners, none accept the two new Medicaid plans, Aetna Better Health and CoventryCares.

With the closure of Mercy Suburban hospital, and the lack of other prenatal care options, there is only 1 clinic to serve all pregnant women on Medicaid in Norristown.  We need to do better for Norristown families!

Prenatal appointments in Norristown (all MCOs)

All MCOs 

# of Practitioners Listed

# of Individual Practitioners    Available*

Average wait time for an appointment

August, 2005

115

15

6 weeks

August, 2006

87

15

5.5 weeks

August, 2007

64 12 2.9 weeks

August, 2008

53 10 3 weeks
August, 2009 105 12 4 weeks
August, 2010 47 6 11.5 weeks

*These numbers reflect the actual number of practitioners among the five MCOs, excluding duplicates among their lists. 

 

The charts below show the individual data collected for each of the five managed care organizations (MCOs). 

Keystone Mercy Health Plan: Prenatal appointments in Norristown

Keystone Mercy Health Plan

 

# of Practitioners Listed

# of Individual Practitioners    Available

Average wait time for an appointment

August, 2005

69

6

5 weeks

August, 2006

32

11

5 weeks

August, 2007

33

11 3 weeks

August, 2008

26 9 3 weeks
August, 2009 78 9 4 weeks
August, 2010 47 6 11.5 weeks

 

AmeriChoice: Prenatal appointments in Norristown

AmeriChoice

# of Practitioners Listed

# of Individual Practitioners    Available

Average wait time for an appointment

August, 2005

24

2

7 weeks

August, 2006

17

10

7.5 weeks

August, 2007

21

7 3.4 weeks

August, 2008

20 6 3 weeks
August, 2009* 20 5 6 weeks
August, 2010 47 6 11.5 weeks

*AmeriChoice’s online directory did not provide a radius search option. 

Health Partner's: Prenatal appointments in Norristown 

Health Partner's

# of Practitioners     Listed

# of Individual Practitioners    Available

Average wait time for an appointment

August, 2005

22

7

N/A

August, 2006

38

4

4 weeks

August, 2007

10

5 3.1 weeks

August, 2008

6 7 4 weeks
August, 2009* 7 1 1 day
August, 2010 47 6 11.5 weeks

*In 2009, the search radius for Health Partners was extended to 15 miles because no providers appeared when searching within 5 miles. 

 

Aetna Better Health: Prenatal appointments in Norristown

Keystone Mercy Health Plan

 

# of Pactitioners Listed

# of Individual Practitioners Available

Average wait time for an appointment

August, 2010 47 0 N/A

This health plan was established in April 2010.

While Montgomery Hospital accepts this health plan, the practitioners providing care at the maternity clinic do not.

 

CoventryCares: Prenatal appointments in Norristown

Keystone Mercy Health Plan

 

# of Pactitioners Listed

# of Individual Practitioners Available

Average wait time for an appointment

August, 2010 47 0 N/A

This health plan was established in April 2010.

While Montgomery Hospital accepts this health plan, the practitioners providing care at the maternity clinic do not.

 

 

Each year we document the reasons that so many listings are inaccurate.  The pie charts below show the reasons for inaccuracies and their frequency.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Sister Speak Out 2010

"The Prenatal Care Experiences of African American Women in Norristown." MCC, the Norristown Alliance for Healthy Babies and the Montgomery County Health Department recently conducted a study of the barriers to prenatal care access.  In January 2010, African American women came together to discuss the report and the challenges they face in accessing prenatal care and ensuring for themselves a healthy pregnancy and a healthy newborn.  Read it here!

Read the Report

As moderator for the event Shamara, POWR99 FM mid-day host, took comments from audience members.

Panelists (left to right): Bertha Staples-Tucker, mother and Social Worker at Laurel House and Norristown Family Center; Jasmine White, local mom and participant in the Norristown Alliance for Healthy Babies Report.

Brownsyne Tucker Edmonds, MD, MPH

responds to the report findings.

Event moderator Shamara joins Montgomery County Department of Health's Dr. Joseph DiMino, Medical Director (center) and Barbara Hand, Infant Health Coordinator (second from left, standing); MCC staff members Olivia Hamilton, Prenatal Outreach Coordinator (on right, seated) and Cynthia Waters, Director of Operations (on far right, standing) along with the event panelists.

Panelists Yasmeen Davis, MOMobile advocate, with Nurse midwife at Montgomery Hospital, Crystal Franklin.
 
 

Please visit our Childbirth Crisis News page to read recent articles or Take Action on important issues!

 

Past Research on Prenatal Care in Philadelphia

MCC and Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) conducted annual research on the Philadelphia Health Care Centers.  The City of Philadelphia operates health care centers for all residents regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status.  We have stopped collecting this data because, since 2008, the health centers centralized their scheduling system. While appointments are now more timely, patients may need to travel further for care at health centers outside their neighborhood.

 

Last Updated August 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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