PCP Numbers See a Decline for New Patient Visits

Medscape January 23, 2026
Edited by Manasi Talwadekar

TOPLINE:

The number of primary care physicians (PCPs) available for new Medicare patient visits decreased by nearly 25% from 2013 to 2021, whereas the number of advanced practice clinicians available for new visits increased by around 90% during the same period.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a repeated cross-sectional study using Medicare fee-for-service claims from 2013 to 2021 to assess trends in availability of primary care clinicians.
• The study included PCPs and advanced practice clinicians who submitted at least 50 outpatient visit evaluation and management codes annually.
• Clinicians were categorized as available for new visits if they billed more than 11 new visit codes for Medicare beneficiaries each year.
• The analysis captured per-beneficiary counts of new visits and the percentage...

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