Non-Physicians Do More, Cost Less
An increasing amount of medical care is being delivered by nurse practitioners, 
physician assistants and other non-physician providers, making care more widely available and helping hold down costs, according to a study by USA Today.
Analyzing data compiled by Medicare, the newspaper found that the number of nurse practitioners receiving payments from the program rose by 15% in 2013 compared to the previous year, and by 11% for physician assistants. By contrast, the number of general practice physicians paid by Medicare declined by 5% from the prior year.
Experts told the newspaper that the increasing number of non-physician providers reflects the response of the entire health care system, not just Medicare, to a shortage of doctors and the increasing number of Americans able to access medical care as a result of the Affordable Care Act.
Non-physician providers are conducting such advanced medical services as electrocardiograms, caring for severely injured trauma patients, lumbar punctures pelvic examinations and assisting with heart bypass operations.
Medicare made payments of $1.5 billion for some 65,000 nurse practitioners in 2013, while 50,000 physician assistants received about $1 billion.
The number of nurse practitioners rose to 171,000 in 2013 from 60,000 in 1999; the number of physician assistants increased to about 102,000 currently from about 83,500 five years ago.
The newspaper quotes a prediction by the Association of American Medical Colleges that the nation will experience a shortage of 46,000 to 90,000 physicians by 2025.
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