AUSTIN, TX – Doctors today are finding it harder to spend quality time with their patients, according to a new survey by the Texas Medical Association (TMA).

"Spending time with our patients is critical for good patient care," said Josie R. Williams, MD, TMA president. "The more time a doctor has with their patient the better the initial diagnosis and outcome - unfortunately, today doctors no longer have the luxury of time."

Ninety-three percent of the doctors surveyed said insurance companies take too much of their time and attention away from patient care. Government payers, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE, also rob patients of their doctor's time, according to 87 percent of physician respondents.

The survey also found that the policies of a patient's health insurance coverage often harm the quality of care they receive. More than half the physicians (56 percent) reported at least one instance where a health insurer's operating policies or utilization controls adversely affected their patient's care.

Doctors worry that their financial hardships are threatening both quality and access to care for patients. Declining payments, claim denials, incorrect or late payment, and the high cost associated with the extra administrative burden from health insurers and government payers are forcing many doctors to limit their practice to certain patients.

Many physicians report the future of their practice is uncertain because of mounting financial losses. More than 70 percent reported cash-flow problems due to slow payment or underpayment of claims by health plans and the government. More than 95 percent said payment problems have increased the cost of running their practice.

Moreover, many physicians cannot afford to care for patients dependent on government programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare, according to the survey.

"Medicaid payments are woefully inadequate - they don't even begin to cover the cost a doctor incurs for providing these services," said Williams. As a result, only 42 percent of the doctors surveyed would accept all new Medicaid patients.

Senior citizens and persons with disabilities also are facing a more limited pool of doctors to treat them. Only sixty-four percent of Texas doctors indicate they would accept all new Medicare patients, a 14-percent decrease since 2000.

According to reports, some doctors fed up with fighting health insurers for payment have resorted to firing them. A third of the physicians surveyed terminated their contract with at least one health plan in the past two years. Almost half of the doctors surveyed said they have considered or are considering opting out of Medicare as well.