Expect influx of newly insured to doctor offices

The Associated Press reports on how the growth in the number of newly insured people could mean crowded physician offices while the Los Angeles Times notes that group appointments may be one of the solutions.  

The Associated Press: Newly Insured To Deepen Primary Care Doctor Gap
Getting face time with the family doctor could soon become even harder. A shortage of primary care physicians in some parts of the country is expected to worsen as millions of newly insured Americans gain coverage under the federal health care law next year. Doctors could face a backlog, and patients could find it difficult to get quick appointments (Sanner, 9/17).

Los Angeles Times: Group Meetings Turn Doctor Visits Inside Out
Shared medical appointments are becoming more widespread as physicians look for more efficient and effective ways to treat increasing numbers of patients with chronic diseases. The visits could increase significantly under the nation's healthcare overhaul when millions more Americans gain insurance coverage and need to access doctors. Multi-patient appointments are especially valuable in areas with physician shortages, proponents say (Gorman, 9/16). 

Earlier, related KHN story: Group Appointments With Doctors: When Three Isn't A Crowd (Andrews, 3/19).