GAO STUDY ON ACCESS TO PHYSICIANS’ SERVICES.

SEC. 604. GAO STUDY ON ACCESS TO PHYSICIANS’ SERVICES.(a) Study.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on access of medicare beneficiaries to physicians’ services under the medicare program. The study shall include—(1) an assessment of the use by beneficiaries of such services through an analysis of claims submitted by physicians for such services under part B of the medicare program;(2) an examination of changes in the use by beneficiaries of physicians’ services over time; and(3) an examination of the extent to which physicians are not accepting new medicare beneficiaries as patients.117 STAT. 2302(b) Report.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a). The report shall include a determination whether—(1) data from claims submitted by physicians under part B of the medicare program indicate potential access problems for medicare beneficiaries in certain geographic areas; and (2) access by medicare beneficiaries to physicians’ services may have improved, remained constant, or deteriorated over time.