Hello,

I have read through the list of diagnosis deemed "preventable" and recognize this effort for what it is. A way to save money while increasing barriers of access to care for the most medically vulnerable. Medicaid patient's routinely report how difficult it is to see their primary care doctor or to establish care with one. The problem is not with ER use it is with access to care. It is also worth noting, I have taken care of countless patients in which a primary care provider has referred a patient to the ER for evaluation and the visit ended in one of these "preventable" diagnoses. We can not expect lay people to tease out whether their symptom is potentially life threatening. Using hindsight to determine if a visit is preventable is deplorable and does not follow the CMS prudent layperson standard.  I am honestly shocked that a measure like this would even be considered during a pandemic. 

Please stop this program!

Brittany Lamb, MD