Provider directory accuracy and timely access to mammograms in California

Provider directory accuracy and access to timely appointments are crucial determinants of health outcomes. However, to our knowledge, no studies have analyzed provider directory accuracies or network adequacy for mammograms, an important preventive service. We fill that gap using large-scale, random, and representative surveys of provider directories and timely access for all managed care plans in California for mammogram providers, obtained from the Department of Managed Health Care for 2018 and 2019 for commercial, ACA marketplace, and Medicaid plans with more than 33,000 observations. Directory inaccuracies ranged from a low of 23 percent to a high of 38 percent. Consumers were able to schedule appointments with specific providers within 15 days in between 59 percent to 73 percent of cases. Comparisons of accuracy and adequacy between the three markets (commercial, ACA, Medicaid) were inconsistent. Even with one of the nation's strictest and most well-resourced regulatory regimes for provider networks, our findings show substantial inaccuracies and inadequacies exist.