Provider Access Index

The Provider Access Index (PAI) is based on a patient survey conducted by economists at the University of Minnesota to measure the quality of physician networks and access to care in the non-elderly insurance market.  This index provides a tool for evaluating the effect of health policy reforms on the ability of patients to seek out desired doctors and specialists. H&E uses plan-specific, expected PAI to compute an aggregate PAI for the market, including Medicaid. Plan-specific PAI values range from a low of 1.0 for Medicaid to a high of 5.0 for large-network preferred provider organizations (PPO), reflecting low provider choice for Medicaid beneficiaries relative to the large network of physicians available to PPO members.