An OHSU secret-shopper study found just 35% of Portland clinics accept new Medicare patients — compared to 97% in LA, 93% in Chicago, and 82% in New York, per OHSU News. Median wait times stretched to 61 days — the longest of any city studied.

A high 60% of Portland primary care clinics are system-affiliated, and hospital-affiliated practices had longer waits than independent practices. OHSU's separate "ghost provider" study found Medicaid networks riddled with providers who appear in directories but don't see patients.

Together, these studies paint a picture where insurance coverage is functionally meaningless for many patients seeking a new primary care physician. For 1.4 million OHP members, the access gap is existential.

Watch for: Whether lawmakers use this data for payment rate increases, scope-of-practice expansion, or network adequacy requirements. The March 26 Oregon Health Forum will likely use this study as a centerpiece. CMS should scrutinize Medicare Advantage network adequacy in Portland.