Nursing outlook
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To mitigate shortages of primary care physicians and ensure access to health care services for a growing number of Medicare beneficiaries, some policy makers have recommended expanding the supply and roles of nurse practitioners (NPs). Little is known about the number of NPs billing Medicare or their practice patterns. ⋯ Approximately 45,000 NPs were providing services to beneficiaries and billing under their own provider numbers in 2008. Aspects of NP practice patterns were different from primary care physicians, and NPs appeared more likely to provide services to disadvantaged Medicare beneficiaries.