Access to Care

Medicare is a popular and successful government program. Improvement is needed based on the report published in Neurology.

Nearly 20% of people on Medicare must travel 50 or more miles to see their neurologists. This is too far for many. People with brain cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) travel the long distances most often.

“Our study found a substantial travel burden exists for some people with neurologic conditions, including people living in areas with fewer neurologists and rural areas”

–Brian C. Callaghan, MD, study author and neurology professor at University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor, said.

Not only are travel times burdensome but affects the quality of care.

“We also found that people who traveled long distances were less likely to return for a follow‐up visit with a neurologist,” Callaghan added.