By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – Doctors affiliated with the state's two teaching hospitals, UAB and the University of South Alabama in Mobile, will get the biggest increase in Medicaid rates. A large percentage of patients at teaching hospitals have Medicaid instead of private insurance. Specialists outside UAB and USA will get the next-biggest increase in pay, but all doctors with Medicaid patients are expected to benefit. Medicaid officials hope the better pay will increase access statewide to specialty medical care, such as surgery, neurology and other fields outside primary care. They also hope the teaching hospitals will be able to offer more competitive salaries to attract the best doctors in their fields.