If a low income young adult is on Medicaid, would it be wise for them to go to a direct primary care practice while still reserving their Medicaid for specialist visits?

I am 24 years old, living in Rhode Island, currently under Rhode Island’s Neighborhood Health Insurance Medicaid Plan. My income is less than $10,000 per year but that may change soon.

Although I live in a subsidized studio in Rhode Island, I go to college in Massachusetts and plan to pursue part time employment in Massachusetts, nearby my college.

I used to have a direct primary care doctor and he was really great. Hour long (sometimes even longer) thorough appointments with the no rush and not waiting times, no co-pays, no deductibles, discounted labs, on call communication, all in exchange for a reasonable monthly fee. Unfortunately, my doctor moved to a different state.

I am looking around for direct primary care doctors in Rhode Island, but I only came across a few doctors and their practices are all full. But I’ve been thinking about searching for direct primary care doctors in Massachusetts since I already spend so much time there for college and applying to jobs.

But how would that work? Say, I find a direct primary care doctor in Massachusetts and they to send me to a specialist, would they be able to send me to a specialist in Rhode Island covered by Rhode Island Medicaid? And what happens if I gain employment in Massachusetts and that renders me ineligible for Medicaid due to income limits? Do I seek a Rhode Island PPO plan on the marketplace (since I am applying for part time jobs, I am operating under the assumption that none of them will offer me health insurance)? What should I do?

submitted by /u/Remember_When_
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