According to the report, just 251 physicians chose geriatrics as their specialty as of December 2011, down from 279 the year before.
The declining number of geriatricians could pose a problem as America’s population continues to age and require physicians specialized in treating the elderly.
A possible cause of the specialty’s lowered popularity is the low reimbursements: Mostly all of geriatricians’ patients are on Medicare, according to the report, which pays less than private insurers.
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