Even as more Americans are receiving access to health insurance, the number of providers in key medical practice areas is plunging. The latest approaching practice shortfall to be identified: psychiatrists.

Nearly six in 10 U.S. psychiatrists are age 55 or older reported the Association of American Medical Colleges. The profession is among several in the medical field experiencing a drop in those students selecting the practice as their area of focus, which will create a practitioner shortfall as older psychiatrists begin to retire.

According to the Associated Press, citing American Medical Association statistics, the ranks of newly minted psychiatrists are dropping fast. "The total number of physicians in the U.S. increased by 45 percent from 1995 to 2013, while the number of adult and child psychiatrists rose by only 12 percent," AP reported. "During that span, the U.S. population increased by about 37 percent; meanwhile, millions more Americans have become eligible for mental health coverage under the Affordable Care Act." The shortage is nationwide, AP reported, with virtually every section of the U.S. suffering from a psychiatrist shortage.