http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/62812
Nearly One-Third of Doctors Could Leave Medicine if Health-Care Reform Bill Passes, New England Journal of Medicine Says
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
By Christopher Neefus
(CNSNews.com) - Nearly one-third of all practicing physicians may leave the medical profession if President Obama signs current versions of health-care reform legislation into law, according to a survey published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The survey, which was conducted by the Medicus Firm, a leading physician search and consulting firm based in Atlanta and Dallas, found that a majority of physicians said health-care reform would cause the quality of American medical care to “deteriorate” and it could be the “final straw” that sends a sizeable number of doctors out of medicine.
More than 29 percent (29.2) percent of the nearly 1,200 doctors who responded to the survey said they would quit the profession or retire early if health reform legislation becomes law. If a public option were included in the legislation, as several liberal Senators have indicated they would like, the number would jump to 45.7 percent.
Nearly One-Third of Doctors Could Leave Medicine if Health-Care Reform Bill Passes
Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by carpro, Mar 16, 2010.
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I wonder what profession these doctors think they will go into with the skill set they have or would they go back to college to get a degree in something else.
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My personal physician is in his early fifties and has said he will retire. Many of our most experienced physicians will do the same. There are already too few primary care physicians. There will be even fewer.
Another choice is to refuse to accept medicare and medicaide patients.
The effect is the same. Less patient access to doctors and longer waits for treatment. -
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I'm sure it won't be a problem or he wouldn't do it. I'm also sure he would appreciate your concern for his financial condition. -
I don't believe it. Payments on BMWs are quite high.
I understand retirement, but quitting the profession? Gah. It sounds like the people who say they will leave the country. -
I don't know if this is more of a knock on the healthcare bill or the doctors.
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This might be a good time to enter medical school. I regret that I'm too old-- couldn't expect to have 10 years to practice.
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BTW, my doctor is in his mid-sixties, and he has not said anything about this bill affecting his career. -
JohnDeereFan Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
He says that two things are going to happen. The first is that you're going to see a huge number of doctors retire or go "underground" (and I don't mean "underground" in the illegal sense, only in a non-traditional sense) and offer their services for cash. The second thing is that the problem of the mass retirement of doctors is going to be compounded by fewer people deciding to go into medicine.
My doctor has told me many times that he and his partners have to have a staff of twenty people just to handle all of the paperwork and that if it wasn't for that, they could greatly reduce their overhead and charge people less to pay cash than they're paying now with insurance deductables.
Imagine what a nightmare this is going to be with increased paperwork and bureaucracy.
It's going to be bad enough in the next election cycle and in 2012, but if this bill goes through, it's going to be the end of the Democrat party. -
JohnDeereFan Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Second, I don't want a younger doctor. I want a doctor my age or older, because I just don't trust young people today.
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If you had, he would have said something, one way or the other. -
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If it's more trouble than it's worth, he'll walk away. If not, he may hang around a few years.
Are you ready to look for a new doctor if he doesn't like what happens? That makes it very much your business, just not your decision. -
Don't worry. There are plenty of good doctors in India who speak good English and would be pleased to come to the US.
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righteousdude2 Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
I Don't Think That Many Will Leave..
I hope, for the sake of mankind, that this is pure hype.
That doesn't mean the bill is good in any way. It is a "political farce" and people will soon have their eyes opened all the way [should the bill pass] as they see that NOT ALL Americans will be automatically insured: that their cost for this insurance will decrease; when they are told that a certain Rx is no longer available; when they lose the right to have their regular doctors and specialists; when they are told to wait for a life-threatening surgery; when they are told... well, why am I preaching to the choir? You know more than I do, what a bag of lies this health care plan is!