The Homa Files

Story line:

(1) Dems tout that the AMA supports ObamaCare.  But, the AMA represents less than 25% of doctors, and has a vested interest — they get paid millions by the government to manage “treatment codes” used for reimbursements.

(2) The NEJM surveyed the broader base of doctors and concluded: “A very dramatic decrease in the physician workforce could become a reality as an unexpected side effect of health reform.”

(3) Specifically, almost half of primary-care physicians said that they would either want to leave medicine or that they would be “forced out” by the changes to the system.

(4) The “changes” they cite: more regulations, gov’t coming between them and patients, lower reimbursements, continuing threat of junk law suits.

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Details:

According to a survey published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine:

• 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 …  If a public option were included in the legislation, the number jumps to 45.7%.
• 46% of primary-care physicians said that they would either want to leave medicine or that they would be “forced out” by the changes to the system.
• 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.

“Many physicians feel that they cannot continue to practice if patient loads increase while pay decreases.”

The survey shows that many doctors already find their situations difficult:

• 36% said that they would not recommend medicine as a profession to others, regardless of whether health-care reform passes;
• 27% would still recommend medicine as a career, but not if the current reform proposal passes.
• In total, 63 percent of doctors would not recommend the profession after health-care reform passes.

96 percent of the physicians surveyed  favor of health reform, in some form or fashion … but relatively few are in favor of the current legislation.

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But the AMA says doctors are in favor …

Congressional Democratic leaders ,have said that doctors favor the bill and are part of an “unprecedented coalition” of doctors rooting for its passage. The claim is based on the American Medical Association’s endorsement of the legislation in Congress.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 there were 661,400 physicians and surgeons within the United States. Of that number, 250,000 are members of the American Medical Association (AMA) — and nearly 100,000 of those are medical students.

Full article:
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/62812

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Key Findings from thePhysician Survey: Health Reforms Potential Impact on Physician Supply and Quality of Medical Care
New England Journal of Medicine, Mar. – Apr. 2010 

Physician Support of Health Reform in General

• 62.7% of physicians feel that health reform is needed but should be implemented in a more targeted, gradual way, as opposed to the sweeping overhaul that is in legislation.
• 28.7% of physicians are in favor of a public option.
• 3.6% of physicians prefer the “status quo” and feel that the U.S. health care system is best “as is.

Health Reform and Primary Care Physicians

• 46.3% of primary care physicians (family medicine and internal medicine) feel that the passing of health reform will either force them out of medicine or make them want to leave medicine.

Health Reform, Public Option, and Practice Revenue/Physician Income

• 41% of physicians feel that income and practice revenue will “decline or worsen dramatically” with a public option.
• 30% feel income will “decline or worsen somewhat” with a public option.
• 9% feel income will “improve somewhat” with a public option, and 0.8% feel income will “improve dramatically” with a public option.

Health Reform, Public Option, and Physician Supply

• 72% of physicians feel that a public option would have a negative impact on physician supply, with 45% feeling it will “decline or worsen dramatically” and 27% predicting it will “decline or worsen somewhat.
• 24% of physicians think they will try to retire early if a public option is implemented.
• 21% of physicians would try to leave medicine if a public option is implemented, even if not near retirement age at the time.

Health Reform and Recommending Medicine to Others as a Career

• 36% of physicians would not recommend medicine as a career, regardless of health reform.
• 27% would recommend medicine as a career but not if health reform passes.
• 25% of physicians would recommend medicine as a career regardless of health reform.
• 12% would not recommend medicine as a career now but feel that they would recommend it as a career if health reform passes

Source:“Physician Survey: Health Reform’s Impact on Physician Supply and Quality of Medical Care,”
The Medicus Firm, http://www.TheMedicusFirm.com

This entry was posted on March 17, 2010 at 7:59 am and is filed under Health Care / Medical Insurance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.