What do doctors think about healthcare reform?
Opponents of the current proposals in Congress for reforming healthcare have asserted that nearly all physicians are in opposition to these measures. I’ve even read claims that physicians will leave practice in droves if any of these bills pass, leaving America short of doctors. The highly respected Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently surveyed physicians to see how we actually felt about reform. You can read the summary of their findings here. The bottom line — a large majority of physicians favor reform.
The survey found that 63% of physicians supported a public option — a system in which there was a government-funded alternative to private insurance. More radical than that, 10% supported a straight-up single payer system, such as Canada has. In sum, this is three-quarters of America’s doctors. In addition, a majority (58%) supported lowering Medicare eligibility to include 55-year-olds.
The survey does not address reasons doctors think this way. I think a majority of them, like me, realize our current non-system is unsustainable financially. I also think it is immoral socially, but I may be in the minority on that one.
Sachin on 
My husband is a doctor who works with the elderly and Hospice.
He is a board certified Internist, board certificated Medical Director,
board certified Hospice. He is only 43 years old and has a passion for helping the elderly and dying. Someone please tell me how this is going to benefit him and his patients. Somethings needs to be done.
Is this it?
The price tag, topping $1 trillion over 10 years, would be paid for by taxing high-income people and cutting some $500 billion in payments to Medicare providers. The legislation would extend health coverage to around 95 percent of Americans.
His practice consists of 3 doctors, 3 nurse practioners, and two MA’s. They are in the high- income bracket. If this goes through how we doctors who the majority of their income is from Medicare survive? Who will want to take care of this group of people if cuts are what they say it will be???
Sincerely,
Susan
Susan:
I understand your uncertainty — it affects me and my colleagues as well. I think the main thing this RWJ Foundation survey shows is that most doctors agree that we simply cannot keep going as we are. That path is one to financial ruin, too. We just can’t afford 16-17% (and rising fast) of our GDP going to healthcare.
Wow
Indeed
Gotta love the Federal Government. They’re gonna increase taxes and cut our monthly pay. What do you think companies will do when employee expenditures increase?
I believe that the reform is going to a large tax to the government and the people.