Posted on 03/21/2010 8:20:18 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
If Obamacare becomes law, about 30 percent of the primary-care doctors in America will consider leaving the medical profession.
That bit of brightness comes from a survey by The Medicus Firm, the results of which were posted by The New England Journal of Medicine. Medicus interviewed more than a thousand American physicians, and 55 percent of them believe the quality of medical care in America will decline if the Democrats pass the current health-care reform proposals. Apparently, many of them want no part of it.
Although the media largely ignored the Medicus study, the story is huge. Perhaps as many as 30 million more Americans may have access to health insurance. The question is: Who will treat them?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 22 percent increase in practicing physicians over the next decade. But that will not be enough to treat the universal health-care crush, especially if a bunch of doctors now on the job pack it in.
There are essentially two reasons why Obamacare nauseates some doctors. First, control. Medical people simply do not want federal pinheads telling them how to treat their patients. The medical profession attracts intelligent, assertive people who are motivated to help others. This is not a docile crowd.
Second, money. Right now, many doctors are already seeing too many patients in order to pay the bills and provide a decent living for their families. Obamacare does nothing to bring down the outrageous expense of medical malpractice insurance, and it is likely to cut Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.
Doctors can do the math. Their expenses remain high; their incomes decline. Again, these are smart people who could make good money doing something else.
In Canada and Great Britain, where socialized medicine is practiced, it is difficult to actually see a doctor in some places. Instead, nurses, physician assistants and other medical personnel fill the need. That is what could happen in the United States if the feds begin calling the health-care shots.
Not since the Iraq war has America been so divided on an issue. Yes, ideology is playing a part. Conservatives despise government intrusion in the marketplace, but liberals love it. Right now, however, most polls show that the majority has turned on Obamacare. The latest Wall Street Journal poll, for example, found 48 percent opposing and just 36 percent supporting.
Here’s my question: What would Marcus Welby, M.D., and Dr. Kildare say? These guys usually had the answers, back when wise doctors were the subjects of TV programs and health care seemed to be a glamorous profession.
Would Ben Casey support Obamacare? We know the “M*A*S*H” guys would. Dr. Jekyll might like it, but Mr. Hyde? I don’t know.
What I do know is that many Americans are sick of the whole health-care thing. And no prescription on earth will change that.
ARE YOU REALLY NOT WAKING UP EVERYONE......AMERICANS ARE DONE..........WE NOW LIVE IN DIVERCITY....
WHERE BLACK IS IN AND WHITE IS OUT
BACK DOOR REPERATIONS.....HOW’S THAT WHITEMANS BURDEN WORKING? WE HAVE BEEN DUPED......AMERICA...IS PAYING THE MAN....AND OH YA HE IS REALLY BLACK!
Well, you could just walk away.
Maybe bringing the whole thing down as soon as possible is what is needed.
Just what you want....a BRAIN SURGEON who got thru medical school because of his/her color....
Hey, I predict that, at least, race relations are going to get SOOOOO much better.
Yeah right. Abandon practice to become hamburger flippers at McDonald’s. I don’t see this happening. What I DO see happening is.. In the short term, more medical students to become doctors, then.. After word spreads about how the Gov’t F’ed up health care, FEWER students wanting to become doctors.. then it’s HEALTH CARE RATIONING time.
RE: “Doctors will be similar to Russia — paid about $40-60,000 and if you want real care you’ll (a) pay cash or (b) fly to nearby islands and nations that’ll set up top shelf medical care for Americans with $$$.”
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Are you saying docs are paid $40-60K now? Or in the past?
I was in the old USSR in 1977 and the big deal then was their claim that doctors earned the same amount as taxi drivers. Not much of an incentive to do well and go to med school, was there?
RIGHT.....GET READY TO BEG FOR YOUR NEXT JOB AND SIT AT THE BACK OF THE BUS
That’s the point. How many MORE and MORE OFTEN will they show up?
You’re right it’s going to get worse; especially in the large cities. You can’t add that much demand without an equal amount of supply and expect things to get better or cheaper.
RE: “The best thing any doctor can do for the country is QUIT.
I urge ALL people working in health care to QUIT. You can come back after Obamacare collapses.
Urge YOUR doctor and all other medical personnel to QUIT.”
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AGREE! If there are very few physicians, where are all these extra bodies on Obamacare gonna go? The system will be overloaded/bankrupt before it even gets going.
Come on, you say that like it isn't possible! This is America! ANYTHING is possible!
That’s what I’m concerned about....
Billy boy(the 6’3pantywaist) is dying to get an interview with the plastic lesbian or the colored capone. If it happenes, he’ll have to wear double depends
I will close my office and work in a free clinic!
Maybe he’ll bring in some of Castro’s “barefoot doctors” from Cuba. According to Michael Moore, that system is already superior to our’s...
RE: “ARE YOU REALLY NOT WAKING UP EVERYONE......AMERICANS ARE DONE..........WE NOW LIVE IN DIVERCITY....
WHERE BLACK IS IN AND WHITE IS OUT
BACK DOOR REPERATIONS.....HOW’S THAT WHITEMANS BURDEN WORKING? WE HAVE BEEN DUPED......AMERICA...IS PAYING THE MAN....AND OH YA HE IS REALLY BLACK!”
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Oh yes, Al Sharpton himself said it very clearly on TV tonight for millions to hear — When people voted for Obama, they voted for socialism. The ‘guest’ who is staying with me, and who is not-so-secretly a Dem pretending to be independent, was SHOCKED, STUNNED, AGHAST. I calmly looked at him and said “You must be kidding — how could you NOT know well before the election what you were voting for? THAT’S what’s shocking to me!
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