Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Doctor Won't See You Now. He's Clocked Out
Wall Street Journal ^ | March 14, 2013 | SCOTT GOTTLIEB

Posted on 03/16/2013 9:12:16 PM PDT by Innovative

ObamaCare is pushing physicians into becoming hospital employees. The results aren't encouraging.

The irony is that in the name of lowering costs, ObamaCare will almost certainly make the practice of medicine more expensive. It turns out that when doctors become salaried hospital employees, their overall productivity falls.

The result? It is estimated that by next year, about 50% of U.S. doctors will be working for a hospital or hospital-owned health system.

Once they work for hospitals, physicians change their behavior in two principal ways. Often they see fewer patients and perform fewer timely procedures.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: 0care; doctors; healthcare; medicine; obama; obamacare; obamacaredoctors; physicians; zerocare
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-57 last
To: exDemMom

“Never mind that without being able to recoup development costs, those companies won’t be developing new drugs. And when they can’t afford to support research any more, that puts not only the scientists who work for those companies out of work, but also the scientists who don’t work for them, but do the basic research into biology that eventually leads to new therapies and targeted drug development. There is no need to understand fundamental biological processes when nothing will be done with the knowledge.”

You make excellent points that many haven’t even started to think about. The ramifications of Obamacare won’t be fully recognized for several years and by that time it will be too late. With Obamacare and his energy policy, Obama is pushing the US down to a third world country.


41 posted on 03/17/2013 6:28:02 AM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: neocon1984

“doctors form private groups that refuse to take Medicaid.”

If it isn’t already in the bill, Obama will have Congress pass a law that all practicing physicians will have to follow the rules of Obamacare.


42 posted on 03/17/2013 6:30:17 AM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Innovative

They’ve been DYING to put us out of business for years and years.

As soon as a doctor becomes a hospital employee, he drops from 72 hours a week to 38.5. Since he hasn’t taken a vacation in 20 years, he takes his four weeks right away, followed by his mandatory CME.

By the time he comes back to the office, 2/3 of the patients have gone elsewhere, AND he gets a raise.

This is what the People have wanted. Hope they’re happy with it.


43 posted on 03/17/2013 6:32:07 AM PDT by Jim Noble (When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neocon1984
What is likely to happen...is that doctors form private groups that refuse to take Medicaid

That has been illegal in Massachusetts since 1986, and it soon will be coming to a Legislature near you.

44 posted on 03/17/2013 6:35:46 AM PDT by Jim Noble (When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Jim Noble

“This is what the People have wanted.”

This is NOT what “the people” wanted — even now more are opposing Obamacare than those who are for it. Those who were/are for it have been conned by Obama into believing that they will get something for nothing.

Instead of promoting personal responsibility, which has been the foundation of the US, they are promoting a nanny-state where the government will “take care” of everyone.

This is the biggest con-job on the people.


45 posted on 03/17/2013 6:49:29 AM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Innovative
Obamacare will reduce primary medical care to waiting in long lines at a clinic for a 10 minute visit with a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. Referral to see a physician will take days to a week or more. Referral to see a specialist may take weeks or months. Large top notch medical centers like the Mayo Clinic will be catering exclusively to foreigners or those who can pay cash for their care. I expect medical tourism will become a major industry. Take a trip to the Caribbean or India to get complete medical care with no waiting, but for cash only.
46 posted on 03/17/2013 7:03:59 AM PDT by The Great RJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Innovative
If it isn’t already in the bill, Obama will have Congress pass a law that all practicing physicians will have to follow the rules of Obamacare.

I saw my doctor on Friday. He mentioned that he would probably be sending me a letter soon, announcing that he'd joined a local medical group (he's currently a sole practitioner). Though he didn't say he was forced or compelled to take such patients, that was the unspoken part of his "increased number of Medicare / Medicaid patients" comment. Basically, he now has to find a way to share overhead costs, in order to offset Obamacare related losses.

47 posted on 03/17/2013 7:06:33 AM PDT by Charles Martel (Endeavor to persevere...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Innovative

My doctor will no longer oversee medical treatment in the hospital. If he refers me to the hospital, staff doctors I don’t know will handle the treatment

And he is now taking Friday’s off. His nurse praticioner deals with Friday emergencies.


48 posted on 03/17/2013 7:18:36 AM PDT by wildbill (You're just jealous because the Voices talk only to me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Innovative

Everything the Democrats touch turns to crap.


49 posted on 03/17/2013 7:46:31 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye
How many doctors are going to retire? How many already have?

Four of my doctors have retired.
My cardiologist's group has just joined the main local hospital.

Things getting scary.

50 posted on 03/17/2013 8:14:06 AM PDT by Vinnie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Innovative

Let’s get the numbers right.

Since as many as 70% of doctors surveyed have said they will QUIT the profession...
\
50% of 30% means that only 15% of the current doctors will be hospital employees.

NO ONE will be seeing a doctor by 5 years from now.


51 posted on 03/17/2013 8:35:45 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FreedomStar3028

My Vet responds faster for my horses....


52 posted on 03/17/2013 8:37:49 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Innovative

Doctors wouldn’t, or didn’t, get involved in fighting Obamacare back when it was being pushed by the Dems. I wondered why then....still don’t know why they don’t speak up.


53 posted on 03/17/2013 8:42:45 AM PDT by jch10 (Hey GOP! Only Conservatives get my vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye
get tens of thousands of dollars in debt

Average completed medical-student debt now is 250-300k.

54 posted on 03/17/2013 8:51:06 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by Nature, not Nurture™)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: neocon1984

Doctors fleeing to private concierge / indemnity-only practices are in for rude shock. Obamacare rules are very hard on indemnity insurance, its viability is questionable. Moreover, the minute that capacity becomes strained or people start to perceive a two-class system, expect that Obamacare or its successors will adopt to an all-or-none principle — accept government set rates (possibility including expanded Medicaid or even Medicare too) from all patients as payment in full - or be ineligible to accept any government-covered or -subsidized patients at all, maybe even be denied privileges at any hospital that accepts them for any patients.


55 posted on 03/17/2013 10:48:05 AM PDT by only1percent
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Vinnie

That is scary. It further confirms my gut feeling about what is going to happen though. Everyone will have health insurance (theoretically) but no one will be able to see a doctor. (reality)


56 posted on 03/17/2013 1:31:44 PM PDT by TigersEye (The irresponsible should not be leading the responsible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: steve86

That sounds right. I would have had to guess and I didn’t want to exaggerate.


57 posted on 03/17/2013 1:34:18 PM PDT by TigersEye (The irresponsible should not be leading the responsible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-57 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson