45% Of Doctors Would Consider Quitting If Congress Passes Health Care Overhaul

IBD Editorials ^ | September 15, 2009 | TERRY JONES

[Kaslin]

Two of every three practicing physicians oppose the medical overhaul plan under consideration in Washington, and hundreds of thousands would think about shutting down their practices or retiring early if it were adopted, a new IBD/TIPP Poll has found.

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IBD Exclusive Series: Condition Critical: What Doctors Think About Health Reform

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The poll contradicts the claims of not only the White House, but also doctors' own lobby — the powerful American Medical Association — both of which suggest the medical profession is behind the proposed overhaul.

It also calls into question whether an overhaul is even doable; 72% of the doctors polled disagree with the administration's claim that the government can cover 47 million more people with better-quality care at lower cost.

The IBD/TIPP Poll was conducted by mail the past two weeks, with 1,376 practicing physicians chosen randomly throughout the country taking part. Responses are still coming in, and doctors' positions on related topics — including the impact of an overhaul on senior care, medical school applications and drug development — will be covered later in this series.

Major findings included:

• Two-thirds, or 65%, of doctors say they oppose the proposed government expansion plan. This contradicts the administration's claims that doctors are part of an "unprecedented coalition" supporting a medical overhaul.

[Mr. Silverback]

bump

[coloradan]

It’s not rationing ... exactly.

[Paladin2]

Hmmm, that could be a real problem.

[Kaslin]

[Babu]

I guess I’ll have to find out what country most of those conservative doctors are moving to, and that will be my new expat country where I live in exile.

[TheDailyChange]

Count on it!

Especially Internists, Internal Medicine is a TERRIBLE career choice.

[Doogle]

with the pending shortages as is...that would lead to third world medical care and rationing beyond belief.....

[Paladin2]

No problem. Pirate Hospital ships. Just take a launch out past the territorial limit and have your work done. No gov’t involvement.

[Melian]

Wow. I guess we’ll have to start importing them from the Philippines.

[Frantzie]

We will get Obama DeathCare ACORN witch doctors and nurses.

This is not funny. People will regret this if it goes through. Call and fax.

[Red in Blue PA]

I’m sure Obama has a speech to address this.

[hinckley buzzard]

This contradicts the administration's claims that doctors are part of an "unprecedented coalition" supporting a medical overhaul.

gee, you mean Obama (gasp!) lied about something?

crikey. Whaddasupprise.

[diverteach]

“Hmmm, that could be a real problem.”

Absolutely! And it will be huge and almost instantaneous.

Instantaneously add the supposed 30 million or even an extremely conservative 10 million uninsured into the system who have been waiting and or wanting to visit a doc but couldn’t previously afford to. WHAM! Welcome to the swamp and hello rationing.

[American Constitutionalist]

wait, wait, we were told a overwhelming majority of doctors was in favor of Obama Health Care plan..... and now this is telling us that if his healthcare plan is passed a lot of doctors would quit......
It's a game of TICK TOCK who's telling the truth......

Alex ? I take : Doctors quit if healthcare plan passed for $ 200

[givemELL]

US is now considering that anyone leaving, for a visit to Mexico, must have a passport for reentry to the US under all circumstances. It may come to be a future requirement that no one without a national healthcare card can get a passport. Offshore medical facilities may be considered off limits for re-entry purposes... Just thinking like they might. Govt. is heavy into freedom restriction now, more than ever.

[hinckley buzzard]

...that would lead to third world medical care and rationing beyond belief.....

Gotta get yo' mind right, boy. In Obamaworld that's called "redistribution of wealth."

[fortunecookie]

I guess Obama’s new health’care’ plan cares not what 45% of doctors think. In fact the shortage of doctors will help them stay under budget and make a profit.

[Electric Graffiti]

P.J. O’Rourke said it during Hillary’s HELLCARE express back in 93.....”Who would want to go into medicine just to become a goverment HACK?”

He also said that in his Almanac, the Declaration of Independence and the Constituion comprise 4 pages.....”that’s 4 pages to run a country for 200 plus years and 3 reams of federal pig latin if I slam my thumb in the car door”

[Paladin2]

Galt’s Gulch in action.