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

Investor's Business Daily ^ | 9/15/09 | Terry Jones

[harpu]

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...

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.

• 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.

It also differs with findings of a poll released Monday by National Public Radio that suggests a "majority of physicians want public and private insurance options," and clashes with media reports such as Tuesday's front-page story in the Los Angeles Times with the headline "Doctors Go For Obama's Reform."

-snip-

• Four of nine doctors, or 45%, said they "would consider leaving their practice or taking an early retirement" if Congress passes the plan the Democratic majority and White House have in mind.

More than 800,000 doctors were practicing in 2006, the government says. Projecting the poll's finding onto that population, 360,000 doctors would consider quitting.

-snip-

[La Lydia]

They have figured out their incomes are going to be capped.

[AliVeritas]

ping

Also, La Lydia was gracious enough to post Baucus’ HC bill (now on the front page, as breezed by WSJ)

[Jeff Head]

That's because they know exactly what the monstrosity ObamaCare (in whatever form he gets it passed) will mean to them and their patients, and they refuse to be a part of it.

EZEKIEL EMANUEL AND OBAMA HEALTH CARE
(Must Read - Shocking, cited quotes by Emanuel)

OBAMA HEALTH CARE BY THE NUMBERS

AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS OF HISTORY

INDEPENDENT AMERICAN MOVEMENT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RESTORATION

[nascarnation]

Mamas: send your kids to law school.

[InterceptPoint]

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...

Yet the takeover plan is endorsed by the AMA. To coin a phrase - Something is definitely wrong in Denmark and the AMA. It is amazing how the Libs are able in infiltrate any organization and turn it against it's own best interests. God help us if Jim Robinson ever decides to sell stock in Free Republic. Soros would be there to buy it all up. (Just kidding of course - about Jim, not Soros.)

[trad_anglican]

They have figured out their incomes are going to be capped.

I think you're right. They can demonize the insurance companies all they want, but in the end the only things that will cut costs will be to restrict services or squeeze providers. Doctors know which path the politicians will take when the masses start to squeal about being restricted from services.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

I GUESS JOE WAS RIGHT...OBAMA LIES

WATCH THE MSM TRY TO COVER THIS UP TOO...

HOPE IT HELPS IN STOPPING OBAMACARE...PING

[kindred]

Government insurance destroys health care by stealing the doctors monies for the government bureaucrats to raise their salaries to even higher levels.
Gov bureaucrats are the biggest thieves in the world.

[ClearCase_guy]

We will end up with more coverage and less care.

As far as I can see, there are about 10 or 15 million people in the US with genuinely poor access to health care. And so, we will take the other 300 million Americans and push them all down to the point where everyone has poor(er) access to health care.

That's how Obama plans to "fix" this.

[pburgh01]

Well we should put ourselves at risk so the tyrant can have a signature win and show we are over racism. What a joke.

[paulycy]

Emailed.

[astounded]

...”God help us if Jim Robinson ever decides to sell stock in Free Republic”...

Don’t you mean Jim Thompson...?

[taildragger]

A liberal women I know working in medical information and I had an interesting conversation....

I quipped jokingly with Obamacare's paperwork, the reduction in rates to doctors, etc. It wouldn't suprise me if some young doctors would quit and get a job as a bartender in the Keys because they could make more money.

She quipped back some are thinking along those lines.....

[Eternal_Bear]

If that happens, the gubmint will import more doctors from 3rd world countries.

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

45% of Americans would consider stopping being Americans if this Communist is re-elected.

[Ravi]

Add to that number a lot more of us would simply downshift. See fewer patients, take fewer calls, limit our offices, etc.

[dagogo redux]

Well, first thing - count me in (or out?) - I’ll be retiring early.

Second, the “Powerful” AMA membership is only about 17% of doctors. They are “powerful” only because the media and the feds can use them for propaganda.

Third, interesting to me that the AMA is headquartered in CHICAGO!, not DC. What kind of lobby is that?

Fourth, it’s not about health care, it’s about communism, the tyrannical takeover of our economy and every aspect of our lives.

[Don Corleone]

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.

Sort of reminds me of the old Charlie Chaplin silent film where he is on an assembly line that keeps going faster and faster..and then he destroys it.

[Campion]

Don’t forget the doctors who will quit and the facilities which will close over conscience issues if the gov’t forces them to refer for or perform abortions.