Is America Running Out of Doctors?

by Heisenberg Posted 2012/07/31 18:00:00

Related Topics: Obamacare, Doctors, Health, Medicare, Health Care, Health Care Reform

717 votes
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	Yes	503 votes	70%
	No	214 votes	30%

Some reports suggest that by the year 2025, America could have a shortage of 100,000 doctors. Are doctors in the U.S. on the decline?

THEWEEK.COM reports:
ObamaCare is set to expand the number of insured Americans, but an apparent shortage of doctors could make it difficult to treat them all.

+20

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kurtanderson1 2012/07/31 15:05:56

Yes

+20
Can you blame them for avoiding this profession? Oh I want to be a lawsuit-magnet with a six-figure student loan debt and an average 80 hour-plus work week in a country that has upheld Obama-care.
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More polls by Heisenberg

murphywasanoptimist 2012/08/02 01:07:39

No

+1
Not sure really. Doctors tend to be concentrated in urban areas as opposed to rural areas, so it seems to be more of a distribution problem. However, the American population *is* getting older and sicker. Everyone's best bet to avoid needing to go to a doctor in the first place is to eat a healthy diet and stay active.

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no1togo4 2012/08/02 01:06:18

Yes

+3
Not only are we running out of doctors, we are running out of doctors that will work with Medicare and probably Medicad.

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AdmrlLocke to no1togo4 2012/08/02 03:11:50

+2
And ObamaCare.

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FPSRules 2012/08/02 01:02:24

Yes

+3
Perhaps they just don't like working under socialized government medicine.
Americans will very soon realize the huge mistake made by adopting the so-called "Affordable Healthcare Act".
Don't believe me. But, when you need a critical operation and are put on a long waiting list, (just like every other country with socialized healthcare) you will then, and only then, realize why people from all over the world (use to) come to the U.S. for the best doctors and best care available anywhere.

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DOriginalDonald 2012/08/02 00:57:15

Yes

+1
I blame Barry

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Dan 2012/08/02 00:32:20

Yes

+2
It seems most people get the idea of what's going on with doctors. I know a few who have bailed and started other businesses. Why? Because of liability insurance costs, frivolous lawsuits, government paperwork, insurance paperwork, and a whining staff who always want to create drama.

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Insanebane 2012/08/02 00:29:25

No

No. They're just being moved around to different hospitals and
some are retiring. My primary care doctor just got moved to
another hospital out of the county. Waaay out of the county.

So now I'm waiting to be assigned a new doctor.

Sure there are the lawsuits, but that's where new alumni comes in.
There will always be doctors, nurses, medics etc, etc.

Even government big heads need doctors and a lot of
them are no Spring chickens.

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Duane Freemantle 2012/08/02 00:22:52

No

Actually, maybe.

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caeli.kane 2012/08/02 00:15:07

Yes

+2
Given that many of the required-to-be-state-certified residency or internship programs doctors MUST complete are funded by Medicare and haven't increased since 1997 is actually the most sited reason by medical students for why they aren't practicing medicine.
More residencies + lower prices for medical profession training (and let's get real, if it gets bad, states will do what they did during the nursing crisis and teacher crisis in the 90's--give grants to students who promise to practice/teach in their state, some of them even full rides).

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Carrie 2012/08/02 00:10:36

Yes

+3
I've read a few good articles on this subject and they all say they have lost many Doctors and will lose more. Less are entering the medical field all due to Obamacare.

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caeli.kane to Carrie 2012/08/02 00:15:38

+2
Have you talked to any medical students?

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Carrie to caeli.kane 2012/08/10 17:07:18

I sure have. I'm in the medical field and they are very disheartened.

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nicesteve 2012/08/01 23:44:25

Yes

+4
They are definenately on the decline, and with good reason too. First, the cost of
post high school education in general has is now of cosmic perporptions. You can't
even begin to imagine what the cost of training and educating a physician can be
nowdays, knowing that it is substantially more than it is for most other degrees.
Second, the cost of manpractice and other liability insurance that most doctors
require has gone spiraling out of control. It seems as if a few bad apples (ie. corrupt
and/or incompantent individuals in the field of surgery and medicine) have not only
ruined the entire bushel for all of the good, compantent surgeons and physians out there,
but have also served to discourage many high school graduating seniors who have all
of the potential of becoming outstanding surgeons and physicians from persuing a
career in the field of surgery and medicine.
And third, but not least, we need to stop dumbing down our childrens and teenagers
educations and, at the same time, cut back DRAMATICALLY both the rate and numbers
of high school drop outs, in order to increase the pool of eligible and qualified boys and
girls coming out of high school who are candidates for careers as surgeons and physicians.
I realize that all three if these issues are very tal...

They are definenately on the decline, and with good reason too. First, the cost of
post high school education in general has is now of cosmic perporptions. You can't
even begin to imagine what the cost of training and educating a physician can be
nowdays, knowing that it is substantially more than it is for most other degrees.
Second, the cost of manpractice and other liability insurance that most doctors
require has gone spiraling out of control. It seems as if a few bad apples (ie. corrupt
and/or incompantent individuals in the field of surgery and medicine) have not only
ruined the entire bushel for all of the good, compantent surgeons and physians out there,
but have also served to discourage many high school graduating seniors who have all
of the potential of becoming outstanding surgeons and physicians from persuing a
career in the field of surgery and medicine.
And third, but not least, we need to stop dumbing down our childrens and teenagers
educations and, at the same time, cut back DRAMATICALLY both the rate and numbers
of high school drop outs, in order to increase the pool of eligible and qualified boys and
girls coming out of high school who are candidates for careers as surgeons and physicians.
I realize that all three if these issues are very tall orders, but the future of medicine and,
as a result, the welfare of the good old USA, are both incumbant on these issues being successfully addressed and midigated. It is essential for a good, strong, America.
(more)

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☆FritzW☆ 2012/08/01 23:26:15

Yes

+2
So long as doctors are open to these ludicrous and truly ridiculous lawsuits, less and less people are chosing this arduous path for a career. A few years ago, I was talking with a doctor who became friends... and in the conversation he told me what his malpractice insurance premium for a year was. He's a Nephrologist.. no surgery.. simply takes care of those of us who have kidney disease. He paid (back in '09) over $19,000 a year. If he performed some of the simple surgeries that such as his patients might require, for example, the insertion of a cathetar in the chest in order for the patient to begin receiving dialysis treatments, his insurance premium would have been well over $50,000.00 a year. He simply couldn't afford it, so he doesn't perform these surgeries. And moreso, the majority of his patients are on Medicare. He's lucky if he breaks even after all his overhead. It's a real shame and one day, we're all going to pay.

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ChiTown... to ☆FritzW☆ 2012/08/01 23:58:59

You're absolutely right. In fact, Health & Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius was former executive director of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association. Tort reform is the furthest thing from her mind.

I'm still debating whether Texas' blanket cap on malpractice claims at $250,000 is the best idea. There are so many cases where that wouldn't even put a dent in long-term care. On the other hand, in the state of Texas, It cut down medical malpractice payments by 70% and premiums by 50%. That's huge.

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☆FritzW☆ to ChiTown... 2012/08/02 16:32:25

+1
Tort reform wouldn't be something the current administration would think about...period. :)

If doctors were properly held accountable for their actions, I would think the blanket cap idea would and could work. Problem I see is that a doctor performs a procedure and botches it up. He goes before a state board and sometimes gets a slap on the hand or he may lose his/her right to practice there. But here's the sad part. That doctor packs up shop and goes to another state and all is well. Now, I don't understand how everything works and I should do more research at this point as I hate to be factually incorrect in my opinions. :) But, if we can control and eliminate those who practice subpar medicine, well, I think there'd be less risk and therefore more affordable preiums and such.

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ChiTown... to ☆FritzW☆ 2012/08/02 20:13:06 (edited)

+1
I agree. It's these specific items that should be addressed when dealing with our healthcare, unlike the complete overhaul via Obamacare, for which we all know the ultimate goal is single-payer. Also, opening up state lines to competition with over 3,000 different insurance companies vying for our business would dramatically bring prices down. In some states, Blue Cross/Blue Shield (which I have and love though), controls 80% of all healthcare policies in some states, essentially a cartel.

Also, the mythical pie-in-the-sky number liberals are always throwing out about the "ininsured," Now they say there are 47 million uninsured. Taking that number at their word, the breakdown is this (love Michael Ramirez's take, as usual):

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☆FritzW☆ to ChiTown... 2012/08/04 01:45:18

+1
Love the breakdown! Sadly though.. those of us who would read /view it kinda already knew that. :) And yeah, you hit the nail on the head. But.. that means we believe in Capitalism and competitive practices and that's not allowed anymore... well, at the rate we're going it won't be. VOTE people... with your head.. not your heart!

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hasher 2012/08/01 23:21:58

Yes

+2
obamacare is the reason we are having a shortage and its only going to get worse.

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JustTheFacts 2012/08/01 23:17:50

Yes

+2
obamacare will do it every time.

76% of all doctors said they would consider leaving the field if obamacare is upheld. You cannot blame them based on how blatant this health care law destroys people who sacrifice their lives for training to be punished instead of providing care to others.

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T 2012/08/01 23:05:40

Yes

+3
Lawsuits all over the place.
Med school is ridiculously stressful.
Interns are judged at everything they do.

All that pressure could make someone go postal. (I admit this is a joke in bad taste.)

Why would anyone want to go through all that just for a career when law school is easier, cheaper, and with less liability.

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Jeannie 2012/08/01 23:04:42

Yes

+2
Maybe not right now, but if Obamacare ever gets fully activated, our supply of Doctors will drop like a ton of bricks. So many of them are already refusing to take care of Medicaid patients, and are limiting their Medicare patient intake, that the writing is on the wall. "Why?", you ask? Simple, because it costs the physician more to take care of these patients than they are reimbursed. In other words, it costs the physician money to take care of these patients. After all, this is their living, meaning their means of supporting their families and paying their employees, their licenses, overhead, and taxes. Just like any other business, if your overhead is more than your income, you go out of business. That's just the way things work.

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blumunofky 2012/08/01 22:54:36

Yes

+4
Who the heck would want to be one? Aside from grueling and expensive training, there are ungodly malpractice insurance premiums, brutal hours, and minimal payments by HMOs for services. The few doctors left who have independent offices have to pay staff and rent plus have all the whiz-bang equipment for their specialty, or else refer patients to hospitals, which really eats into the bottom line. In my particular region, the dominant hospital has bought out the competition and gobbled up most of the group medical practices as well. The docs have lower overhead, but now they are just wage slaves along with the nurses, technicians, aides, and other support staff. The U.S. is SO screwed up; we have the best medicine but the worst actual care of any developed nation.

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Hamilton 2012/08/01 22:46:02

Yes

+1
Or more precisely, we WILL be.

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hasher to Hamilton 2012/08/01 23:23:13

+1
yep if obamacare isnt repealed.

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brittany 2012/08/01 22:34:08

No

i really can't decide.

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becky.kuntz1 2012/08/01 22:32:17

No

seems as if there are plenty...

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captain 2012/08/01 22:05:47

Yes

+2
Obama care has handed the Dr,s a huge pay cut. Here come the techs.

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Dadgi 2012/08/01 22:05:37

Yes

+3
What did you expect? You voted him and the Congress to support him in.

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firebird 2012/08/01 22:04:16

Yes

+3
Its due to the Obamacare coming in and the horrifying increase in medical malpractice lawsuits. Then add to that the soaring rise in malpractice insurance ..... Many will and are going to hospitals and working as an employee for other doctors already established practices... So, yes, there will be a shortage of doctors in certain areas of specialists and probably a long waiting list on specific procedures. I suggest you get used to it. Its coming and probably sooner then we think.

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Hey_Zues! 2012/08/01 21:51:01

No

I say no because I never really saw doctors all that essential to the process for most situations. you go in get diagnosed get drugs go home do drugs and there ya go. with the exception of major surgeries. most alements can be cured easily at home, in group, or with diet. doctors are declining because people are getting smarter.

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caeli.kane to Hey_Zues! 2012/08/02 00:17:57

+1
Nurses are how we coped with the doctor shortage in the 90's, remember?

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Null_Shock 2012/08/01 21:42:31

Yes

+3
But the number of doctors on the decline has been going on before the new healthcare bill. The people blame the decline on the health care just want a reason to bitch about healthcare.

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Korgull to Null_Shock 2012/08/01 22:00:26

+1
Anything to continue being the only industrialized nation without a proper healthcare system, O USA!

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jimmie 2012/08/01 21:33:16

Yes

+3
Goverment is forceing them to quite, ObamaCare does not want to pay them what they are worth.

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me to jimmie 2012/08/01 22:08:03

Obamacare doesn't have anything to do with what they get paid, doesn't determine what they get paid, doesn't authorize payment, and doesn't pay them.

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Jeannie to me 2012/08/01 23:15:17

+2
On the contrary, my friend. The government does regulate how much a physician can charge for all procedures that are done. They also put forth all sorts of rules and regulations that must be followed, with a charge for being inspected to make sure these regulations are followed. Their malpractice insurance is out of sight, with some specialties a lot more expensive than others. Odd isn't it, that the government always backs away from touching tort reform.

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me to Jeannie 2012/08/03 22:18:07

I didn't say anything about their costs, malpractice insurance costs, tort reform or "government regulations". I was simply responding to the assertion that "Obamacare" does not want to pay them what they are worth.

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FatherLiberty 2012/08/01 21:29:05

Yes

+2
Many started retiring and leaving for other industries when Obamacare was proposed. Now that it passed, expect many more to follow.

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Dickens 2012/08/01 21:23:08 (edited)

Yes

+4
...and who can blame them...they train for years and years for 20 hours a day to make $120,000/year while some greedy, lowlife, scumbag health insurance executive making $140,000,000/year sits in an office looking for more and better ways to screw the policyholders and the doctors out of health care dollars...gee whiz, maybe the American health care system IS broken..

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