Are you comfortable with someone who isn't a physician as your primary care provider?

by L.A. Times Posted 2013/02/11 15:00:00

7,517 votes
Read all 531 opinions
Lightning Report View Results and Demographics + View Demographics

Loading Demographics... Click an icon to see demographic results Display unknown and private
	Yes	2,241 votes	30%
	No	5,276 votes	70%

As the state moves to expand healthcare coverage to millions of Californians under President Obama's healthcare law, it faces a major obstacle: There aren't enough doctors to treat a crush of newly insured patients.

Some lawmakers want to fill the gap by redefining who can provide healthcare. They are working on proposals that would allow physician assistants to treat more patients and nurse practitioners to set up independent practices. Pharmacists and optometrists could act as primary care providers, diagnosing and managing some chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and high-blood pressure.

+21

Add a comment above

Kiosk Kid 2013/02/11 21:45:22

No

+11
Therefore, the 90 percent get screwed so Obama could buy the votes of the 10 percent.
>> See Replies

More polls by L.A. Times

Illuminatti 37° 2013/02/22 16:56:52

No

Will this make you more comfortable? Medical Apps short commercial before the good content. This doc wants to app you for your medical exams.

reply
foxy 2013/02/17 15:00:38

No

+1
I put no, but where I live if the doc is busy and u need to see someone that day u get the nurse, you can see the doc if u make an appointment. You can only book one on the day, if u can not get in u try the next day.

reply
littlebuffalo55TBA 2013/02/15 17:50:15

No

LMAOff....well you knew this was going to happen! "Oh gee it will be great we are going to add 30 million to it and not do a freakin thing that actually provides more doctors" "But it'll be great!"

No.....my primary care doctor is very good and works very well with the specialists I have also need from time to time. Her husband is a cardiac specialist as she spends more of her time raising their children. She has a physicians assistant who is fine for say a Friday I may have a bug.

And now it begins! Guess what! I have paid into the system and have always had health insurance. You that are new to this and have not will have to get in line behind me! Yup....sorry I was here 1st and have paid to provide care for you. Unless you have unique debilitating issues that's just the way I see it's going to have to be!

reply
FlyGalsMom 2013/02/15 05:05:08

No

+1
I already have heard that many doctors in our borough are retiring early~
I often wonder why Dental Care was not included in this bill~

reply
Charles R. Anderson 2013/02/15 00:47:38

No

+1
It was always obvious that ObamaUncaringTax would lead to increasingly costly healthcare with a lowered quality. What a combination of benefits for selling our bodies to the government!

Stupid politicians who vote for a bill they have not read and witch doctors for medical care is a combination made in ........ hell.

reply
American Girl 2013/02/14 22:04:55

No

+1
Nope, I will only settle for a medical doctor. Anybody else will not due.

reply
♥Nicole Nataliah♥ 2013/02/14 21:32:43

No

+1
I have had unexperienced doctors, in fact they weren't doctors, no MD PHD, and it showed with their decisions. I currently have an excellent doctor MD PHD who saved my life with his decisions.

reply
addie 2013/02/14 21:19:51

Yes

+1
I prefer a Nurse Practitioner.

reply
Christopher Kirchen 2013/02/14 21:17:28

No

+1
I would move somewhere where there were competent doctors rather than settle for that.

reply
Mike 2013/02/14 21:12:05

No

+1
And it's at this point where I quote the now famous Ms Idiot...."What Difference Does It Make?" oh I'm sorry ....I forgot ...CNN said that Mrs Clinton was the most loved woman in the world.....sorry hunny...can't even take backseat to my baby..!!..just sayin

reply
FAM of the OMC 2013/02/14 21:10:22

No

+1
So we trade expensive but fantastic health care, for even more expensive crap health care. F'ng brilliant.

reply
Turn the Tide 2013/02/14 18:26:19 (edited)

No

+2
Hurry! Hurry! Step right up! I'm OBAMA the Medicine Man... Step right up and try this FREE health care called OBAMACARE! It only cost's $2,500 per year, a small price to pay from your annual IRS tax payment, and it's guaranteed to give you health insurance coverage! My other Medicine Men and Women without physician degrees, along with myself, will take care of you and let you DIE if your care is outside our cost and knowledge base. By allowing your life to end in this manner, your indirect sacrifice will keep Obamacare up and running! YEAHHHH!!!

HURRY! HURRY! STEP RIGHT UP! YOU'LL NEVER KNOW THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM UNTIL YOU BLINDLY DIVE IN FOR COVERAGE! HURRY! HURRY!

reply
JHup BN-0 2013/02/14 18:19:24

Yes

+1
I've often seen a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. They are perfectly capable of treating run-of-the-mill health problems, colds, flu, minor injuries, physicals. If the problem is beyond their scope, they refer you to a "REAL" doctor. I have been perfectly satisfied with the care I've received - the NPs and PAs spend more time with you and actually listen to you, unlike the high-priced "real" doctors.

reply
Zoomie 2013/02/14 17:16:52

Yes

+1
Every state in the nation allows for PAs and NPs (Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners), and they've been used by insurance companies a primary care providers for years in most states, with no adverse reactions.

And supervision can be via telemedicine (video and/or telephonic). I worked for a health insurance firm that required lower level providers be "directly supervised" by an MD or DO for a claim to be paid. I questioned that on one claim once, only to be told the fact the care was provided in Nebraska and the physician supervising was in Georgia was not a problem! And that was more than 20 years ago!!

reply
Juanb 2013/02/14 16:03:46

Yes

im fine with obama care and i guess we have to make sacrifices...This so called LA Times Blogger seems to be very desperate for a pat in the back from an extremist and is doing such an awful job at muckraking in his/her desperate attempt to get attention or some sort of concerned response from misguided fools. This is a loaded question and its made to scare or shock uneducated idiots who don't read....Im sure you would get adequately referred to the right doctors depending on your condition there is no way in hell that our nations free medicare is going to allow the nurse to do full eye surgery on you from her own apartment and have the janitor stitch you up. And look what the problem is... there aren't enough doctors for all these newly insured people which means we should blame those who would normally just die for using up our doctors instead of making it easier for people to get that education to become doctors so you can have your doctors.

reply
deckman204 to Juanb 2013/02/14 17:43:21

If they can't make any money at it, why in the hell would someone want to spend that much time and that much money on becoming a doctor?????????
If you think the majority become doctors truly only to help people, then I got an igloo in the Bahamas to sale ya!!!!

reply
Juanb to deckman204 2013/02/15 05:58:30

its just that to me doctors are like scientists who are fascinated by the human condition caring individuals who try to do whatever is necessary to help where ever they can and not self centered money hungry scum - or else they would have chosen to be bankers or lawyers. Also if anything doctors are more in demand than ever before and they are getting paid very well and always will be - the problem seems to be producing them.

reply
Bevos 2013/02/14 15:17:02

No

+3
THE IGNORANT Lib SHEEP don't even listen to the words that come out of the OWEBUNGLER'S mouth. They just sit and grin, like a bunch of IDIOTS, while he is talking and never hear a word that comes out of his LYING mouth.

reply
Jeff 2013/02/14 14:51:05 (edited)

No

+1
No, although, I do allow that gal at my grocery check out, to clean and fill my teeth. I won't even see a Physicians' Assistant, I want the actual Doctor.

reply
iamnothere 2013/02/14 13:47:30

No

+3
anyone who says yes.. just tell them to go get there medical care provided by their optician.. Waiting to see how long it takes them to get the eye dilation down so they can focus to see they had lung cancer

reply
issy 2013/02/14 13:07:14

No

+2
You can bet your damn asses Obama an all those Big Wig's up on the damn Hill won't be going to the same Doctor's they want you to go to.................What a Crock!

reply
doofiegirl POTL~PWCM~JLA 2013/02/14 10:22:32

No

+3
I have been uncomfortable with some of the doctors I have known. I changed them for others. Why in heaven's name would I be comfortable with someone who knew Nothing of medicine?

reply
Annie~Pro American~Pro Israel 2013/02/14 10:22:31

No

However, on my Physician's staff he has an excellent doctor's assistant as well as 2 nurse practitioners.

reply
SoapBoxLady 2013/02/14 09:46:43

No

+1
Those of you who have not yet read the entire Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) do not yet realize that this is already written into our future. After Obama signed the bill into law, the grants written into it were given to some designated states to start "schools" to train certified nursing assistants and turn them into Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners in two years without even a college degree. Taxpayers not only are paying for these "schools" and students' tuition but also supplying living stipends for the "students". No mention of minimum GPAs or other educational qualifications for entry. Currently PAs and NPs are required to have 6-8 years of college and post graduate education. Even worse, 5 states now have "dental therapists". In Vermont they passed the licensing for these pseudo dentists with the requirements being only a minimum of 18 years of age, high school diploma plus 2 years of academic schooling and a minimum of 100 hours of clinical training (2 1/2 weeks!) Witnout a real dentist being present, they can fill, extract and remove teeth. They also can prep and place crowns on teeth. I see all kinds of problems with these types of healthcare providers but the Obama administration realized that with the imminent legalization of over 11 million mos...

Those of you who have not yet read the entire Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) do not yet realize that this is already written into our future. After Obama signed the bill into law, the grants written into it were given to some designated states to start "schools" to train certified nursing assistants and turn them into Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners in two years without even a college degree. Taxpayers not only are paying for these "schools" and students' tuition but also supplying living stipends for the "students". No mention of minimum GPAs or other educational qualifications for entry. Currently PAs and NPs are required to have 6-8 years of college and post graduate education. Even worse, 5 states now have "dental therapists". In Vermont they passed the licensing for these pseudo dentists with the requirements being only a minimum of 18 years of age, high school diploma plus 2 years of academic schooling and a minimum of 100 hours of clinical training (2 1/2 weeks!) Witnout a real dentist being present, they can fill, extract and remove teeth. They also can prep and place crowns on teeth. I see all kinds of problems with these types of healthcare providers but the Obama administration realized that with the imminent legalization of over 11 million mostly poor undocumented immigrants who will then be eligible for free American healthcare, there will defintely NOT be enough healthcare providers in this country. In the future, we all need to look at those diplomas on the walls to see where your healthcare provider went to college, what kind of license was issued and demand to see a "real" licensed doctor and/or dentist.

(more)

reply
Lillsista 2013/02/14 09:35:40

No

+2
That is crazy!!

reply
Alacrity 2013/02/14 06:29:25

Yes

+1
This may contribute to lower healthcare costs.

reply
Bevos to Alacrity 2013/02/14 15:21:05

+1
You REALLY want your Optometrist to diagnose your cancer? That just shows HOW MUCH you libs will take from that SO-CALLED POTUS!!!

reply
Alacrity to Bevos 2013/02/14 18:32:09

And your comments reflect a pessimistic view and mistrust of anyone--so I hope you die happy.

reply
Israel to Alacrity 2013/02/15 16:20:27

Nice to see a lib making threats again. You never disappoint on that level. Either threats, mad or race card, all very popular. An eye specialist, is not a medical doctor and is not qualified as a doctor. No one but a qualified doctor should be diagnosing medical conditions.

reply
Alacrity to Israel 2013/02/16 07:42:51

you don't merit a reply

reply
Israel to Alacrity 2013/02/16 11:11:40
deckman204 to Alacrity 2013/02/14 17:39:53

+1

Nuff said!!!!!

reply
Dan 2013/02/14 05:56:29 (edited)

Yes

+1
I'm fine with physician assistants and nurse practitioners being primary care providers; I actually perter them to doctors (as do most patients [Source: Medscape-"Patients Prefer Nurse Practitioners to Doctors"]). I am a bit uncomfortable however with "pharmacists and optometrists" being PCPs, as what is an optometrist going to do when you have something like strep?

reply
Alacrity to Dan 2013/02/16 18:24:52

Yea, they'll fix you with a roto-rooter.

reply
qq4x 2013/02/14 05:29:27

No

+1
Maybe the government should try to run healthcare. Everything the government does for us is either bankrupt, an egregious waste of money, has horrible service, or is local.

reply
Bevos to qq4x 2013/02/14 15:22:51

+1
THat's what OWEbamacare IS! The Government IS now running Healthcare!!!

reply
Alacrity to Bevos 2013/02/16 07:43:30

and reducing costs for everyone

reply
Illumin... to Alacrity 2013/02/17 20:00:10

No, they RAISED taxes on EVERYONE. It isn't free, it isn't cheap.

reply
Alacrity to Illumin... 2013/02/18 04:46:12

Do you want doctors to go without mink coats for every child at home?

reply
Redneck 2013/02/14 02:43:52

No

+1
In some instances i am. Thing is, im a physical therapist. Last night a kid i know came and asked me to eval his knee that he injured playing basketball. No prob. He said that he went to see his nurse practitioner, but she didnt know much about orthopedics (otherwise she is a very good NP). She was going to refer him to get an xray. First, an xray wont show soft tissue damage, and any MD or DO, would be able to make an educated opinion on the injury with various manual tests. Several hundred to several thousand dollars were going to be wasted on a grade 1 lateral colateral ligament strain. Rest, Ice, compression, Elevation, and advil.

reply