Side Effects: Doctor Participation May Vary

Richard Sherwood / April 09, 2010

In recent years, the United States has faced a growing shortage of physicians.  Under Obamacare, it will only get worse. Industry experts predict a 40,000 shortfall in doctors over the next decade

There are two factors at play here.  First, the existing supply of primary care physicians will not be able to keep up with the increased demand posed by millions of newly-covered patients.  Second, and even more alarming, many physicians feel compelled to voluntarily leave the profession when the bill starts to affect their practices.

Call it a double-edged sword on physician supply.  It creates demand for more physicians as it encourages doctors to leave the profession entirely.  Under Obamacare, physician workload is expected to increase, even as federal health programs cut reimbursement rates for the docs.  “Work more for less” is not a slogan calculated to attract more workers to the field or improve the quality of care. (more…)