Nationalized Health Care = bad for doctors?

[LifetimeDoc]

I actually doubt a single payor system is where we go, although universal coverage and ways to cut costs will be. My prediction is subsidized insurance cards for those who cannot afford it, thereby strengthening control of medicine by insurance companies.

Which is taking an already broken, bad system and making it worse. IMHO

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[hawk126]

X

 

[TheRealMD]

Law2Doc - No question as to whether reform is needed: it is. I question whether universal care is the most effective way to change the system. It's not a given that we are moving toward a one payer system in this country, that debate is still very much alive.

Out of curiosity, besides the Times article mentioned prvsly, where else have you seen the media or legislators indicting physicians' lifestyles and salaries on a widespread basis? If it's truly the case that congress is preparing mobilize against docs (I don't think it is), then you'd see more rhetoric than that which I've noticed. Congress is not about to take action to remove the financial incentives for practicing medicine when we're on the precipice of one of the most significnat provider shortages our country has seen in decades. Despite all of the talk about good intentions making great physicians, etc., etc., Americans want the best and brightest as their physicians, and policymakers know it. I could most certainly be wrong about this, but I think that members of congress see the difference between profiteering on the part of managed care entities/big pharma and well compensated physicians even if the avgerage American doesn't.

Quite a few congressmen are doctors themselves or are married to doctors. Ron Paul and Howard Dean I can name off the top of my head. Unless they are going to neglect their past profession, I doubt they'd just sit by idly. Otherwise, politicians really ARE evil.

Actually, I found a JAMA article here: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/292/22/2714

I see about 8 names there.

 

[Vera18]

Those days are largely over - there aren't many newly minted physicians getting mansion calliber salaries these days. The question is really whether you will still want to be one of those doctors driving an american car and living in a 2-3 bedroom two car garage house. With a big salary cut even that may no longer be the case, unless you marry or invest really well.

What's wrong with driving an american car and living in a 2-3 bedroom, two-car garage house?

 

[Vera18]

I'm all for universal health care. In Great Britain, you don't see doctors starve. They make a decent living. Plus, it's about time we get true docs in the profession and not just those who want the prestige and high income.

And above all, it's about the patients, not the docs. My mom is disabled and it's incredible how much money we spend out of our own pockets because insurance companies won't pay for the meds and procedures that she needs. Think about the patients, and not what's going into your pockets!!!!!

Yes! I completely agree. I'm tired of hearing ppl complain about how unfair and unreasonable it is to cut physicians' pays. A salary cut doesn't spell death, and it definitely doesn't subject a doctor to live on ramen noodles.

And even if it did, as a doctor you're saving and improving lives, so what more could you want? The job itself is absolutely worth it.

 

[Vera18]

You are wrong. Malpractice is meant to protect an injured victim of a mistake, and allocate the cost of a mistake to the party most responsible. Mistakes happen, and will continue to do so regardless of who pays the bills. If eg a surgeon acts negligently (nicks a nerve) and a patient ends up with a debilitating condition for the rest of his/her life, our society is not going to say "oh well, at least it didn't cost you anything". So doctors will need to carry insurance. Theoretically even more insurance than now, because under most socialized medicine plans, doctors will likely have to see more patients and probably not be allowed to order as many expensive diagnostic tests (i.e. they will miss more things).
There has been no suggested plan to tie healthcare reform with some form of professional immunity. So don't bet on it happenning.

From what I've heard, doctors in the UK don't pay malpractice insurance.