U.S. Plans Stealth Survey on Access to Doctors

[MedicinaeDoctor]

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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/health/policy/27docs.html?ref=us

Don't know if there's a thread on this already. What do you all think of this?

 

[Apollyon]

Yes, there is - just a few threads below yours.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=834055

 

[pgg]

Not much in the other thread.


I don't have any objection to the government conducting surveys on availability of care. That's the sort of thing they SHOULD be doing so policy can be made from a position of ... well, if not knowledge, at least less ignorance. If conducted honestly without an agenda, it could provide useful information in gauging how easy or difficult it is to get an appointment with a physician in different areas.

The government is eager to know whether doctors give different answers to callers depending on whether they have public insurance, like Medicaid, or private insurance, like Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Of course they do. 🙄 This is the interesting bit, as it will probably lay the groundwork for attempts to make it illegal for physicians to decline non-emergency services on the basis of ability to pay.