What Will Doctors Do?

It is important to note that the AMA (American Medical Association) does not represent all doctors. In fact, many doctors belong to other organizations more suited to their specialty. One such organization the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, does NOT endorse President Obama’s health care plan. In fact, many members of this organization prefer to not participate in Medicare and Medicaid.

The AAPS did an internal survey and one answer was quite telling. 65% of those answering would rather treat Medicare and Medicaid patients for free than deal with the government. And, in fact, doctors like me do exactly that. I have opted out of Medicare and Medicaid. Still, finances have never interfered with care. Most doctors are the same way. Nearly all doctors have a percentage of charity patients. It’s just a fact of the business that no one minds. Most doctors go into the business to help people.

Of course, when there’s government mandated health care and all doctors must submit to certain rules, or else, what will doctors do? Here are three doctors who answer the question in their own words:

Government run health care will not only be a bureaucratic nightmare for patients and doctors, it will be a problem for quality of care. A person forced against their will to do something for the government will be providing a much different service than one who is giving care of his own free will. It’s just human nature. Doctors will have to comply with rules or be penalized.

As to why the AMA would support these sorts of government intrusions… Well, the organization, like unions, exist as much for their own power as for the benefit of their members. The leadership wrongly believes that by being on the “inside” they’ll have some control over the direction things take. It’s foolish and short-sited. No one wants to be on the outside looking in to the new plan. Being “inside” won’t matter. Some knobby-headed drone will be making decisions for physicians and that’s the way it will be.

The focus won’t be care, it will be costs the patients cause. There will be no thought about the government layers of bureaucracy costing the taxpayer their money and their life. There is already no thought for that.

Ultimately, doctors will leave the practice of medicine rather than practice this way.

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