Research Briefing

Doctors Flee In Anticipation Of ObamaCare

PHYSICIAN SHORTAGES WILL GO FROM BAD TO WORSE

Connecticut State Medical Society Says ObamaCare Will “Increase Patient Loads By 7 Percent To 20 Percent” When The State “Already Has A Scarcity Of Access.” “Health care reform is poised to increase the number of people with health insurance, but the newly insured may have a hard time finding a doctor, according to a survey of primary care physicians by the Connecticut State Medical Society. … Accommodating people who are now uninsured would stretch the state’s primary care practices even thinner, increasing patient loads by 7 percent to 20 percent, according to the medical society. ‘Against the backdrop of a dramatic expansion of health care coverage, Connecticut already has a scarcity of access,’ said an article detailing the survey, which will be published in the May issue of the journal Connecticut Medicine.” (Arielle Levin Becker, “Medical Survey Results Show Health Reform Will Overburden Connecticut Doctors,” The Hartford Courant, 4/15/10)

• “[T]he Potential Load Of New Patients From Federal Health Reform And The State’s … Health Care Law ‘May Be Difficult To Manage For Primary-Care Physicians In Urban Areas, And Could Overwhelm Physicians In Rural Communities.’” (Arielle Levin Becker, “Medical Survey Results Show Health Reform Will Overburden Connecticut Doctors,” The Hartford Courant, 4/15/10)

Average Primary Care Physician In Litchfield County, CT Will Get Another 283 Patients. “Currently, almost 30 percent of the state’s internists will not accept new patients, according to the medical society’s study. When new patients are added to the insurance rolls, the average Litchfield County primary care physician will face an extra 283 patients. In New Haven County, where nearly 14 percent of residents are uninsured, the average doctor will face an extra 192 patients, according to the study.” (Tracey O’Shaughnessy, “Litchfield County Feeling The Pain From Lack Of Family Doctors,” The Republican-American, 4/15/10)

Dr. Robert McLean, Internist And Rheumatologist From New Haven, Warned “Emergency Room Visits Will Skyrocket” Because Of The Physician Shortage. “Most of the discussion about reform centered on providing health insurance to more people, Dr. Robert McLean, a New Haven internist and rheumatologist, said during the press conference. ‘Insurance being provided is not access to care,’ he said. Instead, he said, without an increase in the number of doctors to treat the newly insured, more people will fill emergency rooms, an inefficient way to deliver care.” … “‘Without enough primary care physicians what will happen here is what happened in Massachusetts… emergency room visits will skyrocket. That’s expensive and inefficient care.’”  (Arielle Levin Becker, “Medical Survey Results Show Health Reform Will Overburden Connecticut Doctors,” The Hartford Courant, 4/15/10; Tracey O’Shaughnessy, “Litchfield County Feeling The Pain From Lack Of Family Doctors,” The Republican-American, 4/15/10)

•  Dr. McLean: “[I] Hope That Policymakers Will Take Notice Before Physicians Like Me Decide That They’ve Had Enough Of It And They Leave The Profession…” (Arielle Levin Becker, “Medical Survey Results Show Health Reform Will Overburden Connecticut Doctors,” The Hartford Courant, 4/15/10)

“Quintessential Family Doctor” Is Leaving Nevada Because Of ObamaCare. “When you think of the quintessential family doctor, the kind of guy made famous by Marcus Welby and Dr. Kildare, you probably have an image in your head that is remarkably similar to Dr. Paul Havens. … However, much like the days of $10 doctor visits, Havens will soon be disappearing from Mesquite’s medical landscape, a result of the Health Care Reform package recently passed by Congress.” (Morris Workman, “After Health Care Reform, Doctor Chooses To Relocate,” Mesquite Local News, 4/15/10)

• “When Asked Why He Would Leave The Warmer, Bigger And Theoretically More Lucrative Medical Setting Of Mesquite For A Tiny Town In The Frigid North, Havens Is Quick To Answer. ‘So Harry Reid Can Do His Worst And It Won’t Affect Me,’ Havens Said On Tuesday.” (Morris Workman, “After Health Care Reform, Doctor Chooses To Relocate,” Mesquite Local News, 4/15/10)

Colorado Facing A Doctor Shortage That “Will Get Even Worse” Because Of Government-Run Health Care. “If you have had trouble finding a doctor, get ready for the search to get tougher. Predictions are that a large shortage of doctors is just around the corner. Experts are saying there is already a shortage of physicians in primary-care fields and in rural areas. They predict that once health reform mandates kick in by 2014, the shortages will get even worse because more will people will have insurance coverage and will be looking for physicians.” (Jeffrey Wolf & John Torres, “Doctor Shortage: Fewer Students Choose Family Medicine,” 9News.com, 4/15/10)

AND MORE STATES TAKING ACTION TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM OBAMACARE

Georgia Appointing Special Attorney To Challenge Constitutionality Of ObamaCare. “Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is suing the federal government over the constitutionality of the new health care reform law without the help of Democratic state Attorney General Thurbert Baker. On Tuesday, the Republican governor announced the appointment of Frank C. Jones as a special attorney general to direct Georgia’s participation in the lawsuit.” (Chris Rizzo, “Georgia Governor Circumvents AG To Join Health Care Lawsuit,” Legalnewsline.com, 4/15/10)

Missouri’s Legislature Debating Resolution To Encourage Their Attorney General To Join The Suit. “Missouri’s Attorney General was absent from a House General Laws committee hearing which discussed a resolution that would call on him to sue the federal government for violating the constitution with its passage of health care legislation. Attorney General Chris Koster previously had said he would look into the matter. But at the hearing on Tuesday, resolution sponsor Rep.Ward Franz, R-Howell, said Koster has said he will not pursue a lawsuit against the federal government. The attorney general was not available for comment on Tuesday. The resolution would encourage Koster to make Missouri a party to existing lawsuits by more than a dozen other states against the new federal health care law.” (Brian Krebs, “Mo. Bill Requires Federal Health Care Lawsuit,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 4/14/10)

New Mexico Legislators Calling On Their Attorney General To Join A Lawsuit To Challenge The Constitutionality Of Dems’ Government-Run Health Care Law. “Republican members of the New Mexico House of Representatives have asked Attorney General Gary King to join a lawsuit that would repeal the health care reform bill. The move mirrors a national trend by some Republican attorneys general who are suing to stop the reforms. ‘The United States Constitution specifically reserves powers to the states, and that was done for a reason,’ House Minority Leader Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, said in a statement. ‘Congress should take another look at this legislation because it violates the Constitution…’ ‘The Constitution allows for the federal government to regulate interstate commerce, but this new law goes beyond what is allowed in the Constitution and punishes citizens for not taking action,’ House Minority Whip Keith Gardner, R-Roswell, said in a statement. ‘I hope the Attorney General takes this seriously and pursues a lawsuit along with the 18 other states.’” (Matthew Reichbach, “NM House GOP Asks AG King To Sue Over Health Care Reform,” The New Mexico Independent, 4/14/10)