I should add that I was banned from Wash Monthly months ago because I was discussing health reform with a bit too much logic and experience.

A Squandered Opportunity

Sermo, Inc.

The survey you refer to asks about an ideal proposal, which we could have had if Obama had not been so determined to go as far left as he possibly could and if he had prevented Pelosi and Reid from larding the bill up with corrupt attempts to lie about the costs.

The present bill has absolutely no cost control at all. The one weak attempt, excise tax on “Cadillac” plans, has been gutted to please the unions. There is no cost control and it will be a disaster if enacted. The physicians who responded to the survey I linked to know this and are thinking about their future. They are not being asked in a survey about a theoretical concept.

There is a physician-only web site called Sermo.com. If you are a physician, as you claim, you could join and look at their survey of real physicians and what they plan to do. It would be an education if you are a physician, as you say. It tracks quite well with the survey I linked to. The site also has far more members than the AMA.

The ability to quickly scan information and correctly gauge the credibility of its source is a helpful trait among competent adults. It sounds like you’re no longer practicing. That may be as well. Some older docs have difficulty keeping up with information and understanding how to use online resources. You get credit for trying, but try to use a little more care and responsibility in future.

Now here’s a survey of physicians that really was conducted by the NEJM: http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=1790&query=home

It shows 63 percent supporting private/public options, with only 27 percent supporting private options only. In surgery, that’s 59 percent for public/private and only 33 percent for private only.

Of course, the bill that will pass on Sunday is even less ambitious than what was polled here — no public option, and only minor tweaks to the existing system. So the majority of doctors clearly won’t have a problem with it. There will always be a few of us who don’t take their oaths seriously, but we’re used to that and the rest of us do our best to make up for the harm they do.

As I said, you are trying too hard. My own information is that doctors will try to retire or will reduce their participation in government programs. Do you know how many physicians accept Medicaid patients ?

Do you know how many physicians refuse new Medicare patients ?

Enlighten us.

Or not, as the case may be.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just admit you were wrong?

Nice try, though.

At least you aren’t spamming me like Craig who declared bankruptcy owing me $120,000. His ISP is in Texas. What a surprise.

Right-wing media have seized on a dubious, three-month old email “survey” that purports to show that physicians are concerned about health care reform and that 46 percent of the primary care doctors surveyed “indicated that they would leave medicine – or try to leave medicine – as a result of health reform.” Many media figures have falsely attributed this survey to the New England Journal of Medicine. For example, on Fox & Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade said: “The New England Journal of Medicine has published a report and did a survey, and they said the impact of reform on primary care physicians, 46 percent, they say, feel reform will force them out or make them want to leave medicine.”

This is false.

Media Matters for America contacted the New England Journal of Medicine, which confirmed it neither conducted nor published the “survey.”

NEJM spokesperson Jennifer Zeis told Media Matters that the study had “nothing to do with the New England Journal of Medicine’s original research.” She also made clear that the study “was not published by the New England Journal of Medicine,” and said that “we are taking steps to clarify the source of the survey.”

The opinions expressed in the article linked to above represent those of The Medicus Firm only. That article does not represent the opinions of the New England Journal of Medicine or the Massachusetts Medical Society.
Indeed, The Medicus Firm’s write-up of their “survey” touted the supposed importance of physician recruitment firms “[a]fter health reform is passed and implemented”:

“What does this mean for physician recruiting? It’s difficult to predict with absolute certainty, but one consequence is inevitable. After health reform is passed and implemented, physicians will be more in demand than ever before. Shortages could be exacerbated further beyond the predictions of industry analysts. Therefore, the strongest physician recruiters and firms will be in demand. Additionally, hospitals and practices may be forced to rely on unprecedented recruitment methods to attract and retain physicians. “Health reform, even if it’s passed in a most diluted form, could be a game-changer for physician recruitment,” said Bob Collins, managing partner of The Medicus Firm in Texas. “As competitive as the market is now, we may not even be able to comprehend how challenging it will become after health reform takes effect.”

So, in sum, the right-wing media has seized upon what appears to be essentially a promotional document from a physician recruitment firm in order to argue that health care reform will cause physician recruitment and retention problems in the future.

I am getting tired of your anonymous spam.