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Obama declares WAR on doctors

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Faster horses

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The worst fears about Obamacare are now being realized in a decision on Monday by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MPAC) established by the law to supervise $500 billion in Medicare cuts. MPAC, whose decisions have the force of law, has voted to impose drastic pay cuts on all doctors under Medicare and, by extension, under Medicaid (which tends to follow suit). The cuts will effectively reduce the real pay for specialists by 50% over the next ten years --- including a 25% reduction over the next three years -- and cut general practitioners' pay by one-third over ten years (and that assumes that inflation stays down at 3% a year).

MPAC has ruled that specialists must accept a 6% cut in their fees per year for each of the next three years followed by a seven year freeze in their fees without any adjustment for inflation. If inflation stays very low -- at 3% per year -- this cut amounts to an 18% cut in nominal pay and a 50% cut in real pay for specialists. General practitioners will face a ten year freeze on their pay, reducing their real compensation by one-third assuming ongoing low inflation. Higher inflation, of course, would make the cuts in real pay even more drastic.



The consequences of the MPAC decision will be immediate and drastic:

* Many physicians, and many more specialists, will refuse to treat Medicare patients. It will become very, very difficult to see a cardiologist or an oncologist or a gastroenterologist or OB-GYN specialist if you are on Medicare unless you are willing to pay out of pocket or have the kind of health insurance coverage from a private source that would reimburse for their care.



* More and more medical care will be turned over to nurses or physician assistants, and fewer people will ever get to see a doctor on Medicare.



* Private health insurers will follow in the footsteps of the Medicare program and likely slash their fees as well.



* Fewer students will enter medicine, and a major shortage of doctors will reduce the quality of medical care in America drastically.



The MPAC cuts will bring American doctors' incomes more into line with European doctors who typically earn half or less of what their American counterparts earn -- and deliver worse medical care as a result.



We have got to stop these MPAC cuts from taking effect. The very future of Medicare and of our entire health care system is at stake. If they are allowed to stand, Medicare will become akin to Medicaid or public housing -- a program for poor people who cannot afford to pay for medical care from specialists outside the system.



Please take a moment to sign the attached petition asking Congress to overrule the MPAC decision. Providing quality medical care and preserving the Medicare program is something that can reach Republicans and survival-minded Democrats, but we need to raise a storm of protest!

http://dickmorris.rallycongress.com/5420/obamacare-declares-war-on-doctors/
 
Canadian doctors will probably come home and many will retire early.

That in combination with the additional millions that will be covered under obamacare, will cause a shortage of doctors and waiting lists for treatments, as has been mentioned in the past.
 
The healthcare in our region is lackluster at best with the exception of a very few doctors. The local healthcare sytem is losing specialist at what aeems an alarming rate. Within the last two weeks the number two and three doctors in the psychiatric fields due to in house squabbling. The hospital just hired a specialist in the cardio pulmunary field who isnt even an actual doc (not sure of actual title or what it means). They are paying toward loans, a home, moving expenses, astounding initial commisions that increase significantly after three years and a yearly salary that is about eight times the average salary of the well paid coalminers of this area, that will also increase quite a bit after three years. Maybe this happens everywhere. I dont know. I am aware that the climate and scenery as well as distance from any large cities are major drawbacks when trying to entice a quality doc to this area.

Im concerned about the lack of quality care that will only increase when these cuts and freezes start to make an impact not only here, but everywhere. What few good doctors we do have will be leaving out of this region in droves. Who could blame them? People pick careers based on personal desire and income potential. If the government eliminates half of that equation, the other half is surely to fizzle fast.

Im just glad we do have a decent large animal vet.
 

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