When liberal orthodoxy is at stake the New York Times is typically oblivious to the elephant in the room. However this New York Times article does have some “nuggets” that are reflective of the government take over of health care and might actually get people thinking about the no free lunch part of Obamacare. The full article is available here.
“Experts describe a doctor shortage as an “invisible problem.” Patients still get care, but the process is often slow and difficult . . . driving long distances to doctors, languishing on waiting lists, overusing emergency rooms and even forgoing care . . .
“The pool of doctors has not kept pace, and will not, health experts said. Medical school enrollment is increasing, but not as fast as the population. The number of training positions for medical school graduates is lagging. Younger doctors are on average working fewer hours than their predecessors. And about a third of the country’s doctors are 55 or older, and nearing retirement . . .”
“Physician compensation is also an issue. The proportion of medical students choosing to enter primary care has declined in the past 15 years, as average earnings for primary care doctors and specialists, like orthopedic surgeons and radiologists, have diverged. A study by the Medical Group Management Association found that in 2010, primary care doctors made about $200,000 a year. Specialists often made twice as much . . .
One would think the editor might have told the writer — go out and talk to doctors or quote some surveys of private physician attitudes toward government control. Instead the NYT studiously avoids the “why” part of the classic journalistic pentad.
The already damaged incentives under an increasingly overburdened profession abused by government will take a big time hit under Obamacare. The time and effort necessary to obtain an MD looking toward the lower pay and bureaucratic controls under a government controlled health regime is just not as likely to attract as many qualified individuals.
