Doctors Wary of Health Care Overhaul

Michele Bachmann | September 16, 2009 11:29 AM

According to a new poll released this week by Investors Business Daily, 45% of doctors would consider quitting the practice of medicine if Congress passed the health care overhaul currently in its sights. Furthermore, more than 70% of responding physicians do not believe that the White House hype that “the government can cover 47 million more people and that it will cost less money and the quality of care will be better."

"Two of every three practicing physicians oppose the medical overhaul plan under consideration in Washington, and hundreds of thousands would think about shutting down their practices or retiring early if it were adopted, a new IBD/TIPP Poll has found.

"The poll contradicts the claims of not only the White House, but also doctors' own lobby — the powerful American Medical Association — both of which suggest the medical profession is behind the proposed overhaul.

"It also calls into question whether an overhaul is even doable; 72% of the doctors polled disagree with the administration's claim that the government can cover 47 million more people with better-quality care at lower cost.

"The IBD/TIPP Poll was conducted by mail the past two weeks, with 1,376 practicing physicians chosen randomly throughout the country taking part. Responses are still coming in, and doctors' positions on related topics — including the impact of an overhaul on senior care, medical school applications and drug development — will be covered later in this series."