5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OBAMACARE IN 2013-PART 3

Myth number 3 about Obamacare- You will have access to Doctors and be able to keep your present Doctor.

On my last blog, we reviewed myth number 2 - that Health insurance exchange programs are good programs when managed by the federal government. Now, we will discuss whether you will have access to doctors and be able to keep your present doctor with Obamacare.

Unlike what president Obama claimed in 2010 when Obamacare was being enacted, “you will be able to keep your doctor” under Obamacare; nothing could be further from the truth.

Since there were thousands of exceptions allowed for companies to opt out of covering their employees, many workers/employees will have to obtain their own health insurance or pay a penalty or tax. Most likely, they will either use less expensive private insurance or use the health insurance exchanges which were reviewed in part 2. Under these circumstances, it is unlikely that the employee will be able to keep their present doctor or provider. This is especially true if they have to use health insurance exchanges. Just like people who have had experience with the Veterans Administration know, there is a high turnover rate of doctors and frequently your doctor is not there on a follow up visit. So if you change your healthcare insurance or use the health insurance exchanges-it is unlikely that you will keep your present doctor.

Also many of the companies that will provide health insurance for employees will try to get less expensive insurance and this may result in changing doctors because your present doctor may not be accepting patients with that specific insurance plan. Many of these plans will limit your choice of physicians or make access to them more difficult or costly.

Over time, Obamacare will result in less access to your doctor. This is because there will be fewer doctors who participate or accept your health insurance and because your choices will be limited because most employers will choose the most economical (cheaper) plan to provide health insurance for their employees. When there are fewer physicians that participate in your health care plan, there will be longer waiting times to see your doctor and this will naturally result in a delay in diagnosis, decline in the quality care and more costly care in the long run.

The solutions to keeping access to doctors and maintaining your present doctor is simple. First, health insurances should compete across state lines.  This will not only allow for a better choice by the individual, but the competition will result in less costly premiums. Also, do not force the employer or individual to obtain health care. There should be tax incentives for individuals and employers to obtain health care rather than a forced mandate.

With respect to Medicaid and even Medicare, many physicians choose not to participate because of low reimbursement. It seems only logical that the government should provide special grants to medical students to pay for their education. In return for these grants, the medical student and future doctor would sign an agreement that for each year of their education including their residency that they receive this grant money; they then would work providing care for Medicaid/Medicare patients for an equal number of years that they received grants.

Undoubtedly, there are solutions to many of the healthcare problems; what is lacking is the political will and courage to enact solutions that would work for all Americans.