More stuff that would have been really nice to know prior to this past March

The hits, they just keep on coming.

Mind you, the following headline and sub-headline wasn't from Fox News but rather Reuters:



Health reform to worsen doctor shortage: group

The U.S. healthcare reform law will worsen a shortage of physicians as millions of newly insured patients seek care, the Association of American Medical Colleges said on Thursday.

The group's Center for Workforce Studies released new estimates that showed shortages would be 50 percent worse in 2015 than forecast.

"While previous projections showed a baseline shortage of 39,600 doctors in 2015, current estimates bring that number closer to 63,000, with a worsening of shortages through 2025," the group said in a statement.

"The United States already was struggling with a critical physician shortage and the problem will only be exacerbated as 32 million Americans acquire health care coverage, and an additional 36 million people enter Medicare."

Pre-ObamaCare: 39,000 doctors short

Post-ObamaCare: 63,000 doctors short


The article is unclear as to whether the projected shortages take into account only those numbers as stated above that will be forced into ObamaCare and/or aged into Medicare.... or these shortages also take into account the disincentives to entering the profession brought about by Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement cuts and the red tape and regulatory uncertainty we have seen take place already.

If it's only the former, then expect that 69,000 shortfall to grow quite considerably.


And how will ObamaCare address this shortage?:

It calls for Congress to increase funding to train new doctors. "The number of medical school students continues to increase, adding 7,000 graduates every year over the next decade," the AAMC said.

It said at least 15 percent more were needed.

And where do you think this funding is coming from?

And with respect to getting those doctors churned out in time to meet the crunch... think 8 years of med school, residencies and pipe lines... very long pipelines.

Look forward to the ranks of our doctors being supplemented by overseas mail order doctors as Britain has been forced to do already.