Now as many know I dont like polls unless they are from Rasmussin or Zoggby (because they have been found to be the most correct and unbias). Most others have a bias and dont show the full questions that were asked and what the possible answers where. This poll really is no different but it gives some interesting information. Like that the AMA only represents 18% of the doctors in the USA. Now while it also says that 45% of the doctors would quit or retire early if this went through. There is the case to be made that it was a mailed poll and most of the people that do those polls are older. There by being more conservative and be closer to retirement then others.
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnal...aspx?id=506199
Now after reading that poll I will say while it can be toren apart like most others there is something that I have found interesting in it. I used to look at the AMA and ask myself FROM A COMMON SENSE point of view. How can most doctors be for this government run health insurance. I do remember when the Clinton Healthcare was trying to be passed, 2 of my friends (one just finishing up med school and the other 1 year into his residency) said to me if this passes then I am really worried because I have over 180,000 in student loans (the other only had 125,000) so how can I pay those off you know I will be 34 or 35 before I even get close to start to even begin to pay off the princible because I will not even start to earn enough where I can start to pay them off till I am 30 or 31 along with living expences. It also just so happens that we discussed this again not to long ago and they still have the same concerns (not with being able to pay off student loans) but with what they will end up getting paid. Here is where the common sense and logical point of view comes in, when talking, Kieth said to me its ridiculous,** who would want to work harder for less.** Dont get me wrong we dont get into medicine to get rich but few want to go through everything we do to be doctors and be poor.
So now back to the poll now while I dont believe that ALL 45% would quit, what I find interesting is that they are even thinking about it. Let me put this in another way If the government plan went through then there would be at least 20 million more people added to the rolls so not only would we be adding to a already overwork system but that at least some of the 45% would follow through with what they say. What else would happen is many that would have gotten into medicine will not even bother to get into medicine after. There is a fact that noone can dispute and that is in many countries that have a govermnet health care plan has trouble getting doctors, so much so they have to import them from other countries. So one only has to ask WHY.
What I am saying is when you look at these polls that say doctors want government health care. That is like doctors are saying, yes I also want to be paid less and while your at it work me harder. Thats exactly what I want, to work harder for less. That is not to say that many doctors are not doing it just to help people but I contend that number is less then those that want to do that, but want to be paid at least enough to pay their student loans off and be able to have a reasonable living.