Earlier this year, the Huffington Post published a Kaiser Health News story scoffing at the notion that Obamacare could make it more difficult for patients to see primary care physicians:
Those Obamacare doctor shortage predictions were overhyped http://t.co/jgKonFWw91
— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) May 12, 2014
But, as tweeter @back_ttys has found, HuffPo should be feeling pretty foolish right about now:
Shot: https://t.co/z9CLey1l8V
Chaser: https://t.co/Sf2EtViAgh— BT (@back_ttys) December 8, 2014
Whoops!
Obamacare impacts primary care doctor shortage http://t.co/lt1DTmxcf6
— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) December 8, 2014
From HuffPo:
A survey this year by The Physicians Foundation found that 81 percent of doctors describe themselves as either over-extended or at full capacity, and 44 percent said they planned to cut back on the number of patients they see, retire, work part-time or close their practice to new patients.
At the same time, insurance companies have routinely limited the number of doctors and providers on their plans as a way to cut costs. The result has further restricted some patients’ ability to get appointments quickly.
One purpose of the new health law was connecting patients, many of whom never had insurance before, with primary care doctors to prevent them from landing in the emergency room when they are sicker and their care is more expensive. Yet nearly 1 in 5 Americans lives in a region designated as having a shortage of primary care physicians, and the number of doctors entering the field isn’t expected to keep pace with demand.
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Update:
ICYMI re doctor shortage –> https://t.co/k0vpohxMjQ
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) December 8, 2014
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