John Goodman has a scary op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. The Journal’s summary: “The demand for health care under ObamaCare will increase dramatically. The supply of physicians won’t. Get ready for a two-tier system of medical care.”
Goodman writes:
Most provisions of the Obama health law kick in on Jan. 1, 2014. Within the decade after that, an additional 30 million people are expected to acquire health plans—and if the economic studies are correct, they will try to double their use of the health-care system. …
Here is the problem: The health-care system can’t possibly deliver on the huge increase in demand for primary-care services. The original ObamaCare bill actually had a line item for increased doctor training. But this provision was zeroed out before passage, probably to keep down the cost of health reform. The result will be gridlock. …
As physicians increasingly have to allocate their time, patients in plans that pay below-market prices will likely wait longest
Read the whole article: John C. Goodman: Why the Doctor Can’t See You – WSJ.com.
See also Grace-Marie Turner at National Review: Good Luck Finding a Doctor Under ObamaCare. She summarizes recent doctor surveys.