Arizona facing Doctor Shortage with health care overhaul

Question

PHOENIX -- Arizona's chronic shortage of primary care physicians is likely to get worse when hundreds of thousands of new patients begin to seek out medical care under the federal health care overhaul.

The state is expected to absorb nearly 800,000 newly insured people in the coming years and the influx prompted by the Affordable Care Act could crush the existing health care system.

Arizona ranks 43rd in the nation for its share of primary care doctors. And health professionals say they'll need to greatly increase the number of new physicians to handle the new patients.

Medical schools in the state are increasing their output of doctors, but experts still believe things will get worse before they get better since many new physicians go elsewhere for resident training and never return.

http://ktar.com/22/1644042/Doctor-shortage-likely-to-get-worse-in-Arizona-

http://ktar.com/22/1644042/Doctor-shortage-likely-to-get-worse-in-Arizona-

Answer 1

The ACHA will drive MANY doctors out of practice. Concierge medicine will become more widely offered so doctors can maintain the ability to even treat their patients withut being subject to 88,000 MORE IDC codes and all the attendant EHR requirements (which will not only allow NO time for patient doctor interaction...but will also proscribe treatments you will be eligible for).

The average workload per doctor will increase from 43 patients a day to 57. The amount of available hospital beds per capita will decrease to 12 per 1,000. Medicare/medicaid patients will have much fewer options. Doctors hospitals cannot be built under Obamacare. Everyone talks about Obamacare...yet 99.99% of them have NEVER read it, have no idea about the 22,000 pages of additional regulations...all i can say is..."wait till you need healthcare, once you do, i am sure you will love it...REALLY!"

Answer 2

"equal" comes only when reaching the lowest common denominator.
We should be striving to excel with our uniqueness, but they won't let us!

Answer 3

***! LOL ... I don't even make $35,000.

That's a hoot! But the fact remains I am bringing home less.

Answer 4

Ok, well something is wrong because taxes havent been raised under Obama so how are you getting $100 less?

Answer 5

But taxes have ... and I do remember I added my daughter for dental ... so that added to less pay. So I will adjust to say between $30 and $40 per month.

I don't think Obamacare covers dental?

Answer 6

Taxes havent gone up on that amount. I got a cost of living but I just added that to the amount I usually have taken out. I like getting a refund, so I pay more in.

Answer 7

We are now on "Medicare Advantage" for this 2013. What happens during the transition to zerocare is totally unknown and seems unknowable.

At present I have "primary" care at a college clinic 20 minutes west, and a cardiologist 45 minutes east, for which I must go to a lab for bloodtest prior, another 45 minutes, times are just one-way, so it's really double.

Then I guess Arizona Access is available but I gotta trip to find out, and also VA care available but another trip and paperwork problems. Meanwhile anything might happen, and I have little clue how it all might go.

I don't need to fumble with zerocare, but feel I do need a "keeper" at this point! They're all making life too dang complicated!

Answer 8

Perhaps a future of nurse practitioners ... ? And less taxes towards free medical education ... as the Progs move towards this plan of making everyone equal ... funny how they forget where the money is coming from ... so what's so equal about it?

Sorry ... I digress.

Answer 9

You know I agree there my friend.

Answer 10

No ... but it is what it is ... and your perspective of what "a lot of money" is ...

Answer 11

Yipprs! I'm glad live in Texas!

https://upload.wikimedia.org/...

Answer 12

I have lived here since Oct 2004 ... and besides the Mormon Church being on just about every other corner ... there is some sort of medical facility nearby as well. But some are closing ... which means you might have to travel another 2 miles to find another Fast Med or out patient service. Ten/Twenty years from now it very well may be further.

Answer 13

This really scares me as my husband and I are planning to retire to Lake Havasu in just two years! We're so tired of the freezing Midwestern winters and the & extremely humid summers. But, neither of us is in the best of health and not having quick access to a doctor is something that concerns me greatly!

Answer 14

You can expect to be on a waiting list at best! Thank you Obama!

Answer 15

It's nothing to do with Obama. Thank the Republicans who changed the way medical doctors did business by forcing them into HMO's and third party pay programs. That's what's caused our health system to spin out of control. It's been getting worse for decades, and is now on the verge of collapse. Obama's health programs haven't even been fully implemented yet! How can he be to blame? Please!

Answer 16

It has everything to do with Obamacare ... you just refuse to want to see it. Yes our health system is out of control ... but each new administration just adds their stamp to it. Go after the pharmaceutical companies ... oh wait we can't .... they give many perks for our elected. We see none of them are on any HMO or Obamacare program.

Answer 17

If you are making more than $250,000, you are paying more taxes since Obama took office.

Answer 18

Wow, you must be making alot of money then, and if you are, you are so fortunate. I make around 32 and my taxes have not gone up. My health insurance went up about $20 last year, oh and my eye meds cost more this year because I changed my insurance to basic option. Cant win for losing.

Answer 19

Yep ... really!

Answer 20

Hospitals are still being built here as well. And with every closing of one healthcare facility another does pop up somewhere .... yet you can still wait in a hospital emergency care for an hour or more to be seen ... and the clinics are about fast turn around ... so who is benefitting but the shareholders and stockholders. The insurance companies ... have the most to gain.

Answer 21

The truth is that American's will not be able to afford their copays after they pay for their insurance.

Answer 22

I'm sure it would be much better if those 800,000 people simply got no healthcare and died. The problem is that the healthcare system in Arizona is awful.

Answer 23

Compared to MA ... I would agree ... but any future of it getting better is about nil I would say.

Answer 24

More scare tactics. Guess they need to move to other states then. We have plenty in Texas.

Answer 25

I have lived here since Oct 2004 ... and besides the Mormon Church being on just about every other corner ... there is some sort of medical facility nearby as well. But some are closing ... which means you might have to travel another 2 miles to find another Fast Med or out patient service. Ten/Twenty years from now it very well may be further.

Answer 26

Since 2010, there has been a hospital and about 3 acute care clinics that went up within a 10 mile radius.

Answer 27

Yes, you are going to have a wait in er's because most things arent emergencies that go there, and the true emergencies will go ahead of everyone. Obamacare isnt in full effect Most states still have to set up the exchanges and in October is when most people will be able to apply for subsidies. Everyone keeps blaming what is going on now on Obamacare and that is not so.

Answer 28

As the work force gets smaller ... and government grows they will only print more funny money to cover costs of their gluttony.

With Obamacare and other tax increases I'm missing about $100 a month now ... and its not fair.

Answer 29

It is Obamacare ... but I doubt anything I say will convince you otherwise. Time will show you ... or me I suppose. But, I know today, the idea is to make you comfortable while they let you die.

Answer 30

I have worked in the medical field for over 30 years so give me credit for something. I dont believe Obamacare is going to hurt me in anyway and in fact probably once it is in place make my insurance cheaper, and my drugs also. It will be a mess at first, but things will get better and better. People in Mass love it.

Answer 31

My sister-in-law has worked in the medical field for over 30 years as well ... some people tend to have a blind eye when its against that which they wish to believe.

I expect the lines and the numbers are going to increase dramatically and the level of care is going to be sacrificed because of it. Misdiagnosis being the top ... the insurance companies are only going to get richer ... they lobbied **** for this ....

Answer 32

Nope, doctors will get richer along with the whole medical field. Insurance companies will be paying out the nose. I just had 3 stents. It came to over $70,000. I spoke to a guy in California and his stents cost over $100,000. Insurance companies are paying and the medical people are getting all that money. They sure arent making any money off me, so I guess it will be from the healthier crowd.

Answer 33

I figure the Drs will be paying higher malpractice premiums ... at least until the laws are changed which says we can't sue because of all the abuse ... people wanting to get rich off the system.

Answer 34

They are rich off the system and will continue to be. These doctors and hospitals scam the system all the time. They charge outrageous prices and the insurance companies dont question it and they got the nerve to tell patients to check their bills and report abuse. As far as I am concerned, the whole bill is abuse!!

Answer 35

I have lived here since Oct 2004 ... and besides the Mormon Church being on just about every other corner ... there is some sort of medical facility nearby as well. But some are closing ... which means you might have to travel another 2 miles to find another Fast Med or out patient service.

I am not familiar with the number of facilities in Lake Havasu ... but I would check into it if I were you.