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Courtesy of the New England Journal of Medicine
So says the New England Journal of Medicine… Does this contradict what you hear in the news? Here is why:
The voices of physicians in the current debate have emanated almost exclusively from national physicians’ groups and societies. Like any special-interest group, these organizations claim to represent their members (and often nonmembers as well). The result is a well-established understanding of the interests of physicians’ societies but little, if any, understanding of views among physicians in general
A total of 62.9 percent of physicians who participated in the survey … said they favored a public option, or government insurance plan, against 27.3 percent backing a private system alone.
Another 9.6 percent favored a completely government-owned health care coverage system.
“It’s clear that the majority of US physicians support both public and private options to expand coverage,” NEJM said, noting that between 52 and 69 percent of Americans favor a supplemental public option.
The survey found that even 58.9 percent of Southern doctors want reforms to include a public option.
The poll also found that 58.3 percent of doctors are in favor of expanding Medicare to people as young as 55 years old.
This result is more in line with the chatter I hear inside the Doctor’s offices whenever I go in for medical care… It is nice to finally get their perspective endorsed by none other than the New England Journal of Medicine, an organization devoted to the study of science, and not to making its members rich.
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