By Nielufar Varjavand, MD
Many are concerned about the looming physician shortage, particularly in primary care. It may become worse as a result of the goal of the health care reform bill to provide health insurance for the currently uninsured. The July 2010 issue of Physicians News Digest highlighted the upcoming need for physicians in our region.  Patricia Costante, CEO of MD Advantage and writer of that article, clearly proposed numerous viable possibilities of addressing this shortage.  We suggest that another way to address the physician shortage is to return inactive physicians …

By Patricia A. Costante
In recent months, there have been several reports published that have forecasted dramatic physician shortages in New Jersey. The New Jersey Physician Workforce Task Force Report published by the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals projects a shortfall of more than 2,800 physicians by the year 2020. Even more alarming is the fact that the 2009 report of the Resident Exit Survey (an annual report prepared by New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals) shows a precipitous decline in the number of graduating medical residents who are choosing …

As physicians, you are well aware of the problems associated with medical school debt.  Here are some numbers to ponder: Eighty-seven percent of medical students graduating in 2008 carried debt, with the median debt of students at public schools being $145,000 and $180,000 at private schools. Twenty-five percent of students had a debt of $200,000 or greater.
From 2001–2006, debt of students attending a public school had increased at the rate of 6.9% per year and 5.9% per year at private school. From 2004–2007, the interest rate …

By Robert E. Moffit

Don’t expect doctors to give the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act a clean bill of health. The act will reinforce the worst features of existing third-party payment arrangements in both the private and public sectors — arrangements that already compromise the professional independence and integrity of the medical profession.
Doctors will find themselves subject to more, not less, government regulation and oversight. Moreover, they will become increasingly dependent on unreliable government reimbursement for medical services. Medicare and Medicaid payment, …

By William A. Van Decker, MD
Irrespective of details and one’s personal views, many people, especially physicians,   are pleased that a prominent part of Public Policy discussions both nationally and locally for the past two years have involved Health Policy. Health Policy is a key building block of any group civilization. While these discussions have clearly been driven by pragmatic economics, none of us should forget why health care delivered through health policy is so important.
A healthy population, physically and mentally, is a productive population.  It feels well enough to perform …

By Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), M.D.
With much fanfare and political wrangling on Capitol Hill, the signature domestic policy initiative of President Barack Obama’s administration – health care – has been signed into law.  From the very beginning of this debate, individuals of good faith on both sides of the political divide shared a common goal of expanding health coverage to more Americans.  However, there were many of us who opposed the Democrat health plan and firmly believe that the ultimate package was fundamentally flawed and failed to meet American principles …

News release from DoctorsAdvocate.org:
Putting what they believe to be the best interests of patients ahead of their own personal interests, many physicians did not oppose the health?care legislation that (is now) law.
In that regard, many physicians set aside calls for medical liability tort reform, knowing this opportunity was the last best chance for such reforms?to occur on a national level. Instead, physicians focused on providing access to health care delivery services for all Americans. This did not?imply an endorsement of the lawsuit abuse personal injury lawyers practice. It simply meant physicians focus was on …

By Richard Amerling, MD
Now that Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, we need strategies to safeguard the doctor-patient relationship from government intrusion.   The most effective approach is for both patients and physicians to opt out of the third party payment system.
From the patients’ perspective, opting out makes sense.  Insurance companies will not be allowed to deny care for pre-existing conditions.  Thus, even if the individual mandate is not thrown out on constitutional grounds, it will be smarter to pay the penalty, not buy insurance, and put as much …

By Pennsylvania Senator Vincent Hughes
Throughout my legislative career, I have been involved in efforts to provide access to high quality, reasonably priced health care for Pennsylvanians who cannot afford the security of life-saving health care coverage.  We’ve struggled, fought and have made progress.
In Pennsylvania, we’ve passed landmark legislation implementing far-reaching and nationally-recognized programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and adultBasic.  As a result, tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who were without decent health coverage have been helped.  Despite this success, a great deal of work remains.
Sadly, far too …

By Richard Amerling, MD
The debate raging over ObamaCare has been carried on mostly by politicians, pundits, policy wonks and economists, with little input from those most intimately involved with delivery of health care—medical practitioners.  Doctors have too often been marginalized as self-interested.  If that were true, there would be far fewer practicing physicians.  Of course we are concerned with income, as are all taxpayers and businesses faced with rising costs and taxes.  Unlike other businesses, however, most doctors are unable to pass higher costs to consumers due to price controls on reimbursement.    When costs outpace …