Physicians on the Sermo social network are not strangers to discussing healthcare policy – they’ve collectively evaluated parental leave policies, the presidential candidates’ perspectives on the ACA, regulating drug prices, how to curb the opioid crisis, abortion, and more.
Of late, there has been a lot of discussion on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) both on and off Sermo. As the public processes the details of the bill, US doctors have started several conversations on Sermo to evaluate it among their peers. Below are some first reactions:
Doctors don’t feel represented
“Was there even a doctor in the room? It looks like a hash job by insurers again!”
“To make “healthcare” decisions and exclude experts in the field of medicine is like putting together a foreign policy but not consulting the diplomatic corps. Or planning a defense budget with the aid of Industry lobbyists but not including military leaders. It can only be done incompetently.”
“Once again, we physicians are left holding the bag, and its empty.”
Money, money, money
“Hurray another 20% raise in premiums for my wife’s very high deductible plan”
“Medicaid is simply unsustainable on the current trajectory, particularly under ACA. Eventually it would become default universal care for half the nation being paid for entirely by the other half, while bankrupting everyone in between. That’s not a solution by any definition either.”
“Rather than talk about these poor people losing entitlements, why don’t we talk about the poor future generations we are saddling with unmanageable debt? This story repeats itself over and over. Greece, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Illinois, etc.”
“There is simply no way to make it affordable and comprehensive… Every health care constituency is dead set against giving up any of their power, privilege and/or money.”
“Government healthcare no matter what it is called equals taking money from healthy people and giving it to those who are sick, period.”
Right, Left, Center?
“No one in DC has the courage to do what is necessary. This has been coming for over 5 decades.”
“Watch the first optics of this float in… Senators running from the cameras while the Capitol police arrest and literally drag off people in wheelchairs.”
“Where does the Constitution say that healthcare is a federal issue? It doesn’t and it isn’t.”
Clearly not all physicians hold the same view of the AHCA but as politicians, journalists, and patients try to understand what the ramifications of this bill would be, it is important that the doctors who care for the US have a space to discuss it with their colleagues.
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