CNN TV
SCHEDULE ANCHORS & REPORTERS CONTACT US HLN


August 20, 2009

Health care reform: Can I keep my current doctor?

Posted: 11:19 AM ET
Dr. Sanjay Gupta - CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Filed under: Dr. Gupta's Mailbag

Share this on:
markp   August 20th, 2009 1:51 pm ET

Obama plans to pay for 2/3rds of this 1.3 trillion dollar entitlement with 500 billion re-allocated from medicare than “prevention” counselling. In his mind he believes that if he can convince people to stop eating m and m’s that will save people from getting there foot amputated from diabetes, seriously this is how he plans to save 400 billion dollars. To not listen to more of a reallity based solution would be ignorance at best..
Now even though he has not affilliated with a church since the “REV.” Wright’s rooster pen, he is turning to GOD to spread this awfull plan.. Well MR. PRESIDENT, GOD himself couldn’t make your numbers add up to anything but a bankruptcy of our nation…

joe   August 20th, 2009 3:55 pm ET

I suggest we all be careful with what we believe this bill will and wont cover. In my opinion, if a bill has such vague language that it could be left up to so much interpretation then it was not well crafted and should not pass. No matter what is promised the administration could always go back on their word because of the ambiguity of the bill itself. This is another example of him trying to rush things to approval because of the Dem's super majority, but we see how that strategy failed America in the Stimulus.

Noel   August 21st, 2009 11:48 am ET

My doctor (and several others) have already told me that they are starting to look at other careers. As it is, they already have to pay enough to staff to fill out forms and beg the gov't for the rediculously low payments for medicare and medicaid patients. The good doctors won't tolerate answering to the gov't, so they'll just quit. In effect, we'll lose the choice to keep our current docs because they will do doing something else for a living!

ronvan   August 21st, 2009 12:19 pm ET

What the heck is the right answer? Most say that everyone agrees that our current health care system is screwed up and needs change.
NO ONE, other than Clinton, has tried to tackle this subject & you can see why. EVERYONE can not & will not be satisfied, so rewrite the system to cover the majority, of LEGAL citizens. If it takes 6-12months of rewriting, that would be OK, IF the final bill was well writen & addressed the right problems.

Gramsci3000   August 21st, 2009 12:21 pm ET

Noel– I agree that medicare and medicaid are notoriously bad at reimbursing specialists, but honestly, you if you believe that a doctor will stop practicing medicine because of this plan, chances are that he or she isn't a "good doctor" anyway. I know plenty of truly good doctors who are begging for reform because they treat underserved, uninsured citizens and they cannot get them the help that they truly need to be healthy. Any doctor who would quit the profession because of reform isn't a doctor, but is a profiteer.

Noel   August 21st, 2009 3:12 pm ET

Gramssci3000-
I think my doctor is the best in our community and I am not alone. He would rather just treat the uninsured for free rather than process Mediciad paperwork at his expense in order to be reimbured a fraction of what he gets paid for the same treatment rendered to an insured person. "Profit" seems to have become a dirty word in the last few years after 8 years of an administration that most of us were frustrated with and in the wake of the scandalous actions of a handful of Wall Street insiders. But profit isn't the enemy of the state. It's what gave us the highest quality health care in the world; and the ability to profit is what made this country the freest, safest and greatest country in world. Yes, Docs make a lot of money, but they also spend a lot more time and money than most of us to start a career. It's very obvious that the quickest way to cut health care costs would be to reduce payments to doctors, and that will be the effect of any "public option". A public option would basically be an expansion of the Medicaid and Medicare programs; and that expansion would mean less pay for doctors. What would you do if someone told you that your pay was going to be cut? No one would call you a "profiteer" for being angry – and no one would blame you for looking for a new job.

Anthony Palmer, M.D.   August 21st, 2009 9:41 pm ET

President Obama says you can keep your doctor but what if your doctor won't keep you. If the 21.5% Medicare cut goes into effect for 2010, Medicare patients will find fewer doctors who can afford to care for them.

Horace Brannon   August 23rd, 2009 4:29 pm ET

I have an idea that would cut the one trillion for Health Care to
one-third of that and solve many problems in our society:

Limit the health care to those that are NOT obese;
NOT on over consumption of alcohol; NOT on drugs that are
not prescribed by a physician; NOT on regular tobacco;
NOT on marijuana, etc.

This would either cause those individuals to get back on track
or pass on. This would save lives (more people are killed in one year
from automobiles than all the world wars).

It is not right for us to be charged for the problems in other peoples'
lives. Let them straighten up or pass on. But not continue costing
other people.

Kaz   August 24th, 2009 1:37 pm ET

The President has too much to tackle with war in two fronts, immigration, health care and education. These are not easy issues that can be solved in matter of days or weeks. They are all of high importance for our society because it deeply effects our pockets one way or another, but also realize weather we want instead results, this is not the democratic government way. This president has taken initiative to solve some of toughest problems, which we have not seen in the past 8 years. At times I feel as if his is trying to make a quick change, I would much rather see slow but THOROUGH progress towards a brighter future for this country rather than fast yet insufficient policy that would be left for interpretation. If every page is not turned, debated, rewritten and done over again, we will face even greater problem. After all I would not want my health care to be left for interpretation when needed.

matt minnesota   September 22nd, 2009 10:46 am ET

As long as their is healthcare, there will be doctors. As long as there are doctors, there will be healthcare. As long as there is insurance there will be profit, as long as there is profit, claims will be denied, have a nice day, 1,000's will die today, because of a lack, or no healthcare.

Ed   September 23rd, 2009 6:07 pm ET

My brother is a dentist in California. He was willing to treat Medical patients so long as the payment covered his variable costs. This means that he would not make a profit but at least the cost of staff and materials would be covered. Medical does not even cover that.

He told me at the current payment levels, he is better off sitting in his chair reading the paper than treating someone at a lot.

I have friend who was pre-med, but went into computers because his doctor dad told him to avoid the profession. Smart guy, would have been a great doctor.

Sneak preview of ObamaCare.

Vickie Kahkesh   September 29th, 2009 9:01 am ET

I have always been a minority among my friends and some of my family when it comes to my political views. The biggest factor that differentiates us seems to be the source of our information. Why are so many Americans willing to base their often heated arguments on second hand information, biased "news" sources and commentators opinions? People need to seek out the facts. I think President Obama is being unfairly targeted on the health care issue because he is African American. People are using it as an avenue to vent their prejudice. What makes it obvious is the fact they are basing their distain for him and his health care plan on false information they have heard about this health care plan. It seems they want to believe the worst.

Josh Ade   October 8th, 2009 10:44 am ET

Is Doctor's work is to Safe life/To make profit
Well, for those physicians who are planning to quit or move to another countries because of this health care reform. You might start packing your bags because this bill is going to passed. History will remember you as a profiters not a savior. Remember, nothing constant but change. When you moved to another country, and the change comes. Where are you going to move to? Maybe heaven. Becareful what you ask for..... Thanks to those physicians who are ready to save life and strongly believed in what they can do for their country not what their country is going to do for them. I mean those who are ready for health care reform. Is gonna happen! It shall come to past. Believed it.

Reggie   October 15th, 2009 3:16 pm ET

there are some real christian folks on this comment line."We should'nt have to pay for other people's lives". "if GOD saw this awful plan he'd surely think our country is going bankrupt" . Here's a question: When you people face GOD and he asks " Why didn't you want to help 46 million of your fellow americans get insurance and got to the doctor when they are sick?" what are you gonna tell him? "Well the our budget deficit was so high we couldn't afford to help people if they get sick? ". "well there were some Mexicans in that group so they don't count" Do you think that answer will work? Real Christian of you guys.

Leave Your Comment


 

Comments are moderated by CNN, in accordance with the CNN Comment Policy, and may not appear on this blog until they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting. Also, due to the volume of comments we receive, not all comments will be posted.


American Morning

This week: Success in Sour Times
Even with talk that the recession is over, unemployment rates are still in double digits across the nation. In this week's series, we're tracking down stories of people turning things around in this bad economy.

Don't Miss: Counting Down Cady
coleman.cady.nasa.tzmos Watch American Morning each week as we follow NASA astronaut Cady Coleman on her year-long mission to space. Look here for blogs, photos and video updates from Cady as she documents the behind-the-scenes life of an astronaut.

More special series »

Contact us
Just Sayin'

CNN's Carol Costello reports on hot topics stirring debate across the country. Just Sayin' aims to be provocative and encourage thoughtful discussion. Join the conversation.

Wingnuts of the week

What's a Wingnut? Someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of American politics. In a polarized two-party system, they have disproportionate influence and too often define the terms of debate. With "Wingnuts of the Week," commentator John Avlon tries to take that power back.

twitter
Ask Dr. Gupta
Anchors
Kiran Chetry
CNN American Morning host
Bio | Story archive
Kiran Chetry
John Roberts
CNN American Morning host
Bio | Story archive
John Roberts
Contributors
Jim Acosta
CNN AM correspondent
Bio | Story archive
Jim Acosta
Jason Carroll
CNN AM national correspondent
Bio | Story archive
Jason Carroll
Alina Cho
CNN AM national correspondent
Bio | Story archive
Alina Cho
Carol Costello
CNN AM correspondent
Bio | Story archive
Carol Costello
Sanjay Gupta
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Bio | Story archive
Sanjay Gupta
Christine Romans
CNN AM business correspondent
Bio | Story archive
Christine Romans
Categories
Powered by WordPress.com VIP