Obama’s Affordable Care Act has not been able to gather much of support from doctors. Surveys show that only 11 percent of doctors feel positive about health insurance marketplace being able to run effectively, enrolling uninsured patients. For others, this is another vain effort.
Doctors are most important stakeholders of the healthcare industry. The problem lies in the fact that most of them do not have a firm belief in the measures of the Act in relation to levels of benefit, insurance rates, claim processes and patient coverage. The uncertainty regarding their payments highlights that they might remain unpaid for longer period or not be paid at all for the medical services they have already provided under the provisions of the act.
Patient may suffer
It is being observed that this act has a negative effect on the patients and might as well prove to be disastrous for the patients. The biggest threat it poses for the patients is that of losing the doctor they have relied on all their lives. In the longer run, it can cause a lack of doctors, owing to a shift in the profession. No compromise can be made on qualified physicians.
Experts are of the view that a number of physicians, who are tired of the rising business expenditures and lowered reimbursements from the insurers, are uploading their practices with a percentage increase of 30 to 40 % in comparison to that of five years ago. This act has tremendously added to administrative work and often irritates the physicians, as they need deal with the hassle of filing innumerable insurance claims.
Growth of medical tourism
The failings in the Affordable care act have helped the medical tourism industry to flourish in the neighborhood, providing the opportunity to avail quality medical treatments without much of a hassle in the process. Provision of availing treatments abroad has opened up the avenues for the best of treatments.
Treatments are carried in consultation with the best practitioners and that too with no hassle about claiming insurance and administrative work. Medical tourism facilitators do everything for you making you feel at ease and stress free. This measure fades away the threat of losing your doctors as there is a contract made on follow up procedures and postoperative consultation.
Summary
Affordable care act has not won support from the doctors, who seem most skeptical about the provisions of the act. This is being stated disastrous for patients as well as the stakeholders.
