Medicare-for-all could cause 'enormous' doctor shortage
Physicians could leave the profession and hospitals could fail, Dr. Marc Siegel says
Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Medicare-for-all plan is a disaster and would lead to an “enormous” doctor shortage, according to FOX News medical correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel.
If Warren’s plan came to pass, doctors would be working for the government, which in turn would decide their pay, Dr. Siegel told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney.
“The government doctors will be paid up to 40 percent less," he said on Thursday. "Many will leave the profession,”
VARNEY: MEDICARE-FOR-ALL IS CRESCENDO OF CRITICISM MEDICALLY, POLITICALLY, ECONOMICALLY
In countries with socialized medicine doctors earn about half of what primary care doctors make in America, he said.
“I've interviewed an Australian physician who's from Canada, and she's making about 30 to 40 dollars for a visit at the most,” he said.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks during a town hall meeting at Grinnell College, Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, in Grinnell, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
But even more than that, a patient wouldn’t necessarily be able to get the care they need, Siegel said.
“I have to wait a month to figure out if someone has a problem up here,” he said.
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What’s more, he said, it would hit hospitals hard. Hospitals rely on private insurance to pay for research, medical students and quality care, Dr. Siegel said. Under the plan, they’d get a flat fee from the government, and would not be able to differentiate between medical centers and great care and something that’s of lower quality, he explained.
“Hospitals are going to go belly up,” he warned.
Warren’s campaign said the single-payer plan would cost the country “just under” $52 trillion.
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