From the New York Post, on the current doctor shortage that is about to get worse:
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[W]e have already seen the start of this process in Massachusetts, where Mitt Romney’s health care reforms were nearly identical to President Obama’s. Romney’s reforms increased the demand for health care but did nothing to expand the supply of physicians. In fact, by cracking down on insurance premiums, Massachusetts pushed insurers to reduce their payments to providers, making it less worthwhile for doctors to expand their practices. As a result, the average wait to get an appointment with a doctor grew from 33 days to over 55 days.
Promising universal health coverage is easy. But what does universal coverage mean if you can’t actually see a doctor?
There are lessons in here for Obama — and fodder for the GOP candidates running against Romney. Expect to hear more of that statistic — 55 days to see a doctor.
