WHAT DO THE DOCTORS THINK?

Some radio gasbag asked last week why we didn't get the opinions of doctors on health care reform. Well, now we have some evidence and healthy majority support having both public and private options.

Most U.S. doctors want public-private mix: poll
Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:10pm EDT
By Gene Emery

BOSTON (Reuters) - Most U.S. doctors favor having both public and private options in a reformed healthcare system, a survey published on Monday said.

When given a three-way choice among private plans that use tax credits or subsidies to help the poor buy private insurance; a new public health insurance plan such as Medicare; or a mix of the two; 63 percent of doctors supported a mix, 27 percent said they only wanted private options, and just 10 percent said they exclusively wanted public options.

The survey of 2,130 U.S. doctors, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also found that more 55 percent, regardless of their medical specialty, would favor expanding Medicare so it covered people aged 55 and older.