Democrats Defy Doctors’ Orders on ObamaCare

Democrats Defend ObamaCare, Disregard Doctors Who Oppose the Government Healthcare Takeover’s Threat to Patient Care and Its Medicare-Gutting Board

• A recently released survey of doctors shows significant opposition to key elements of ObamaCare as doctors fear the healthcare law will hurt their patients’ access to quality care and drive doctors out of practice.
• Doctors have pleaded for the Democrats to abandon their support for the Medicare-gutting board they created under ObamaCare, but Democrats have instead plotted to make the board even stronger.
• The Democrats continue to prove their commitment to defending ObamaCare at all costs, ignoring both the constitution and tremendous public opposition. What will it take for Democrats to admit that ObamaCare is a failure?

A recently released survey of doctors shows significant opposition to key elements of ObamaCare as doctors fear the healthcare law will hurt their patients’ access to quality care and drive doctors out of practice:

NEW SURVEY OF DOCTORS: 60% THINK OBAMACARE WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT PATIENT CARE: (“The Future of Health Care: A National Survey of Physicians,”The Doctors Company Market Research, 2/29/2012)

51% OF DOCTORS THINK OBAMACARE WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH PATIENTS; ONLY 11% THINK LAW WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT: (“The Future of Health Care: A National Survey of Physicians,” The Doctors Company Market Research, 2/29/2012) 

43% OF DOCTORS SAY OBAMACARE MAY FORCE THEM TO RETIRE WITHIN FIVE YEARS: (“The Future of Health Care: A National Survey of Physicians,” The Doctors Company Market Research, 2/29/2012) 

90% OF DOCTORS WON’T RECOMMEND HEALTHCARE AS A PROFESSION DUE TO OBAMACARE: (“The Future of Health Care: A National Survey of Physicians,”The Doctors Company Market Research, 2/29/2012) 

Doctors have pleaded for the Democrats to abandon their support for the Medicare-gutting board they created under ObamaCare, but Democrats have instead plotted to make the board even stronger:

DOCTORS PLEAD FOR DEMOCRATS TO REPEAL MEDICARE-GUTTING BOARD CREATED UNDER OBAMACARE:

AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION: CONCERNS THAT “QUALITY CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS WILL BE JEOPARDIZED”: “We are concerned that, by removing Congressional authority over the Medicare payment system and placing such unprecedented authority in an unelected body, quality care for our patients will be jeopardized.  We are equally concerned with the potential that physicians may be subjected to a double jeopardy in  Medicare payments if IPAB cuts  are  coupled with those projected under the current sustainable growth rate (SGR). The current instability and inequities in Medicare physician payments is hindering access to care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries.  IPAB would only exacerbate this problem.” (Martin S. Levine, American Osteopathic Association, Letter to House Energy & Commerce Committee, 2/28/2012)

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, WITH 75,000 MEMBERS, CALLS FOR IPAB REPEAL: (David B. Hoyt, Letter to Joe Pitts, House Energy and Committee, 2/28/2012)

IPAB WILL “NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE AVAILABILITY OF QUALITY, EFFICIENT HEALTH CARE”: “The Committee’s consideration of H.R. 452 is an important step in preserving Congress’ role in Medicare payment policy. Leaving payment policy decisions in the hands of an unelected, unaccountable governmental body with minimal congressional oversight will negatively impact the availability of quality, efficient health care to Medicare beneficiaries and all Americans.” (David B. Hoyt, Letter to Joe Pitts, House Energy and Committee, 2/28/2012)

AMERICAN UROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION: DOCTORS WILL “OPT OUT OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM OR BE DRIVEN OUT OF PRACTICE ALTOGETHER”:“He warned, ‘These cuts could be driven so low that physicians will be forced to limit the number of Medicare beneficiaries they see, opt out of the Medicare program, or be driven out of practice altogether.’” (Ralph Lindeman, “IPAB Would Reduce Access to Care, Witnesses Tell Ways and Means Panel,” Bloomberg, 3/7/2012) 

12,000 DOCTORS OF AMERICAN PODIATRIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: IPAB WILL “SEVERELY LIMIT MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES’ ACCESS TO CARE” AND “INCREASE HEALTH-CARE COSTS”: “[Our] members believe that the ill-conceived Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) contained in the Affordable Care Act will not only severely limit Medicare beneficiaries’ access to care but also increase health-care costs that are shifted onto the private sector.” (Michael J. King, American Podiatric Medical Association,” Letter to House Energy & Commerce Committee, 2/28/2012) 

IPAB’S CUTS “WOULD LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN ACCESS TO CARE”: “The Independent Payment Advisory Board, created under the health care law to help control Medicare costs, lacks flexibility to do much more than cut provider payments that would lead to a reduction in access to care, witnesses told a House Ways and Means panel March 6.” (Ralph Lindeman, “IPAB Would Reduce Access to Care, Witnesses Tell Ways and Means Panel,” Bloomberg, 3/7/2012) 

41 DOCTORS’ GROUPS REPRESENTING 400,000 DOCTORS FEAR THAT “15 UNELECTED AND LARGELY UNACCOUNTABLE” BUREAUCRATS WILL MAKE MEDICARE DECISIONS, AND NONE ARE ALLOWED TO BE “PRACTICING PHYSICIANS”: (Letter from Healthcare Stakeholders, House Energy and Commerce Committee, 3/5/2012)

BUT THE DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO DEFEND THEIR PLAN TO GUT MEDICARE:

90% OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTE AGAINST REPEALING MEDICARE-GUTTING BOARD: (H.R. 5, Roll Call #126, Passed 223-181: R 216-10; D 7-171, 3/22/2012) 

WHITE HOUSE WAS WHIPPING AGAINST IPAB REPEAL: “Democratic sources said Tuesday that White House aides were reaching out to Members to keep them from peeling off when the measure comes to a vote on the floor. Democratic House leaders rigorously whipped colleagues against voting for the GOP’s full health care repeal last year, but they have not done the same for the more targeted repeal measures that have come forward.”(Jessica Brady, “Democrats Willing to Tinker with Health Care Law,” Roll Call, 3/7/2012)

“OBAMA BUDGET WANTS MORE TEETH” FOR MEDICARE-GUTTING BOARD: (Phillip Klein, “Obama Budget Wants More Teeth for Medicare Board,” The Washington Examiner, 2/13/2012)

OBAMA BUDGET CLAIMS IT “STRENGTHENS THE INDEPENDENT PAYMENT ADVISORY BOARD”: “In addition, it strengthens the Independent Payment Advisory Board to reduce long-term drivers of Medicare cost growth.” (p. 112, “The Budget for Fiscal Year 2013: Department of Health and Human Services,” The White House, 2/13/2012) 

OBAMA’S HHS SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS REFERRED TO IPAB AS “A KEY PART OF THE PRESIDENT’S PLAN”: (Kathleen Sebelius, “IPAB Will Protect Medicare,” Politico, 6/23/2011) 

REP. RON KIND (D-WI): “I WOULD BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT IPAB REQUIRES A LEAP OF FAITH, BUT I SUPPORTED IT, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE.” (Remarks From Rep. Ron Kind, House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing, 3/6/2012)

The Democrats continue to prove their commitment to defending ObamaCare at all costs, ignoring both the constitution and tremendous public opposition. What will it take for Democrats to admit that ObamaCare is a failure?:

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DOUBLE DOWN IN DEFENSE OF OBAMACARE:

ONLY THREE DEMOCRATS JOINED EFFORT TO REPEAL OBAMACARE: Final Vote: 245-189. (Roll Call 14, Clerk of the U.S. House, 1/19/2011)

“THE OBAMA VACUUM: HOUSE DEMS DEFEND” OBAMACARE: (Jonathan Allen and Kate Nocera, “The Obama Vacuum: House Dems Defend Health-Care Reform,”Politico, 3/21/2012)

HOUSE DEMS “GOING ALL OUT TO DEFEND THEIR HEALTH CARE” DISASTER: “House Democrats are going all out to defend their health care reform law as the Supreme Court takes the case next week.” (Jonathan Allen and Kate Nocera, “The Obama Vacuum: House Dems Defend Health-Care Reform,”Politico, 3/21/2012)

REP. XAVIER BECERRA (D-CA): OBAMACARE SUPPORTERS “SHOULD STAND BY” THEIR SUPPORT OF THE LAW: “Despite those numbers, Becerra said Democratic candidates shouldn’t shy away from supporting the law. … ‘Anyone who believes that the Affordable Care Act is good has a good chance of being elected to office and should stand by that.’” (Ed O’Keefe, “Democrats: The More Americans Learn, the More They Love Health Reform,” The Hill, 3/19/2012)

REP. DORIS MATSUI (D-CA): “THE MORE [AMERICANS] FIND OUT ABOUT IT, THEY MORE THEY LIKE IT”: “ ‘The more they find out about it, the more they like it,’ Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) insisted Monday, adding later that “Republicans are now trying to get rid of something, and we’re moving ahead, and people are beginning to feel the positive effects.” (Ed O’Keefe, “Democrats: The More Americans Learn, the More They Love Health Reform,” The Hill, 3/19/2012) 

DEM WHIP STENY HOYER SAID “CITIZENS ARE COMING” TO “SEE THE BENEFITS” OF DEMS’ GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE TAKEOVER: “But I think there’s very, very strong support in the Democratic Party, and I believe that citizens are coming to that more and more as they see the benefits of that accruing to seniors in terms of their prescription-drug bill being reduced.”(Jessica Brady, “Democrats Willing to Tinker with Health Care Law,” Roll Call, 3/7/2012)

REP. KATHY HOCHUL (D-NY) ADMITS THAT DEMOCRATS WERE “NOT LOOKING AT THE CONSTITUTION” WITH LATEST HEALTHCARE MANDATE: “Clarence resident Brad Gay asked her, ‘Under what portion of the Constitution is the government allowed to require a private or religious organization to pay for anything for free?’

“Hochul responded, ‘Well basically, we’re not looking at the Constitution at that aspect.’” (Melissa Holmes, “Hochul Birth Control Controversy Won’t Go Away,”WGRZ, 3/1/2012)

DESPITE TREMENDOUS PUBLIC OPPOSITION:

NATIONAL JOURNAL POLL: 66% OPPOSE MANDATE, ONLY 28% SUPPORT:“The mandate on individuals to purchase insurance or pay a penalty, as in earlier national polls, remains an idea without any significant constituency. Overall, when asked if ‘the federal government should or should not be able to require all Americans to obtain health insurance or else pay a fine,’ just 28 percent of those surveyed said they supported the mandate, while 66 percent opposed it.” (Ronald Brownstein, “Public Still Opposes Health Care Mandate,”National Journal, 3/27/2012) 

NEW CBS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL: 47% OPPOSE OBAMACARE, JUST 36% APPROVE: “In the latest poll, 47 percent said they oppose the law while 36 percent approve, with the rest having no opinion. The results are similar to previous surveys that have consistently found the law’s detractors outnumbering its supporters.” (Dalia Sussman, Helene Cooper, and Kate Phillips, “Most Americans Oppose Health Law, Poll Finds,” New York Times, 3/27/2012)

ABC NEWS/WASHINGTON POST POLL: 55% FAVOR REPEALING ENTIRE HEALTHCARE LAW, ONLY 37% OPPOSE: (Greg Holyk, “As Health Care Law’s Trial Approaches, Two-Thirds Say Ditch Individual Mandate,” ABC News, 3/19/2012)

STUDY: OBAMACARE COST DEMOCRATS THE HOUSE: “A top Democrat acknowledged Thursday that President Obama’s health care bill hurt his party in 2010. And a new study suggests it cost the Democrats something pretty specific: their House majority…The study, by five professors from institutions across the country, looks at the health care bill alongside other contentious votes in the 111th Congress and determines that, more so than the stimulus or the cap-and-trade energy bill, it cost Democrats seats. In fact, they lost almost exactly the number of seats that decided the majority.” (Aaron Blake, “Study Shows Health Care Bill May Have Cost Democrats the House,” The Washington Post, 3/9/2012)