Pennsylvania Medical Society Comments on Mcare Relief
By Peter S. Lund, MD, President, Pennsylvania Medical Society
Presented on September 16, 2008
At Mcare News Conference, Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg, Pa.
Good Afternoon. I’m Dr. Peter Lund, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. Thank you for attending today’s event to discuss the current situation that brings together the politics of Mcare relief, the uninsured, and the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.
With us today to help address this situation are representatives from hospitals, medical students, ob/gyns, orthopedists, medical college deans, and many other concerned medical specialists.
And, as the number of physicians engaged in direct patient care drops, we need to work quickly to untie this unfortunate political situation that has brought work on all three issues to a halt.
Unfortunately, let me say that state numbers DO indicate a decrease in physicians engaged in direct patient care. Some say that the number of licensed doctors has increased in Pennsylvania. But that argument is irrelevant as it ignores the fact that many retired physicians retain their license. Similarly, many physicians who move to other locations in this country also keep their license. Many physicians have licenses in multiple states. Plus there are licensed physicians who work for insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, the military, and academic centers. These physicians may not provide direct patient care.
The bottom line is that according to state data, the number of physicians engaged in direct patient care has dropped. As you can see on the chart, we’ve gone from 26,328 physicians engaged in direct patient care in Pennsylvania in 2004 to 24,696 in 2006.
We’re concerned about these numbers. And, we’re concerned that the current political impasse won’t improve Pennsylvania’s reputation that’s already making it difficult to recruit new physicians here. Let me also say that without the good work that the governor and general assembly did to provide us the Mcare abatement five years ago, we believe these numbers would be even worse.
It seems like everyone agrees that we should address the high cost of medical liability insurance through an abatement program designed to lower those costs. It also appears evident that everyone agrees that we need to address the large number of uninsured Pennsylvanians. And, let’s not forget that everyone also seems to agree that the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council should be reauthorized to continue the good work that they do.
But, that’s where the agreements end, and the impasse comes into play.
Unfortunately, the three issues have been woven together and as a result your physicians, the uninsured, and PHC4 are caught in the middle.
For physicians, what lies ahead is simple math. Rate increases in their insurance premiums will force these physicians to adjust.
This will bring problems with recruiting new physicians. This will mean that they are unable to stay on the cutting edge of medical technology. This will mean less access to care.
As such, the Pennsylvania Medical Society offers the following advice to our elected leaders.
Let’s pass an abatement and deal with the future of the Mcare Fund now. Let’s reauthorize PHC4. And, let’s find compromise to help find coverage and health care for the uninsured.
At this time I’d like to invite Carolyn Scanlan, president and CEO of the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania to the podium.
For more information, contact Chuck Moran, Director, Media Relations, Pennsylvania Medical Society, (717) 558-7820 or cell (717) 580-6150.
Last Updated: 9/16/2008