A basic question about health care

[cleveramerican]

There are 45 million Americans with no health insurance.(give or take a few million)
Many of these folks simply must have put off certain things.
There is some level of pent up demand for health services from these un-insured millions.

If day comes when they all get coverage, won't a shortage of doctors become an immediate problem?


This is something I have never seen addressed anywhere. Any thoughts?

[OHdem10]

1. The President put some of the "Recovery Money" into providing

Educational Assistance for Doctors and Nurses.

He must have foreseen a future need.

[zeos3]

2. It seems there would be an initial rush to get treatment

If the day comes that everyone gets coverage, we can't allow the right to spin this initial health care bottleneck into "proof" that such a system will not work or will ration care. How many reports have we seen of places offering free health care and the long lines of people waiting to get it. This rush for health care should subside when people who have been postponing treatment get their needed care and realize they can now go to a doctor for preventive care without worrying if they're covered or how they will pay for it.

[grantcart]

3. Currently the US has 25% general practitioners and 75% specialists

Canada has 50/50


Until the US gets back to a normal 50/50 split there will continue to be a shortage of GP, hence the fact that many rural areas have no doctors.

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. Immigration. n/t

[nightrain]

5. there may be some delay, but remember there are more than doctors

who provide primary care.

The huge backlog will create some strain I imagine until we have the right mix of practitioners and peoples' needs are met.

That's no reason not to provide good affordable coverage.