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Senate panel takes up doctor shortage crisis

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    Reaction from Dr. Marc Siegel

  • Duration 5:08
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The new concerns now over the future of America's health care after some of the country's top medical experts yesterday.

Warned of the US senate about the growing doctor shortage in America here's just some of what they had to set.

As we've heard today that nearly ten billion dollars is spent by the federal government to support these hospitals but currently we have no planning in place to actually meet the needs of our -- our population in the United States with regard to a physician workforce is estimated that as many as thirty.

Million Americans will gain coverage.

Their Medicaid into the health insurance exchange.

Yet another thirty million will still remain uninsured.

We strongly support these coverage expansions was open the door to a broader health care system for many of our patience.

However we know well that coverage alone does not equate to access.

Our current influenza epidemic -- the vulnerabilities -- current patchwork or health care delivery.

Too few people in this country have access to a primary care provider.

The primary care provider could educate them about influenza and the need for influenza vaccine.

Instead we are witnessing tens of thousands of people present -- to our emergency rooms sake and looking for help.

And where are the doctors.

Here's one.

Doctor Mark Siegel he's a member of our Fox News medical -- team and an associate professor.

Of medicine at NYU's -- going to medical center which I highly recommend that you have both my children.

So that they are saying what you have been saying on this program for for years which is there is a doctor shortage in this country.

It is severe already and it's going to get more severe.

Unless something's done it's going to be really severe ones obamacare kicks in in earnest and all these millions of people come onto the rolls.

-- -- -- -- -- Well you know -- and the main thing that was focused on there.

In the lead up is that its primary care doctors were worrying about most that's me.

A vanishing species here's what a primary care doctor is it's an up obstetrician gynecologist it's a pediatrician it's an internist.

It's a family practitioner it's the front lines as the person that says to you.

You know you -- -- flu.

Don't go to the hospital come -- me stay at home -- -- it gives you the basic advice now hospitals.

Love specialists why because specialists make money for the hospitals where -- that a surgeon will bring someone into the operating room.

Then in the operating room they'll be cleared by a cardiologist and an anesthesiologist.

The services of the hospital -- utilized.

By specialist for the main part of course hospitals rely on primary care doctors in order to bring patients but they can turn around put them all on salary and -- -- -- This is part of the problems -- adventure it's primary care docs don't get paid nearly as well as a specialist in particular there's some specialties in medicine is so that paid very well I mean.

Anesthesiology -- the -- in radiology those are some dermatology in some feels.

But not the primary care physician.

Why is that -- I don't -- Our viewers to shed tears for me but we get thirty to 60% less than the specialists do and that's a worsening problem when you consider that were asked to see more and more patience.

And our expenses keep going up.

Now one thing that's happening to try -- stem the tide of that is more and more nurse practitioners are coming here.

We're seeing 80% increases in nurse practitioners but they're not paid that well either.

We end up with a medical team.

And -- would you -- and you think you're seeing one doctor you see no doctor at all some hospitals actually have physician's assistant or nurse practitioners even seeing patients in the intensive care unit.

-- -- you end up with a situation where you see your team.

But you may have relied on one good old doctor all these years and now suddenly there's five people there's a -- specialist.

I was counting that one doctor no you know your history somebody could be really pissed off accuse somebody could say Davis spent too much of the hospital's money.

You could end up with this team some of what you like and some of what you don't like you may not get the -- you used to get.

Here's -- thing they're saying that all these people are gonna come on to the insurance rolls and -- be looking for doctors.

Not just that but we had a report yesterday about how -- -- in Chicago another considering pushing.

People who they can't live up to their promises to take care of there.

Health benefits once they leave their employ the governments employ.

They're saying let's let obamacare take care and push them on -- the exchanges then we have a report that now there but you know as our viewers know they're trying to potentially legalize.

Up to eleven million illegal immigrants who are in this country within the next -- a decade.

Then if they are US citizens that they have the right to take an advantage Obama kept.

Who's gonna take care of all these people and if they can't be taking care of -- president Obama's promise of if you like your doctor you can keep him.

Be true for those of us who now have insurance and have a doctor patient relationship.

With all due respect to President Obama I have always thought that that -- is one of the most of certain -- especially when you look at Massachusetts which has seen -- 82% increase -- For primary care doctors since that bill passed up there.

And that's the president for Obama -- 82% increase -- we're wait you know what's gonna happen people go to the emergency rooms.

And the emergency rooms this 10% less of them -- already overcrowded.

-- gonna have to wait you're not gonna see your doctor you're gonna have to -- Doctor -- thank you.

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