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Andrew LaMar

Sacramento - Nine in 10 physicians believe the health care system is in serious trouble or crisis, according to an independent survey.

The poll underscores the growing concern of physicians about the quality of health care and industry pressures that hamper access and limit treatment options. The survey, by Seattle-based EMC Research, questioned 389 California doctors March 6-20 and has a margin of error of 5 percent.

"This survey shows that California’s physicians are alarmed about what’s happening to their patients,” said Dr. Dev A. GnanaDev, CMA president. “Doctors know our current health care system is in deep distress and must be reformed if we are serious about providing all Californians access to a physician, improving preventative care and protecting the overall quality of treatment.”

Among the findings, were:

• 84 percent said helping patients is the most rewarding aspect of being a doctor. But getting in the way of physicians’ No. 1 priority to care for their patients are pressures created by insurance companies.
• 87 percent said the limits and restrictions that insurance companies place on doctors is a major problem.
• 84 percent said they have felt pressured to change the way they treat a patient because of a restriction from an insurance company, and 86 percent said insurance policies cause them to select a course of treatment they might not otherwise choose.
• 89 percent said they felt pressured to change a prescription medication because of a restriction from an insurance company.

“First and foremost, doctors are dedicated to healing their patients,” GnanaDev said. “We need a health care system that does not undermine patient care or block access to treatment but rather improves outcomes and reduces expense by focusing on what’s best for the patient.”

An estimated 7 million Californians do not have health insurance and if they become sick or get injured, they must visit overcrowded emergency rooms, where care is much more expensive than in clinics. Early access to a physician is crucial to prevent medical problems from worsening and avoid costly treatment.

The national debate on health care reform has centered on universal coverage, with one option being a public plan similar to Medicare. But, experience has shown that having an insurance or Medicaid or Medicare card doesn’t always mean access. Reform must provide true access – the ability to see a doctor when needed.

California ranks 47th in the nation in Medicaid reimbursement rates. Inadequate government funding limits access because doctors cannot afford to take large numbers of Medi-Cal patients and still keep their doors open.

CMA has long advocated for reform to protect patients and improve care. This year, CMA has sponsored state legislation requiring health insurers to reimburse physicians for the entire cost of vaccinations (AB 1201), one of modern medicine’s most inexpensive and successful preventative measures. Because many insurers currently don’t reimburse for the full cost of providing immunizations, doctors must choose between subsidizing the cost, passing the costs on to parents or eliminating the service altogether.

CMA is also sponsoring AB 2, a bill mandating an independent review of health plans’ and insurers’ decisions to cancel insurance for patients after they get ill, a practice known as rescission. Health insurance is of little value if it does not provide access to important preventative care, such as vaccinations, or if it is rescinded for people who get sick.

CMA embraces President Obama’s call for sweeping health care reform. For it to be effective, reform must provide universal access to health care, protect quality of treatment and limit costs by emphasizing preventative care.

To view the survey questions and results, click here, or contact CMA media relations at (916) 551-2881 for more information.

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The California Medical Association represents more than 35,000 physicians in all modes of practice and specialties. CMA is dedicated to the health of all patients in California.