Yes We Can! Long Island 2012The attached report on a survey of men and women from 35 to 60 indicates that a large percentage of men and women have grown frustrated with trying to see their primary care physicians. (Fewer men than women use the internet to research symptoms.) But essentially, they don’t even think to call their doctor when something may be wrong. They think trying to get in to see the doctor is a waste of time or it will be too expensive even with insurance coverage, or that hidden fees and costs will be costly. Older people, those on Medicare, do not have such worries.
These findings about people not seeing a doctor early, which means that they go when their health problem is serious, and much more difficult and expensive to treat, means that private insurance is impacting their health care and outcomes. These findings point to the need for adequate coverage under a single payer (Medicare for All) system would serve us all much better.
85.1% women and 50.1% of men don’t even think to call their doctor when they think something is wrong 90.6% of women and 75% of men believe trying to get in to see the doctor is a waste of time 81.5% of women and 71.6% of men think seeing their doctor will be too expensive even with insurance coverage 71.3% of women and 64.2% of men say hidden costs and fees not covered by insurance keep them from seeing their doctor
Read the full report at Time Goes By.
There is a shortage of primary care physicians, in part, because the high cost of medical education forces med students to go into specialty practices in order to pay back their student loans.