The Obama administration is counting on primary care doctors to look after aging Baby Boomers and millions of uninsuredpeople who would gain health coverage under legislation it is championing.
So the administration isalarmed by a shortage of front-linedoctors who are the main source of health care for most Americans, according to the New York Times.
The administration is so concerned aboutthe dwindling numbersthatit is considering boosting Medicare reimbursements to primary care physicians — at the expense of pricey specialists, the Times said.
Family care doctors and internists are pushing for more Medicare money, but lobbying groups for other types of doctors are pushing back. All the pushing may frustrate the Obama administration’s goals to rein in the nation’s galloping health care costs, the Times said.
The administration may succeed in drawing more medical students into primary care by raising government reimbursements. Butthat also likely would raise — not lower — the cost of health care.
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