I loved your editorial (“We can’t afford not to reform health care,” November 2008). I’m not a liberal who thinks we should do everything for everyone and then jack up taxes. But because I work predominantly with indigent populations, our residency program cares for more and more uninsured and underinsured, and our inpatient numbers have recently doubled, I thought your solution was ideal.
I doubt, however, that the powers that be will ever allow tort reform to occur. The trial lawyers are too influential. Nor do I expect the reimbursement of primary care physicians to double. Although that might be the ticket to real reform, it would require more political courage than I’ve ever seen. I’m certain, too, that physicians in other specialties would never allow their reimbursement (and subsequent income) to decrease to offset our increase, even if they earn 3 to 5 times more than primary care physicians.
Scott Stringfield, MD, Via Christi Family Medicine,
Residency Program, Wichita, Kan