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Polar bear with carrot

Friday, December 2, 2011

I said doctor.

There was an article today from Slovakia announcing that more than 1000 doctors had resigned over low pay. Thirty army doctors are going to try and pick up the slack.

We have our own problems here. If automatic cuts go through as expected on the budget, due to the super committee failure, payments to doctors for Medicaid will also be radically reduced, by 27%. A friend is getting back surgery next tuesday. His doctor told him that he will be retiring next year. He is already reportedly not getting enough money to do his job and is having to work for next to nothing or pro bono on some of his operations.

It will be interesting to see how we deal with our situation if our doctors resign or refuse to work a la the Slovaks. Cutting medicaid disbursements is a bit different than cutting the sugar beet subsidy. I know a lot of you think doctors are fat, overpaid golfers but I still don't think you are going to be able to force them to work for nothing.