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TAMPA — A majority of physician executives polled by a Tampa-based group say their organizations will be affected by budget cuts caused by sequestration.
The physicians said the effects could range from a drop in Medicare reimbursement to scaled-back funding for research and training programs, according to a statement from the American College of Physician Executives, an organization for doctors who hold leadership and management positions. Many are CEOs or medical directors.
The group conducted an online poll distributed to approximately 11,000 physician leaders, which drew 567 responses. Of those, 58% said the sequestration budget cuts would impact their organizations, while 22% said they would not. An additional 20% were unsure.
Some respondents supported spending cuts, while others favored increased stimulus efforts from the federal government. One physician wrote in his response that the fiscal crisis was manufactured by obstinate politicians taking extreme positions.
Some feared the sequestration cuts would disproportionately affect self-employed physicians who work in group practice settings, forcing them to join larger hospital or health care systems in order to stay afloat. Peter Angood,CEO of ACPE, says the poll results show physician leaders have strong opinions on health-related policy decisions made in Washington.
"No matter what your opinion on the sequester budget cuts, this illustrates the deep level of engagement our physicians have," Angood says. ACPE attempts to provide a platform for physician executives to voice their views, he says. The ACPE has more than 10,000 members.
Respondent Craig Slater, a physician, expressed a common concern that the full effect of the budget cuts won't be known for some time, and by then, any potential damage to the health care system may be difficult to reverse. "While the sequestration may not be Armageddon, the impact on hospitals will likely be long-lasting and painful," he says.
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