The system will have to collapse before there is such a dramatic change. Every patient I speak to is fearful of "socialized medicine" -- and I don't think that they are just trying to please me. The major players such as the insurance companies and hospital industry have tons of money and politicians in their pocket -- and the same game plan that nuked Bill Clinton's health care reform initiative. And as usual there is no backbone in Congress.
I predict we will get more of the same, repackaged as reforms. which means us docs will be taking it on the chin. And when "the reforms" go down in flames (again), it will be our fault (again), because we didn't buy EMRs, or give patients more than 50 seconds to talk at their 5 minute visit, or kick them out of the hospital earlier, or make them immunize their kid instead of buying a big screen TV...
