Senator Coburn Says Survey Shows Most Doctors Oppose Obama's Health Care Law

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn says a non-scientific poll done at his suggestion by the online physician community, Sermo.com found 75 percent of physicians oppose the President's health care law.

Coburn says the survey asked doctors for their input on the impact of the law on the quality of the practice of medicine.

"It is significant that our nation's physicians – not merely Washington lobbying organizations claiming to represent physicians – oppose the President's health care law. For instance, the American Medical Association supported the President's plan yet now we see that 75 percent of actual physicians oppose the law," said Dr. Tom Coburn. "Physicians oppose the law for a simple reason: they know it will not work and will ultimately harm patients. Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules, these results further illustrate why Congress should repeal this flawed law and replace it with one that will work."

Other notable findings include:

• 79 percent believe the law will increase the deficit
• 59 percent believe the law does not accomplish the goal of achieving real, sustainable, affordable health reform that is sustainable for patients, physicians, and taxpayers
• 65 percent rated Congress' ability to listen to the perspective of physicians about health care policy as very poor
• 96 percent do not think the majority of politicians in the House and Senate understand the challenges in American health care
• 80 percent believe IPAB will cut reimbursement rates to providers and therefore harm beneficiary access
• 77 percent think the federal government should decrease its involvement in and regulation of health care in America

Sermo.com is a physicians-only site that allows practicing physicians to engage in discussion with their peers, promote patient safety and public health.

Sermo.com Survey Results