Health reform to worsen doctor shortage by 50% in 2015

Unfortunately, says a new report from the the Association of American Medical Colleges, the U.S. health insurance legislation will worsen a shortage of physicians as millions of newly insured patients seek care, Reuters reports.

The group's "Center for Workforce Studies" released new estimates that showed shortages would be 50 percent worse in 2015 than forecast.

'While previous projections showed a baseline shortage of 39,600 doctors in 2015, current estimates bring that number closer to 63,000, with a worsening of shortages through 2025,' the group says.

'The United States already was struggling with a critical physician shortage and the problem will only be exacerbated as 32 million Americans acquire health care coverage, and an additional 36 million people enter Medicare, the report says.

Other groups, such as the nonprofit Rand Corporation and the Institute of Medicine, have also projected various physician shortages.

Once might infer something else, as well. Since medical care is subject to laws of supply and demand, just as any other commodity would be, the effect of increasing demand without increasing supply will cause costs to go up. You might remember this very basic relationship from high school or college economics. 

It isn't exactly an "unintended consequence." Observers, not limited to medical practitioners, had been warning of just that problem before the health insurance reform was made law.

Health reform to worsen doctor shortage: group | Reuters