government
Many doctors not discussing ACA with their patients
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 15, 2013
Consumers looking for guidance on the Affordable Care Act might not necessarily get it from their physicians. A HealthPocket survey found that many doctors haven’t spoken to their patients about the reform law and its potential impact on patient care.
Among the respondents with regular physicians, half said they heard no comments from their doctors about the ACA. Among those physicians who did voice opinions, the direction of the conversations was mixed: 33% said they heard their doctors make mostly positive comments, 38% reported mostly negative comments and 29% recounted hearing neutral opinions.
Bruce Telkamp, HealthPocket’s CEO, offered that physicians are trusted health care experts to their patients and could assist them in understanding the provisions of the law. “Medical appointments can be critical opportunities to discuss the personal implications of health reform,” he said in a statement. “Many consumers are confused or have unanswered questions about the Affordable Care Act.”
The results were based on 1,176 responses to an online survey in late June. HealthPocket, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., offers free resources to help people compare individual health plans.
