U.S. physicians favor the idea of a two-tiered healthcare system, one in which a single-payer option peacefully coexists with private coverage. Their least favorite model? Single-payer Medicare for All.
That’s according to a survey commissioned by the nonprofit Physicians Foundation, the results of which the organization posted Oct. 22.
Asked to rate four directions U.S. healthcare might take on a scale of 1 (best approach) to 4 (worst), the 1,270-respondent cohort registered their support or lack thereof as follows.
- Maintain/improve the current ACA-influenced system: 51% unfavorable or very unfavorable (let’s call that a collective nay) to 49% favorable or very favorable (yea).
- Implement a single-payer/Medicare for All system: 60% nay to 40% yea.
- Implement a two-tiered system (single payer available for all, with private pay/insurance option): 67% yea to 33% nay.
- Move to a market-driven system with health savings accounts: 55% nay to 45% yea.
“Support for a ‘single payer/Medicare for All’ type of system consistently scored last with physicians,” the report authors comment. “The only time it was not the least preferred option was among level four ratings, in which it was surpassed by HSAs 42% to 38%.”
In this, the third in a 2020 series of physician surveys conducted for the foundation by Merritt Hawkins, other topics included patient access and social determinants of health.
The survey report is available in full for free (PDF).
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.