Passage of the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act would increase stress on physicians and ultimately lead to more physician burnout, Michael Wagner, MD, FACP, president and CEO of Boston-based Tufts Medical Center said in an interview with the Boston Herald.
Dr. Wagner argued that the bill would take away insurance coverage for many patients, which would then leave physicians increasingly responsible for configuring care options that fit within the patient's budget. The added stress of this responsibility would increase physician burnout, which Wagner says is already a big enough problem facing the medical community.
"I could get a call from a patient, frantic, saying a treatment will cost them $1,000," Dr. Wagner said. "Doctors will be spending time trying to change the treatment or find a charity that will pick up for what an insurance company isn't going to do. That's where the doctor and staff will end up spending their time."
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