Most docs expect sequester cuts to impact healthcare: poll

Most physician leaders say that sequestration budget cuts will affect their healthcare organizations, according to the American College of Physician Executives' online poll, which was distributed via e-mail to about 11,000 physician leaders.

Of the 590 responses, 57.5% said that sequestration budget cuts would have effects on their organizations like decreasing Medicare reimbursements or cutting funding for research and training. While 21.4% disagreed, another 21.2% said they didn't know if they would feel an impact.

Some participants posted comments in response to the poll, citing frustration with budget cuts and expressing concern that they would have a disproportionately negative effect on self-employed physicians. Meanwhile, others threw their support behind scaled-back spending, despite what it might mean for healthcare.

“Although the cuts are crude, it's about time that some attempt was made to control the profligate spending by the federal government,” Dr. Richard Abramowitz wrote.

“If we can rein in these out-of-control drunken sailors (no disrespect to real sailors, past and present), it will be worth it,” Dr. John Johnson wrote.

However, an anonymous poll participant called it the “stupidest way imaginable to solve our long-term dilemma,” proposing stimulus instead of sequestration.

The varied reactions led Dr. Peter Angood, CEO of ACPE, to point out that physician leaders clearly have strong opinions when it comes to health policy.

“No matter what your opinion on the sequester budget cuts, this illustrates the deep level of engagement our physicians have,” Angood said in a release. “Part of our mission at ACPE is to provide a platform for the fair and balanced voice of physician leadership, which we believe will resonate in Washington.”