This is going to become an increasingly difficult problem. As Socialized medicine starts creeping in, medicine is going to become less attractive. My Dad, who was a doctor, predicted this fifty or more years ago. To him, it was inevitable, because Socialized Medicine, due to the nature of human frailty, and as a political tool, was inevitable.
CARSON CITY, Nevada — There are not enough doctors in Nevada, and the shortage is likely to get worse as tens of thousands of people become newly insured under the federal health care overhaul.
A study released this year by John Packham, health policy researcher at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, ranked Nevada 46th in the nation for its share of primary care doctors, family care specialists and pediatricians. The state ranked last in general and orthopedic surgeons, next to last for psychiatrists and 42nd for obstetricians and gynecologists.
"Any growth during the last decade in the number of licensees in medicine ... have been insufficient to meet population growth and demand," said Larry Matheis, executive director of the Nevada State Medical Association. "The shortages are affecting availability of specialty care in Medicaid and Medicare and primary care all around. The expanded coverage coming in 2014-2015 will surely exacerbate this."
Under the federal health care law, Nevada's Medicaid enrollments are projected to swell from 313,000 to about 490,000 by 2015. The increasing caseloads include people who currently are eligible but not enrolled, and those who are expected to sign up as eligibility thresholds are expanded to meet a mandate to have health insurance.
"With national work shortages, it's not likely that Nevada can recruit to fill our needs," Matheis said.
