Plastic and reconstructive surgeons' views of a single payer health care system: Implications for patients and practice. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: Rising health care costs and the high number of uninsured Americans has led to the increasing popularity of a single payer alternative. While opinions of physicians at large have been studied, we present the first data examining the views of United States (U.S.) board-certified plastic surgeons on a single payer health care system and its implications for patients and practice. METHODS: A total of 3,431 US plastic and reconstructive surgeons were sent a 25-item Qualtrics survey and responses collected from September 1 to November 1, 2019. Independent variables included surgeon sociodemographic characteristics. The association between these and a preference for a single payer was evaluated using the logistic regression. RESULTS: There was a 11% response rate (n = 383). The majority of respondents were in private practice (64.5%). Forty-four percent believed that it is the government's responsibility to ensure care is provided for all; 34% were willing to give up income in exchange for reduced paperwork and administrative burden. Sixty-three percent would not work the same number of hours under single payer. Private practice plastic surgeons were significantly less likely to favor single payer (95% CI: 0.19 and 0.76). Among academic plastic surgeons, 24% would consider leaving if single payer were enacted and 60% would decrease the reconstructive portion of their practice. CONCLUSIONS: Most U.S. plastic and reconstructive surgeons do not support a single payer health care system. Its enactment could have sweeping implications for plastic surgeons nationwide, among the most significant being a shift from academic to private practice with a potential reduction in patient access to complex reconstructive procedures.

publication date

  • March 24, 2021

Research

keywords

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Physicians
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures
  • Single-Payer System
  • Surgery, Plastic

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85106278185

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.bjps.2021.03.011

PubMed ID

  • 33896742

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 74

issue

  • 10