Physicians' Presidential Poll

By Jackson & Coker Research Associates
Jackson & Coker Industry Report, October 1, 2012

A new survey of physicians shows that if the Presidential election were held today, 55 percent would vote for Mitt Romney and 36 percent would support President Obama, according to a survey conducted by Jackson & Coker, a division of Jackson Healthcare, the third largest healthcare staffing company in the US.

When asked how they felt about the Affordable Care Act, 55 percent said “repeal and replace” the new law while 40 percent said “implement and improve” the ACA.

http://www.jacksoncoker.com/physician-career-resources/newsletters/monthlymain/des/PresidentialPoll.aspx

Comment:

By Don McCanne, MD

Rather than demonstrating where physicians are on their beliefs and understanding of health policy, this poll merely shows that the debate has been reduced to the politics of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Of the 55 percent who would replace ACA, there is no breakdown on those who would replace it with Medicare for All (neither candidate)  and those who would replace it with policies that likely would shift more of the financial burden to patients (Romney). Also, of the 40 percent who would improve ACA there is no breakdown of those who would support the dubious strategy of modifying it incrementally as a means of eventually achieving single payer reform (neither candidate). We need surveys of physicians’ views on policy, not politics.