Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act is a new health care law that was passed through President Obama. The new health care law has been helping doctors and other workers in the medical field who work for large companies or hospitals, however, private practices are seeing changes, and their businesses are suffering. It is a good thing that more Americans can receive the medical attention they need in their lives, but private physicians are not seeing a large income, and many are forced to sell their practices and work in a hospital under a larger organization. 

By working in a big hospital, doctors have the ability to work with new and advanced equipment, because they are reimbursed through the Affordable Care Act. The smaller businesses that are privately owned are not reimbursed for anything, so they are forced to use the older equipment that isn't as advanced as the big hospitals. In Kentucky, Dr. Tracy Ragland is an independent primary care physician whose business is going under because of the new act and the lack of income from patients who have this health care.“The possibility of not being able to survive in a private practice, especially primary care, is very real,” she said.

Even doctors who have independent practices are not against the Affordable Care Act, they want Americans to be able to afford health care, but they are being forced to work for big hospitals as more and more people qualify for the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. Private practices have less power over large hospitals, so these independent businesses are being sold. According to the New York Times, only about 40 percent of family physicians remain independent and private practices, and that percentage continues to drop because of the Affordable Care Act. This health care law is not a negative thing for Americans, however, it is clear that is is causing the physician private businesses to suffer, and it seems as if they will become a thing of the past, pushing patients to large hospitals. 

As a CEO of a private practice, there isn't much leverage when it comes to this issue. The law was passed right from Obama, and more and more patients are qualifying for the Affordable Care Act. It would be helpful if small privately owned physicians were reimbursed for equipment and technology advancements, that way they could keep up with the large hospitals without going out of business. I am all for Americans being able to be medically insured under this law, but from a business standpoint, it is important that our needs are still recognized and the independent practices do not disappear completely. 

Dr. Tracy Ragland, Private Physician
Photograph from New York Times

Dr. Sven Jonsson, working for big hospital
Photograph from New York Times