The Affordable Care Act (ACA) still isn't winning the favor of all doctors in its fifth year, but more are at least willing to give it a passing grade, according to new data from the Medicus Firm.
Medicus' 12th annual survey, taken this spring, included responses from more than 2,680 providers representing specialties in 47 states. Among these respondents, 83 percent gave the ACA a grade of A, B, C or D, Forbes reported. This figure is up from the 77 percent of doctors who gave the law a passing grade in 2014 and 70 percent who said it was working in 2013.
"The ACA is not as much of an intimidating, 'unknown' entity, and doctors aren't feeling as alarmed as they were when the sizable legislation was passed into law," said Jim Stone, president of The Medicus Firm. "That said, even with improved perceptions of the ACA, 29 percent of 2015 respondents gave the law a 'C' over all--which indicates there is much room for improvement, at least from physicians' perspectives."
One indication of dissatisfaction with the healthcare environment in general is the number of physicians open to the idea of changing jobs within the next year. According to the survey, just 34 percent of respondents said they would definitely not make a career change this year, compared to 43 percent in 2014. This trend could predict rising levels of physician turnover in 2015, the firm noted, adding that being a hospital employee may make it easier to change jobs.
Despite the growing prevalence of hospital employment, however, the most preferred clinical setting among respondents was single-specialty group practice, at 28 percent, followed by hospital employment at 23 percent. Government or military jobs were the least preferred, at 3 percent.
To learn more:
- read the post from Forbes