Obamacare driving up ER visits.

quote:

---

In a poll of some 1,800 emergency physicians by the American College of Emergency Physicians, nearly half said more patients have been coming through their ER doors since Jan. 1, when many of PPACA’s key provisions went into effect.

Another 27 percent said the numbers haven’t changed, while 23 percent said they’ve seen a decline in ER visits.

---

quote:

---

The poll’s findings about increasing ER visits are noteworthy given the law’s promise that it would reduce costly emergency room visits, because it was designed to encourage patients to seek care in a doctor's office or clinic settings.

---

quote:

---

Though the fact that ERs are experiencing flooding isn't surprising, given the number of newly insured patients, emergency room doctors say the increase points to a number of issues.

One such problem, doctors say, lies in the fact that physicians are in short supply and cannot properly deliver care to the vast numbers of newly insured patients.

The Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of 90,000 doctors by 2020.

---

quote:

---

Emergency-room doctors reported seeing more Medicaid patients, and fewer private insured patients since the start of the year.

University of Colorado School of Medicine researchers earlier this year similarly found that more Medicaid and Medicare patients are visiting emergency rooms because they can’t get a hold of a primary care practitioner when they need routine care.

---