The majority of physicians now support a single-payer health care system, according to a recent survey by physician recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins.
A single-payer system was “strongly supported” by 42% and “somewhat supported” by 14% of the 1,033 physicians who responded to the email survey, which was sent out on Aug. 3. Compared with the 41% who expressed opposition to a single payer – 35% “strongly opposed” and 6% “somewhat opposed” – the total of 56% supporting it was more than enough to cover the margin of error of ±3.1%. The remaining 3% of physicians said that they neither support nor oppose a single-payer system, Merritt Hawkins reported.
In a survey the company conducted in 2008, just 42% of physicians supported a single-payer system and 58% opposed it. “Physicians appear to have evolved on single payer,” Travis Singleton, senior vice president of Merritt Hawkins, said in a statement. “Whether they are enthusiastic about it, are merely resigned to it, or are just seeking clarity, single payer is a concept many physicians appear to be embracing.”
