Survey Finds Support For The Affordable Care Act Among Physician Leaders

Results of a comprehensive survey by the American Association for Physician Leadership and Navigant Center for Healthcare Research and Policy Analysis show widespread support for the U.S. Affordable Care Act among physician leaders nationwide.

Fifty-five percent of respondents said they agreed or strongly agreed that the controversial law passed in 2010 had “more good than bad” in it. The survey, conducted in spring 2015, was completed by 2,398 members of the association.

“Physicians … want what’s best for patients,” said Peter Angood, MD, FACS, FRCS(C), MCCM, president and CEO of the association. “So as they review the ACA, I think they resonate with how the good aspects of the bill can improve health care.”

As physician leaders come to understand the details of the ACA, they may see it as a less radical set of changes than they originally believed, said Paul Keckley, PhD, managing director at Navigant.

Among other findings, revealed in the survey :

• 69 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that physicians should be held accountable for costs of care in addition to quality of care.
• 57 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that accountable care organizations (ACOs) will be a permanent model for risk-sharing with payers in years ahead.
• 63 percent of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that “the elimination of FFS (fee-for-service) incentives in favor of value-based payments will hurt the quality of care provided patients.”
• 58 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that transparency about physicians’ business dealings is a positive trend for the profession.

Read the full story on the association website, physicianleaders.org/vopl. Additional findings from the research, which covered a broad range of questions relating to physician leadership and health care, will be released during coming weeks.

About The American Association for Physician Leadership
The American Association for Physician Leadership is the preeminent U.S.-based organization for physician leaders worldwide. The association, formerly known as the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE), serves physicians at all stages of their careers through leadership education, career support and policy advocacy. Since its founding in 1975, it has grown to more than 11,000 members, including CEOs, chief medical officers and other top leaders. They hail from 46 nations worldwide. The association is known for its award-winning bi-monthly magazine, PLJ, and its other publications as well as for world-class leadership education, available to member and nonmember physicians. Its continuing medical education (CME) courses, offered online and at live conferences, can be applied to advanced degrees and certifications and are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). For more information,visit physicianleaders.org.

About The Navigation Center
Navigant Center for Healthcare Research and Policy Analysis The Navigant Center for Healthcare Research and Policy Analysis focuses on trends, policies and structural shifts in the health care market. Its scope includes hospitals, health systems, physician organizations, health plans, post-acute providers, state and federal health agencies and programs, medical device and drug manufacturers, health investors and retail health. The center uses primary research – surveys, predictive models, focus groups, case studies and advanced analytic tools – along with policy analysis of proposed legislation to inform industry leaders and policy makers about the intended and unintended consequences associated with continued changes in the health care industry.