Private-practice physicians do support ACA

A recent letter [“Doctors’ opinions,” Northwest Voices, Opinion, July 3] implies that only physicians who are public employees support the Affordable Care Act and the recent court decision.

Many of us in private practice recognize that we will lose income and “autonomy” as this new law moves our country to a higher standard of medical care based on cost-effective, evidenced-based, standardized practices. But we also recognize that this is the right move “to promote the general welfare” and “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”

We do not have the best health care in the world, certainly because 45 million had no health insurance before this law. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says we spend twice as much per capita as other developed countries, yet have a life expectancy below the average of the group. We excel only in the number of CT scans we order and the prevalence of obesity.

The ACA is only a start to reverse this. We all (including our politicians) must acknowledge the need to make compromises and sacrifices to move forward so that inevitable medical or surgical illnesses are not the road to poverty or bankruptcy, or unacceptable choices. Let’s do it together.

— Michael F. Mulroy, M.D., Bellevue