Physician Attitudes about Managed Care in Massachusetts

NewsCenter Polls

This survey was administered October 23-29, 1995 and includes complete responses from 200 physicians. The margin of error is +/-6.9% The two sub-samples of Primary Care Physicians and Medical Specialists have a margin of error of +/-9.8%

This is selected data from a poll of 200 Massachusetts Primary Care Physicians and Specialists.

Abbreviations used:
PCP-Primary Care Physicians
FFS-Fee for Service Insurance
HMO-Health Maintenance Organization
PPO-Preferred Provider Organization

Why did you first decide to join an HMO Network (Among those who Participate Only)

	PCPs	PCPs	Specialists	Specialists
	HMO	PPO	HMO	PPO
Ensure Income	17%	11%	12%	11%
More Attractive Pay	1%	0%	4%	2%
Ensure Patients	15%	30%	21%	18%
Better Care	4%	7%	1%	4%
Prefer Working Conditions	1%	0%	0%	0%
Prefer Life-style	1%	0%	1%	0%
Just Another Way to Get Insured Patients	41%	36%	38%	40%
Other	20%	16%	23%	25%

Would you say your income has increased, decreased, or remained the same since you joined a managed care program? (Among those who participate only.)

	PCPs	Specialists
Increase	37%	20%
Same	35%	46%
Decrease	14%	14%
Unsure	14%	20%

Would you say your working hours have increased, decreased, or remained the same since you joined a managed care program? (Among those who participate only.)

	PCPs	Specialists
Increase	39%	39%
Same	43%	45%
Decrease	8%	4%
Unsure	10%	12%

Would you say the amount of paper work you have do do has increased, decreased, or remained the same since you joined a managed care program? (Among those who participate only.)

	PCPs	Specialists
Increase	73%	64%
Same	14%	20%
Decrease	5%	4%
Unsure	8%	12%

Please tell me whether you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied with your participation in managed care plans?

	PCPs	Specialists
Very Satisfied	8%	7%
Somewhat Satisfied	44%	42%
Somewhat Dissatisfied	31%	30%
Very Dissatisfied	11%	16%
No Opinion	6%	5%

How would you rate the care you are able to provide patients who belong to a managed care plan compared to the care you are able to provide patients in a traditional fee-for-service health insurance plan?

	PCPs	Specialists
Much Better	4%	1%
Somewhat Better	17%	7%
Same	57%	46%
Somewhat Worse	16%	28%
Much Worse	2%	8%
Unsure	4%	10%

Have you ever felt pressure by the Administrator of Managed Care Plans because: (Among PCP's.)

	Yes	No
Working too Slowly	17%	83%
Ordering too many Lab/Diagnostic Tests	26%	74%
Referring too Many Patients to Specialists	21%	79%
Releasing Patients from Hospital Too Soon	48%	52%
To Provide Care to Patient Rather than send to Specialist	16%	84%

Have you ever felt pressure by the Administrator of Managed Care Plans because: (Among Specialists.)

	Yes	No
Working too Slowly	26%	74%
Ordering too many Lab/Diagnostic Tests	31%	69%
Referring too Many Patients to Specialists	12%	88%
Releasing Patients from Hospital Too Soon	39%	61%

In HMO Plans, Business People decide your Health Care, Not Doctors (Compared by Participation in HMO Network)

	PCPs	PCPs	PCPs	Specialists	Specialists	Specialists
	Non-HMO	HMO	Total	Non-HMO	HMO	Total
Agree	46%	39%	40%	66%	59%	61%
Disagree	27%	55%	49%	22%	37%	32%
No Opinion	27%	6%	11%	12%	4%	7%

In FFS Plans, Business People decide your Health Care, Not Doctors (Compared by Participation in HMO Network)

	PCPs	PCPs	PCPs	Specialists	Specialists	Specialists
	Non-HMO	HMO	Total	Non-HMO	HMO	Total
Agree	41%	17%	22%	13%	9%	10%
Disagree	36%	81%	71%	69%	82%	78%
No Opinion	23%	2%	7%	18%	9%	12%

HMO Plans Provide High Quality Care to Patients (Compared by Participation in HMO Network)

	PCPs	PCPs	PCPs	Specialists	Specialists	Specialists
	Non-HMO	HMO	Total	Non-HMO	HMO	Total
Agree	41%	67%	61%	47%	38%	41%
Disagree	32%	14%	18%	38%	44%	42%
No Opinion	27%	19%	21%	15%	18%	17%

FFS Plans Provide High Quality Care to Patients (Compared by Participation in HMO Network)

	PCPs	PCPs	PCPs	Specialists	Specialists	Specialists
	Non-HMO	HMO	Total	Non-HMO	HMO	Total
Agree	55%	76%	71%	72%	75%	74%
Disagree	14%	9%	10%	3%	4%	4%
No Opinion	31%	15%	19%	25%	21%	22%

HMO Plans Prevent Doctors from Providing Needed Care in Order to Save Costs (Compared by Participation in HMO Network)

	PCPs	PCPs	PCPs	Specialists	Specialists	Specialists
	Non-HMO	HMO	Total	Non-HMO	HMO	Total
Agree	46%	31%	34%	59%	57%	58%
Disagree	18%	62%	52%	25%	34%	31%
No Opinion	36%	7%	14%	16%	9%	11%

FFS Plans Prevent Doctors from Providing Needed Care in Order to Save Costs (Compared by Participation in HMO Network)

	PCPs	PCPs	PCPs	Specialists	Specialists	Specialists
	Non-HMO	HMO	Total	Non-HMO	HMO	Total
Agree	14%	13%	13%	13%	7%	9%
Disagree	59%	78%	74%	72%	81%	78%
No Opinion	27%	9%	13%	15%	12%	13%

Do you think that the doctor-patient relationship is generally better for patients enrolled in an HMO or better for patients enrolled in a traditional fee-for-service health insurance plan?

	PCPs	Specialists
HMO	5%	0%
FFS	53%	70%
Both Equally	42%	30%

If you personally were given a choice between joining an HMO or joining a traditional fee-for-service health insurance plan, which would you prefer?

	PCPs	Specialists
HMO	25%	8%
FFS	58%	79%
No Preference	17%	13%

This survey is the property of WCVB-TV, The Boston Herald and The University of New Hampshire Survey Center and may not be used or distributed in any way without permission.

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