Private insurers quietly buying up doctor's practices

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Executive Summary:

Driven by the new healthcare plan passed in March, healthcare providers are engaged in efforts to stay afloat when the new rules kick in. One of these strategies is for doctors to sell their private practices to hospitals and private insurers, essentially becoming a salaried employee of these organizations instead of a private business owner, or to join a very small network of physicians under one insurance company.

These efforts are expected to curb costs, but only because there will be longer waits for routine appointments and even stricter control of a doctor's decisions by the hospital or insurance plan that employs that doctor.

Opinion:

Ah, the unintended consequences of legislation. Or were they unintended? Since Obama and other Democrats aren't stupid, I think this is exactly what they were hoping for. They knew that mandating a business model for the insurance companies and doctors that is not economically feasible would drive these providers to desparate measures. When enough of this consolidation occurs, and people start to complain about the drop in service, Obama can step in, decry the "greed" of doctors and insurance companies, and nationalize the system. Simple.