In The New York Times article by Annie Lowrey and Robert Pear, the issue of the doctor shortage is addressed in relation to President Obama’s health care law that was upheld by the Supreme Court on June 28, 2012. Though this new law will extend insurance coverage to the population, it is not expected to result in more efficient, higher quality care. The current and predicted doctor shortages, as estimated by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), make it difficult for physicians to meet the demands of the growing and aging population. Medical school enrollment is said to be gradually increasing, although the number of training positions for medical school graduates is not developing at the same extent. Certain provisions in the law that aim to increase the number of primary care doctors may help to improve the gap, as may some of the other proposed solutions described in this piece.

“Coverage will not necessarily translate into care: Local health experts doubt there will be enough doctors to meet the area’s needs. There are not enough now…”

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© 2012 The New York Times. All rights reserved.