It’s no secret that, in an attempt to increase the pay of primary care doctors, Medicare is going to run in serious resistance from the specialists. In this article from Bloomberg, for example, we’re seeing backlash from cardiologists.

What caught my attention was how cardiologists in residency programs may now harbor resentment against primary care doctors in training. Consider what Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians says:

Specialist colleagues have implied his support for the Medicare changes may cost his students, he said.

While family-care students typically spend parts of their three-year residencies training with specialists, “What I’ve heard is ‘maybe we just won’t have time any longer to teach your residents,’” Epperly said.

From my experience, I would have a hard time believing that cardiologists would allow these reimbursement battles prejudice their desire to teach primary care residents.

But with specialists facing increasing reimbursement pressures, to the benefit of primary care doctors, the situation bears watching.

(via Dr. Wes)