“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2009, there were approximately 540,000
physicians working in the United States. If these physicians react similarly to pediatricians, and
the PPACA Medicaid expansion is proportionately similar to the implementation of SCHIP, this
reduction would amount to a decrease in hours spent on patient care of approximately 15,000 full
time equivalent physicians. While there are a multitude of other components in the PPACA that
should affect physician labor supply, it is clear that the expansion could have a large effect on the
number of hours spent on patient care in the short run.”
