Importance of voting has never been greater
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The presidential election will significantly impact all aspects of lives during the next 4 years. Many issues will be confronted and possibly changed for years to come.
The critical issues include universal health care or proposals for a single payer system, transparency of costs, surprise billing legislation and other attempts to limit out-of-network care, and challenges to the Affordable Care Act. Specific to orthopedics are issues such as the continued erosion of payment, decreasing value of OR and office efforts, increasing documentation requirements and policies that provide unbalanced advantages to hospitals and health care systems.
The importance of your vote in 2020 has never been greater. When one votes, he or she participates in the process that only free nations have – a collective decision toward the leadership of a community, state and country. The elected officials represent us in governing where we work and live.
Physician turnout
There are many compelling reasons for a high physician contribution to the selection of our leadership. Vote for candidates who reflect your vision of the future. Failure to vote allows others to make decisions for you.
Health care is approaching 20% of the U.S. gross domestic product and significantly influences the country’s overall economy. Of the more than 140 million people who will vote in November, history suggests that less than 50% of the almost 1 million physicians will vote this year. Physicians have a unique perspective on critical issues. The failure to vote diminishes our influence while giving way to more ambitious voting groups, such as the legal profession.
As elected officials continue to discuss ideas that could radically shift the way orthopedic surgeons currently practice, giving away the power of deciding who represents us is not only a failure to fulfill a basic civic responsibility, but also a failure to represent what you believe is in the best interest of patients. Voting is an extension of obligations and commitments to patients and family. Share your voice on how the United States should move forward during the next 4 years.
Every vote counts
Some may argue that one vote does not make a difference. However, the results of a few states were pivotal in the decision in the 2016 presidential election. In the 2000 presidential race, the Supreme Court decided the results in Florida and consequently who became president. This year’s election is expected to be close and politicians are already preparing for a possible contested result and involvement of the Supreme Court. In 2018 with largest midterm voter turnout ever, there were multiple examples in which a few votes decided final results. If we do not vote because we believe one vote does not make a difference, we need to understand the voter pool influences decisions that may be different than those of orthopedic surgeons.
Another excuse to skip voting is the results of the presidential election in one’s state are already decided based on historical voting patterns. However, many decisions further down the ballot are being contested. At each level, one vote can make a difference.
Now is not the time to be silent and let others have a greater role in deciding the future. We need to vote. Help others do the same. Set up a coverage or call schedule so everyone in the practice can exercise their right to vote on who will govern our cities, states and nation.
- For more information:
- Anthony A. Romeo, MD, is the Chief Medical Editor of Orthopedics Today. He can be reached at Orthopedics Today, 6900 Grove Road, Thorofare, NJ 08086; email: orthopedics@healio.com.
Collapse
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts