Sorry , the Doctor Is Busy Filling Out Paperwork And May Quit

hotair.com · Feb 14, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Medicare’s excessive regulatory infrastructure is accelerating physician burnout, driving consolidation, and worsening access to care for America’s seniors, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Having just testified before the U.S. Senate on physician workforce challenges, I can attest that physicians are not quitting because they want to, but because the economics of running a sustainable medical practice have become nearly impossible. Independent physician practices have long served as the backbone of American medicine. They deliver continuity, accountability, and relationship-centered care that is especially critical for older adults managing chronic illness. That foundation is rapidly disappearing in favor of unaccountable healthcare giants.Across the country, independent practices are closing or being absorbed by hospitals, private equity firms, and large corporate health systems. This shift is not being driven by patient preferences, quality concerns, or clinical outcomes. It is driven by federal payment structures and regulatory requirements that impose administrative costs unrelated to patient care and largely independent of practice size.Medicare regulations now permeate nearly every aspect of clinical practice. Importantly, many commercial insurers follow Medicare’s regulatory lead, importing the same documentation rules, coding requirements, and quality programs into private contracts. As a result, physicians experience these burdens as pervasive, regardless of payer. Trending on HotAir Videos