Politics

Survey: Doctors choose Romney over Obama

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Betsi Fores The Daily Caller News Foundation
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A new survey shows Mitt Romney with a commanding lead over President Barack Obama among doctors, with Obamacare helping to sway their votes.

If the election were held today, 55 percent of physicians reported they would vote for Romney while just 36 percent support Obama, according to a survey released by Jackson & Coker, a division of Jackson Healthcare, the third largest health care staffing company in the United States

Fifteen percent of respondents said they were switching their vote from Obama in 2008 to Romney in 2012. The top reasons cited for this change was the Affordable Care Act and the failure to address tort reform.

Leadership style, failure to follow through on campaign promises, unemployment and the general state of the economy were also factors.

“Doctors are highly motivated this year to have their voice heard, particularly after passage of the Affordable Care Act,” said Sandy Garrett, president of Jackson & Coker. “No doubt, the health care law has stirred many passions in the medical community.”

Fifty-five percent of physicians said that they favored “repeal and replace” Obamacare, while 40 percent said “implement and improve”.

A Gallup poll from July found that 46 percent of Americans feel Obamacare is more harmful than helpful to the economy; 36 percent responded the opposite.

Obama has not emphasized his signature piece of legislation on the campaign trail.

Romney has said that he will work to repeal Obamacare on the first day of office.

“Physicians say they want a President who will address their concerns about their ability to practice medicine,” Garrett added.

The survey found that physicians that support Romney were more likely to own their own practice or “who had a stake in their own practice”. Obama supporting physicians were more likely to be women, or employed by hospitals or health systems.

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