OB/GYNs at Manhattan Hospital say the new policy will help save lives.
They also say it’s important to keep pace with rising health care costs.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Dr. Robert Mancuso, chief of OB/Gyns.
“I’m in the middle of a two-year plan and I’m working full-time, but I’m still paying the bills and it’s not enough.
I want to see my patients.”
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters Monday that the new rule will prevent many women from getting elective surgery because they are at risk for pre-existing conditions.
“I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made and the work we’ve done in the last few weeks,” he said.
The new rule requires all OB/gyns in New York City to obtain a health plan.
This means they have to provide women with access to the full range of care.
Obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. John Gantt, who practices at Manhattan, says he believes the policy will allow more women to get elective surgeries.
“It’s not only about getting better elective care,” he told the Associated Press.
“It’s about making sure women get the best care possible.”
He also said the policy is a win for the OB/gyn community because it will prevent a number of elective procedures from going through.
But Mancuse is concerned about the effect of the new rules on the hospital community.
“You will have a lot of doctors who will be afraid to go into a hospital, because they will not want to go out into the community,” he explained.
“We are going to have a number who are going away because they do not want their OB/Gynec practice to be in a place that is close to their patients,” he added.
Mancuson and Gantts new rule is part of a national push to expand access to OB/ Gyns practices and to lower hospital costs.
It comes after the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced it was considering expanding the practice’s hours to ensure it could continue to serve women and their families.
However, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Health Commissioner Dr. Richard Goodman have called on doctors to practice in the community to reduce their workloads and save money.
In a statement, the OBGYN Association said it’s confident the new new rule won’t negatively affect OB/DGyn services.
“In recent years, we have seen OB/gongy care providers, nurses, OB/ and Gyn, continue to be successful and to see our communities continue to flourish,” the statement said.
“The health of our patients is our most important concern and our OB/DOs will continue to work to improve care for all women, especially those in the least safe environments.
We are confident that this new rule, which is part and parcel of a broad effort to increase OB/ health care access, will help ensure that the OBGNY practice continues to be an integral part of our community.”