Poll Watch: Americans Trust Physicans MORE Than Obama on Healthcare

Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73%) say they are confident in doctors to recommend the right thing for reforming the U.S. healthcare system. That is significantly higher than the public confidence extended to President Barack Obama, as well as to six other entities that will be weighing in during the emerging healthcare reform debate.

Doctors, hospitals, and university researchers may not generally be viewed as political powerhouses. But when it comes to healthcare reform, all three entities have a potentially important advantage over government leaders. As the Gallup Poll results suggest, they are well-positioned to have bipartisan clout with the public.

Obama and the leaders of the two parties in Congress are trusted on healthcare by most of their own party’s members, but are distrusted by most of the opposing party’s. By contrast, large majorities of Republicans, independents, and Democrats say they have confidence in what doctors, hospitals, and university professors and researchers recommend on healthcare.

Now, we know why President Obama went to lecture the AMA on Monday. He needs to persuade physicians and hospitals that Obamacare will be a better system for them than it is now.

The case has not been made.

Why?

As always – the cost.