With an ever increasing uncertainty for the future of medicine, the expected benefits of practicing as doctor are ever decreasing, while the costs of medical school continue to rise. So, one would reason that the expected difference in utility for doctors in an America that Obamacare exists versus one without Obamacare would be ever increasing. So where are all the doctors and potential doctors in the political scene? Why aren't all doctors blasting their concerns about this legislation by all avenues possible? Won't they gain more than anyone by influencing votes and having their opinion heard? The expected benefits of such activism apparently still don't outweigh the costs.
Instead, 83% of doctors in a random sample actually consider quitting their practice (here) due to Obamacare, even with the enormous sunk costs of actually earning an MD! The number of applicants for degrees in the medical field is also decreasing. Doctors may be aware that outside the field of medicine, most people don't derive utility from being informed about the new health care bills more than it would cost them to be so informed. Even if doctors could inform the public, the public may not value the information enough to actually vote on it. Doctors may intuitively understand the principles of rational abstention and rational ignorance. Regardless, based upon observable action, or inaction rather, doctors seem to value the benefits of political activism with regards to Obamacare less than it would cost to pursue the issue by political means.
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