At the current time, questions about the supply of physicians are simply off the radar screens of most federal policymakers. Historically, the federal government has been slow to act on issues related to the supply of physicians and has waited for evidence of public distress, a firm professional consensus, or both before acting either to augment or to restrain the number of physicians. There is at present no indication that shortages of physicians have captured voters' attention, and experts and professional groups are far from a consensus on the adequacy of current or projected workforce numbers. In fact, according to Michael Whitcomb of the AAMC and Barbara Barzansky of the AMA, both these organizations seem to be admitting defeat in the effort to predict the required number of physicians, and, for now, neither plans to take a definite position on this issue. Despite the likely conclusion by the COGME that a physician deficit looms, the suddenness of the council's change in view, together with the reticence of the AAMC and the AMA, may well give policymakers pause. Therefore, it seems exceedingly unlikely that Congress or the executive branch will venture into the debate on the physician supply anytime soon.
