Within the context of a larger study of Medicare in five Midwestern communities, this report considers data from interviews with 188 physicians regarding their attitudes toward the program and their perceptions of its impact on the doctor-patient relationship and the practice of medicine. Responses to the open-ended questions revealed that most respondents (40 per cent) felt that Medicare had had no effect at all on their relationships with their patients. About 32 per cent thought the relationship had been harmed, while almost 19 per cent thought Medicare had helped the relationship. The long-term impact of Medicare on the practice of medicine was viewed by the majority (55 per cent) to be harmful, although 22 per cent thought Medicare would be beneficial and an equal proportion thought there would be no effect. Responses to the first question were based more on personal experience with patients after Medicare had begun while the latter attitude was based more on ideological arguments related to fee-for-service medicine. Generally, internists practicing in the larger cities were more favorable toward Medicare than surgical specialists or general practitioners.