DJP Update 1-25-2010 Health System Reform: AMA “says it’s still on board”
The question is, “on board” for what? The American public has clearly rejected the Senate and House bills. AMA needs to be very specific about what it supports. If AMA still supports the House and Senate bills, then AMA also has not listened to the physicians of America and has not learned the lessons of the recent elections, especially the Massachusetts race for U.S. Senate.
NOW is the time for AMA to say:
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Yes, we need health system reform and we have SPECIFIC AMA policy developed over many years that will lower costs, cover the uninsured, fix the broken medical liability system, and keep the patient in control of his/her medical decisions with the doctor as trusted advisor. After reflection, we realize that the Senate and House bills will not lower costs and will lead to rationing and a decrease in the quality of Medicine in addition to creating unsustainable deficits. We stand ready to give you our specific plan and we refer you to our AMA PolicyFinder on our AMA Website. It is full of policy developed in a transparent and democratic way that we find, upon reflection, sorely lacking in the recent activities in Congress. Liberty is an essential part of America and Congress must return the right of patients and physicians to privately contract without penalty. Allow balance-billing. Allow doctors to forgive the copay if the patient and physician agree. Eliminate coercion. Price-fixing always leads to loss of availability or service or product. Just like gravity, the consequences do not disappear by wishing it away on Earth. And yes, see summary of AMA policy in JAMA May 12, 2004 article detailing Individual ownership, tax credits, market enhancements (such as purchasing health insurance across state lines, etc.) and more.
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Of course, AMA did not say that. But there is still time. Rarely do circumstances give one a second chance to correct a mistake. But the time is now. See article excerpts below about “on board.” Now the best way to clarify “on board” is to say: Yes, we are on board, but (then repeat the paragraph I gave above about specific AMA policy.)
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/healthmatters/2010/01/25/with-health-reform-in-limbo-groups-issue-call-to-arms/
• January 25, 2010, 7:21 PM EST
•
See WSJ affiliated HEALTH MATTERS HOME PAGE »
With health reform in limbo, groups issue call to arms
KRISTEN GERENCHER’S Health Matters
EXCERPTS FROM ARTICLE
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Health-care reform hangs in the balance after last week’s Massachusetts special election changed the balance of power in Washington. Now many interest groups that spent much of the last year negotiating with lawmakers are in wait-and-see mode ahead of President Obama’s State of the Union address on Wednesday. But groups representing doctors, seniors and women rallied their troops Monday, urging lawmakers to press on with reform efforts despite tough new political realities.
The merits of the bills haven’t changed, AARP Spokesman Jim Dau said….
The American Medical Association, which represents about a fourth of U.S. doctors and endorsed the House bill in November, says it’s still on board.
“The Massachusetts Senate election has complicated the prospects for comprehensive health reform, but the crisis of the uninsured remains very real to millions of Americans who have reduced access to health care because they don’t have coverage,” AMA President J. James Rohack said in a prepared statement. “Our nation still needs reform of the health-care system, and AMA will stay engaged in the process to get the best outcome for patients and physicians.”
On Monday, the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians and American Osteopathic Association sent a letter to Obama and Democratic leaders expressing continued support for health-reform legislation, including ensuring a “sufficient supply of primary-care physicians and other specialties facing shortages.” The letter also mentioned malpractice reform, which may gain renewed favor if Obama wants to court Republican support for a revamped attempt.
The doctor groups also are pressing for separate resolution of a scheduled payment cut, the product of a longstanding problem known as the sustainable growth rate formula.
The American Public Health Association went on record Monday as well.
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Meanwhile, while we wait for such an AMA statement that I suggested above, more Congressional upsets will be set into motion and the doctors who wait in vain for the SGR price-fixing formula to be eliminated will face daily the burdens of trying to keep the medical office open as draconian cuts are implemented and consultation codes are eliminated. Also, various medical coalitions will get more active and specialty societies will become more active as the AMA becomes tossed into the losing column and dues revenue is rapidly lost like the water breaking the levees in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. That was a disaster and the aftermath of AMA’s actions will be another disaster. Historians will one day ask, what happened to the AMA? By the way, do you think the AMA letter sent today had what we have discussed multiple times and is among AMA’s highest advocacy priorities, namely, the right to privately contract… Check it out. I could not find it on AMA Website with AMA search engine but I did find this info about the letter and ad at AARP. The goal is to fix the SGR but it doesn’t say anything about the right to privately contract. Too bad. Another lost opportunity. Why write about privately contracting in “On the Road” discussed in recent DJP Update if we are not going to advertise it to the public. AMA policy states AMA must advocate private contracting with out penalty publicly!
http://www.aarp.org/aarp/presscenter/pressrelease/articles/aarp_ama_sgr_ad.html
and watch video at AARP Website: http://www.aarp.org/health/insurance/articles/new_aarp_ama_ad_calls_on_congress_to_fix_physician_pay.html
BREAKING NEWS: Two items:
-President Obama to Push 3-Year Spending Freeze on Non-Security Discretionary Spending
DJP comment: wonder if that will affect the “doctor fix” regardless of what the official word is emerging from the negotiating table hidden from CSpan and the public. Hmm…
-Meanwhile, 90 prominent Shreveport, Louisiana physicians took out a half-page newspaper ad today in the Shreveport Times and included their names.
A Shreveport doctor summarized the wording in the ad when he sent me the ad:
“This is an open letter to the Citizens of Northwest Louisiana regarding Health System Reform, signed by 90 of Shreveport’s prominent physicians.
Note the salient points:
• The AMA does not speak for us on Health System Reform.
• The House and Senate Bills are faulty on their merits and in their scope.
• Physicians are not alone in opposition to these Bills.
• Reform is still needed, but more limited legislation will work.
• It is time to start over on Health System Reform.”
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The practicing physicians in America are not going to take it anymore. They will mobilize for action. The ad is just one example of the frustration.
Stay well,
Donald
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