DJP Update 6-13-2012 LSMS Delegation requests support for Late Resolution re Premium Support for Medicare; Politico article of today
As you know by now, it has been confirmed that American Medical Association’s Council on Medical Service will not present to the House of Delegates CMS Report 2 A-12 regarding transitioning Medicare to a premium support program despite being in electronic handbook and on Virtual Reference Committee A on AMA Website for comments. CMS 2 has officially been pulled as per last item under Sunday Tote on the AMA Website—Green sheet as listed indicating referral changes and withdrawals.
The Louisiana State Medical Society therefore has sent in to AMA today a late resolution addressing premium support for Medicare. AMA has confirmed receipt of it. LSMS Delegation requests support and co-sponsorship from other delegations to the AMA. The committee that evaluates late resolutions will decide if the LSMS resolution will be allowed for debate. That decision will be presented to House of Delegates and if denied debate, the House of Delegates can overturn that decision by vote.
You will note the resolves listed below are the same ones in the previously circulated CMS Report 2 A-12 and the Whereas section gives the justification for the late resolution.
If you wish to co-sponsor, please contact Mr. Jeff Williams, Exec Director Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS). Chair of Louisiana Delegation is Dr. Keith DeSonier. LSMS asked me to send out a DJP Update about this issue.
Email: jeff@lsms.org
Phone: 225-763-8500
Here is the late resolution:
Late Resolution – Transitioning Medicare to a Premium Support Program
Submitted by: The Louisiana Delegation
Whereas, many members of American Medical Association were able to provide testimony in response to CMS Report 2 A-12 online in AMA Virtual Reference Committee A, and
Whereas, the members of the Louisiana delegation were expecting the same opportunity to provide testimony in Reference Committee A, and
Whereas, a debate on transitioning Medicare to a premium support program is critical as Medicare is currently in serious financial straits, and true change needs to occur, therefore be it
RESOLVED that our American Medical Association support transitioning Medicare to a premium support program that would:
A. Provide beneficiaries with a premium support amount to be used for the purchase of traditional Medicare or a private health insurance plan approved by the United States Department of Health and Human Services or its designee.
B. Base the amount of the premium support on the value of the government’s contribution under traditional Medicare at the time of implementation.
C. Allow for variation in premium support amounts based on factors including, but not limited to, local market conditions, beneficiary health status, and beneficiary income.
D. Enable beneficiaries to purchase coverage of their choice through a marketplace of competing health plans, which would be subject to appropriate regulation. (New HOD Policy) and be it further
RESOLVED that our AMA reaffirm Policies H-330.896, “Strategies to Strengthen the Medicare Program,” H-385.961, “Medicare Private Contracting,” D-390.986, “Medicare Balance Billing,” and H-165.852, “Health Savings Accounts.” (Reaffirm HOD Policy), and be it further
RESOLVED that our AMA rescind Policy H-330.898, “Long-Term Funding of Medicare” and Policy D-330.917, “Medicare Reform Financing.” (Rescind HOD Policy)
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There also has been comment about this issue again today in Politico by reporter Kyle Cheney. The quote from me came from DJP Update of yesterday. The other words are the reporter’s.
AMA GUNSHY ON PREMIUM SUPPORT RESOLUTION — The American Medical Association yesterday called off what likely would have been a pretty hot debate over a resolution endorsing a version of Medicare premium support after receiving pushback from its members. The AMA resolution would have backed premium support to exist along with traditional Medicare, but the group’s Council on Medical Service — which handles policy recommendations — agreed to hold off on the resolution. AMA officials defended the move to withdraw as an effort to further flesh out the recommendations. “The Executive Committee of the Council on Medical Service unanimously agreed to withdraw [its premium support recommendations and report],” said Tom Sullivan, chairman of the AMA Council on Medical Service, in a statement to POLITICO. “The council believes there is a need to put in additional work on a revised report that addresses a number of complicated policy issues.”
–PALMISANO: REVERSAL IS UNAMERICAN – Former AMA President Donald Palmisano ripped the group’s decision to cancel the premium support debate, arguing that it would cause membership to “drop and drop.” “Full debate has been a hallmark of AMA House of Delegates. And defined contribution and individual ownership of health policies have been long-standing AMA policy in health system reform,” he wrote Tuesday in a blog post. “Are we to have the world think AMA does not focus on what is best for the patient-physician relationship but instead genuflects to politicians? Time to get off bended knee. Time to cut the chains that bind physicians with price-fixing and coercion. We are Americans, not serfs.” His blog: http://bit.ly/L3bNav
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Stay well and travel to Chicago with care.
Donald
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Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
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