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:
-------
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.
------
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
------
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.
-----
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."
--------
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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