This NYTimes article: “Docotrs group opposes public insurance plan.”
But in comments submitted to the Senate Finance Committee, the American Medical Association said: “The A.M.A. does not believe that creating a public health insurance option for non-disabled individuals under age 65 is the best way to expand health insurance coverage and lower costs. The introduction of a new public plan threatens to restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers, which currently provide coverage for nearly 70 percent of Americans.”
If private insurers are pushed out of the market, the group said, “the corresponding surge in public plan participation would likely lead to an explosion of costs that would need to be absorbed by taxpayers.”
AMA response, according to the AP:
AMA’s leaders agree that the nation’s health system is sick. But the group has long opposed government intrusion into health care and believes reform can be achieved by revamping private health insurance plans.
Dr. Nancy Nielsen, AMA’s president, says the group wants details on Obama’s proposal for a public health insurance plan to compete with private plans.
In a written statement Thursday, she said the AMA “opposes any public plan that forces physicians to participate, expands the fiscally challenged Medicare program or pays Medicare rates.”
But, she added, the AMA “is willing to consider other variations of a public plan that are currently under discussion in Congress.”
In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Nielsen sounded more conciliatory than combative. She said AMA shares Obama’s concern “that we need to have comprehensive health care reform” that offers everyone affordable, high-quality health insurance.
Dr. Nancy Nielsen’s official statement, June 11:
“Make no mistake: Health reform that covers the uninsured is AMA’s top priority this year. Every American deserves affordable, high-quality health care coverage.
“Today’s New York Times story creates a false impression about the AMA’s position on a public plan option in health care reform legislation. The AMA opposes any public plan that forces physicians to participate, expands the fiscally-challenged Medicare program or pays Medicare rates, but the AMA is willing to consider other variations of a public plan that are currently under discussion in Congress. This includes a federally chartered co-op health plan or a level playing field option for all plans. The AMA is working to achieve meaningful health reform this year and is ready to stand behind legislation that includes coverage options that work for patients and physicians.”
Take what you will from this.
Tags: American Medical Association, health care reform, public health insurance option
June 15, 2009 at 7:10 pm |
Not surprised by the AMA position. It’s very pro-physician =P…
June 17, 2009 at 11:52 pm |
[...] concluded that the AMA is neither hopeless nor irrelevant. A conclusion made after a week of terrible and even disheartening press (albeit somewhat misconstrued) for the organization. Seeing all that [...]