House Health Care Bill Endorsed by American Medical Association

The American Medical Association, in a stunning turn-a-round, stated its support of House Bill H.R. 3200, a comprehensive health care reform bill that includes “the establishment and administration of a public health insurance option as an exchange-qualified health benefits plan.”

As recently as last month, The New York Times reported reported that the AMA opposed a government-sponsored insurance plan, saying that health insurance should come from the private market.

From the AMA:

“The status quo is unacceptable. We support passage of H.R. 3200, and we look forward to additional constructive dialogue as the long process of passing a health reform bill continues. This is an important step, but one of many steps in the process. The AMA is actively engaged with Congress and the administration to achieve health reform that best meets the needs of patients and physicians. We are committed to passing health reform this year consistent with principles of pluralism, freedom of choice, freedom of practice, and universal access for patients.”

Coming on the heels of the Senate HELP Committee passing its version of the Affordable Health Choices Act, this news would seem to give forward momentum to the push for comprehensive health care reform. However, along with this surprising news comes the statement from Senator Max Baucus that, “Basically, the president is not helping us,” referring to the President’s opposition to taxing employer-provided health benefits, and the Congressional Budget Office said that the bills working their way through Congress will not reduce health care costs for the long term, in part because they do not include taxes on health benefits.

All political wrangling aside for the moment, the AMA’s backing of H.R. 3200 comes as a surprise, given its history of strong opposition against a government option. “We support passage of H.R. 3200… We are committed to passing health reform this year consistent with principles of pluralism, freedom of choice, freedom of practice, and universal access for patients.” Welcome words, indeed.

The white house on Thursday responded with this statement from the President:

“I am grateful that the doctors of the AMA have chosen to support health insurance reform that will lower costs, expand coverage, and assure choice and quality health care for all Americans. Along with the nation’s nurses, these doctors are joining the chorus of Americans who know that the time to reform what is broken about our health care system is now.”

Health care reform is moving in a one-step forward, one step-back way. This sounds like a step and a half forward.

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Past Member .

12:44AM PDT on Jun 8, 2010

AMA is a good organization but dis time i dnt know what happens to them to learn more visit
http://seainfosys.com

send a green star

8:06AM PDT on Aug 14, 2009

Actually, only about 30% of the Dr's are represented by the AMA, and this stunning statement was decided by just a handful. I appears due to probably money making it's way back into the organizatin. When a vote was actually taken, it was overwhelming NO!

Gig S.

2:04PM PDT on Aug 13, 2009

Do you have the % of practicing medical doctors who are active members and/or simply belong to this organization? Is it, perhaps, about 17%?
How meaningful would any comment, endorsement, or criticisim be?

7:56AM PDT on Jul 25, 2009

It's about time the AMA changed its mind! Universal health care will obviously be good for the general population.

There's lots of misinformation being put out by Republicans and the insurance industry playing on people's fears. All sorts of wacko right-wingers are crawling out of the woodwork to say that it will be the downfall of this country, but first of all, there are several plans being put forward in Congress, Obama has stated several objectives any plan he signs must meet. Basically cut costs without raising taxes, let everyone who wants to keep their current plan, and let anyone who wants to have access to a public option that will make the market more competitive.

There are currently 47 million people with no insurance in this country, myself included since I lost my job... I never expected to find myself in this situation, but after 8 years of Bush in the Whitehouse, lots of people are in the same boat. It is currently cheaper for me to drive from Alabama to Mexico to buy a prescription I need than it is to buy it here, and that is just not right.

The US Constitution requires the government to provide for the general welfare, form a more perfect union, common defense... how can those things be accomplished when so many people do not have access to healthcare? Actually, they can still be seen on an emergency basis by law, and that eliminates preventative care, crowds emergency rooms, and drives up costs for everyone. People without insurance who require surgeries are usually SOL though. "Suffer and die! And let's keep our healthcare costs higher than anywhere else in the world because I can afford it and don't give a turd about people who can't! " That is the message that opponents of health care reform are sending to the uninsured.

How can we want feel proud of our country if it is the only one out of the top 39 industrialized countries without universal healthcare? How can so many people who claim to be "Christian" oppose being concerned for the sick as Jesus was? I find it sad and baffling really...

Helen S.

8:01AM PDT on Jul 20, 2009

Why is it that I just don't trust the AMA ?? If they are now supporting this .. what is the "catch" .. you can bet there is one !!

7:03PM PDT on Jul 19, 2009

...look folks...this is almost to big an idea to even understand or get behind...been checkin' out blog sites pro n' con yes it would be good if everyone had access to health care in this country but lest we all forget as most policies' are written, anyone who needs attention for a medical occurance will get the care they need, EMS, hospital regulations mandate this, sooo now we are being told by our govt. that there are many out there who are neglected and benefit not at all from the system that has worked fairlly well in this country, well my heart goes out to anyone who has had a bad experience with their medical care, as a nurse and a first responder on an ambulance squad i would say to you, if you had a problem, i apologize here and now for your misfortune or tradgedy I know life can be real bad but i sure as heck would rather be walken or be guernied into a hospital here than anywhere else in the world! we as citizens of this great country are bein sold the short end of the stick now or at least that seems to be what this admin. is tryin to do! mark my words here, we could all suffer greatly for this one! oh BTW i am not totaly satisfied with the system here but i don't believe we have a need here to so drasticallly tare it down_and 'start all over again!' there are many great and innovative implementations that have been put in place for at least 60 some odd years, i would say...build upon this, the system we have works...just improve on it, yes IMPROVE is the word!!!

Judith S.

3:29AM PDT on Jul 18, 2009

They still don't get it. Health insurance should have nothing to do with employment and should not be an employer's responsibility. Everyone is entitled to health care, and the only solution is a single-payer universal plan. Every person who is born should be entitled to health care, and I don't mind paying a little more in taxes for something that is for everyone's good, unlike the current situation where I am required to pay taxes to murder innocent people abroad. Perhaps when health care stops being tied in to employment, employers will have some incentive to bring jobs back home where they belong instead of avoiding their responsibility to American people by only hiring non-Americans because they don't have to pay taxes for them or provide health care.

Jean A.

11:07AM PDT on Jul 17, 2009

America is the biggest prescription drug users in the world, because of big pharma and doctors that follow them. Reform means yourself. Live healthy, use natural means for good health.I am apprenhesive about AMA. We are only in the biginning of health reform. Lets pay attention.

Pristine P.

8:41AM PDT on Jul 17, 2009

The AMA is in support of this bill because as it's written the government will subsidize insurance premiums for people making up to 88,000 a year who "can't afford insurance".

This is NOT true reform. This bill will explode the deficit, do nothing to control cost and still leave out millions of people.

A better model is The5DollarRevolution which funds the public option by targetting the working uninsured and companies who don't currently provide coverage to their employees. It's not dependent on taxes and will not add to the deficit. Check out the5DollarRevolution.com for more info. This model has been proven to work. Then call the White House Swithcboad and leave a message for the president letting him know you support The5DoolarRevolution.