Powerful doctors group, The AMA, backs Obama's healthcare reform plan
source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/16/obama-health-plan-ama-support
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- bansheewail
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America's largest and most powerful doctors group has endorsed Barack Obama's massive overhaul of the US healthcare system, removing a substantial hurdle to legislation that Democrats hope will extend health coverage to most of the estimated 46 million Americans who currently lack it.
The American Medical Association, which vigorously opposed Bill and Hillary Clinton's 1990s reform effort, today pledged to work with congressional leaders to ensure legislation is soon passed. The group endorsed the strongest legislation currently on the table, proposed this week by top Democrats in the House of Representatives. The group long opposed government intervention in the healthcare system for fear that its physician members would see their lucrative pay decline.
With no universal public programme akin to the National Health Service, Americans rely on a patchwork of employee-provided healthcare, government programmes for the poor, elderly and veterans, and costly private health insurance coverage. Americans spend one out of every six dollars on healthcare - roughly twice as much per capita as other industrialised nations - but lag behind in life expectancy, infant mortality and other health indicators.
The medical association's surprise turnaround may be an indication they see reform as inevitable and hope to influence the legislation at the margins. In its letter to Charles Rangel, a powerful New York Democrat, the group said it hoped for "constructive dialogue" during revision of the legislation.
"We pledge to work with the House committees and leadership to build support for passage of health reform legislation to expand access to high quality, affordable health care for all Americans," the group wrote in a letter signed by executive vice president Michael Maves. The letter was obtained by advocacy group Healthcare for Americans Now. The medical association was expected to issue a statement later today.
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macfan
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40 Brunei - 2 years ago
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macfan
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jubal
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Comprehensive overhaul of the healthcare system needs to include putting caps on malpractice insurance and a panel of experts should decide malpractice awards, not juries who rely solely on emotion to come up with an award amoung.
- 2 years ago
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jubal
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MotherForTruth
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jubal:
Good point.
- 2 years ago
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MotherForTruth
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bluestranger
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Actually there is no reason for them to oppose it. Nothing in the proposed legislation would affect doctors or the way they do business.
- 2 years ago
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bluestranger
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MotherForTruth
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Our healthcare does indeed need attention. The price is going up for the sake of profit and not necessarily for better medical care. In selfish for profit only society that does not encourage the culture with focus on the common good will find a way to utilize lobbyists to continue it’s corrupt deeds "… pledge to work with the House committees and leadership to build support for passage of health reform legislation to expand access to high quality, affordable health care for all Americans,". In my opinion no positive healthcare reform will be accomplished until the culture changes.
- 2 years ago
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MotherForTruth
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bansheewail
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I'd say we can file this under "C", for Change.
- 2 years ago
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bansheewail
