Huffpo's Sam Stein: AMA Trying to Torpedo Health Care Reform Again

I just don't get it. Why would they not want something that would get them paid by everyone they treat?

Isn't it more "socialized" to overbill those with insurance or those who can afford to pay, in order to make up for not getting paid by those without who can't afford care?

I mean I can see why insurance companies wouldn't want a public option, but why would doctors and medical facilities not want another option for them to get paid?

Only because we and congress LET them do it.

well as Clintons' attempts at healthcare reform. Bought and paid for by lobbyists?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Medical_Association

snip//

The AMA's vehement campaign against Medicare in the 1950s and 1960s included the Operation Coffee Cup supported by Ronald Reagan. Since the enactment of Medicare, the AMA stated that it "continues to oppose attempts to cut Medicare funding or shift increased costs to beneficiaries at the expense of the quality or accessibility of care" and "strongly supports subsidization of prescription drugs for Medicare patients based on means testing". The AMA also campaigns to raise Medicare payments to physicians, arguing that increases will protect seniors' access to health care. In the 1990s, it was part of the coalition that defeated the health care reform proposed by President Bill Clinton.

snip//

Criticisms

Critics of the American Medical Association, including economist Milton Friedman, have asserted that the organization acts as a government-sanctioned guild and has attempted to increase physicians' wages and fees limit by influencing limitations on the supply of physicians and non-physician competition. In Free to Choose, Friedman said, "The AMA has engaged in extensive litigation charging chiropractors and osteopaths with the unlicensed practice of medicine, in an attempt to restrict them to as narrow an area as possible."

Profession and monopoly, a book published in 1975 is critical of the AMA for limiting the supply of physicians and inflating the cost of medical care in the United States. The book claims that physician supply is kept low by the AMA to ensure high pay for practicing physicians. It states that in the United States the number, curriculum, and size of medical schools are restricted by state licensing boards controlled by representatives of state medical societies associated with the AMA. The book is also critical of the ethical rules adopted by the AMA which restrict advertisement and other types of competition between professionals, it points out that advertising and bargaining can result in expulsion from the AMA and legal revocation of licenses. The book also states that before 1912 the AMA included uniform fees for specific medical procedures in its official code of ethics. The AMA's influence on hospital regulation was also criticized in the book.<12>


Physician membership in the group has decreased to lower than 19% of practicing physicians. In 2004, AMA reported membership totals of 244,569, which included retired and practicing physicians along with medical students, residents, and fellows. The medical school section (MSS) reported totals of 48,868 members, while the resident and fellow section (RFS) reported 24,069 members. Combined they account for almost 30% of AMA members. <3> If every other member of the AMA was a fully qualified practicing physician then the AMA would represent 19% of America's practicing physicians (There are currently approximately 900,000 practicing physicians in America). However, MedPage Today estimates that the AMA only represents 135,300 "real, practicing physicians" as of 2005 (15.0% of the United States practicing physicians). <4> When asked about this, Jeremy Lazarus, MD, a speaker in the AMA House of Delegates, stated that membership was stable, avoiding commenting on the low overall numbers (2005 AMSA annual meeting, AMA vs. PNHP healthcare debate, Arlington, Virginia)

While doctors truly do hate dealing with petty insurance bureaucrat paper pushers, they also have a history of finding the same pettiness among Government reimbursers. I know that we cheer every time a Medicare/Medicaid cheat is hauled before the courts, but ask yourself, how many innocent doctors get raked over the coals by investigators? Would it be any more or any less that the number of innocent taxpayers caught in the clutches of an IRS auditor looking for cheats?

Every time the government has wanted to balance the budget, and they've turned to healthcare expeditures to do this, they've sought to cut the reimbursements for Medicare/Medicaid. I don't blame doctors for fearing the same thing happening with either single-payer, or a public option plan that eventually everybody (especially the chronically ill, who use services the most) would drift to.

Has there been any talk during this healthcare debate about malpractice, or reforming the tort system that ties up doctors and patients for years, while giving neither side a quick and just resolution? Can't blame the docs for being reticent to sign on to reform that doesn't include this important area of the cost of medical care.

If policymakers can address these concerns, they may well be able to bring the AMA over to the side of reform. If they refuse to, expect that the AMA will be one of a hundred brick walls that universal healthcare will smack into.

that does hold people accountable, yet does not screw people over for years while they drag things through the court system.

The current tort system allows negligent doctors to settle with a gag clause in the settlement, how does that help anybody? If we had something similar to worker's comp boards to determine damages, with the full results being made public on the Internet, patients could avoid doctors and hospitals that were faulty, and perhaps doctors would take extra superflous precautions with patients that were sue-happy.

All I'm suggesting is that true reform should address this issue as a way of bringing the AMA on board. Maybe you believe that the vast majority of doctors are greedy bastards who live to fuck up people's lives, but I'm still of the Pollyannaish view that most of them entered medicine with the goal of making people's lives better.

also known as Against Medical Advice.

My soul and eyes (what has been seen etc) are permanently damaged from catering physicians events paid for by pharma and insurance.

Once, after watching a clutch of them scarf away a case of Johnny Walker Blue, I wound up hiding out behind the ice machine with a co-worker giggling nervously because WE (restaurant employees, some will understand)thought THEY were nuts.

Respect doctors when they do well, but never, ever put them on any pedestal or give them control beyond their scope.

Nurses saved my life when doctors wouldn't listen.

President Obama to Speak on Health Reform at AMA Meeting
For immediate release
June 10, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama will speak at the American Medical Association’s (AMA) 158th annual meeting in Chicago next Monday, June 15, on the need for health care reform.

“President Obama has made health reform a top domestic priority, as has the AMA,” said AMA President Nancy H. Nielsen, MD. “President Obama’s speech to AMA physicians shows that he values the input of those who dedicate their lives to caring for patients. We have a historic opportunity for health-care reform this year, and the AMA is committed to improving the system so that it works better for patients and physicians. We are honored to welcome President Obama to our annual meeting, where physicians develop the policies that guide the AMA’s advocacy.”

“The AMA is actively working for health reform that covers the uninsured, makes private insurance more affordable, increases the value our nation receives from its health-care spending and enhances prevention and wellness for patients,” said Dr. Nielsen.

“To achieve the vision of health care for all, the nation must reduce the rate of growth in health care spending,” said Dr. Nielsen. “The AMA pledged to President Obama that the medical profession would reduce unnecessary costs by focusing on quality improvements, such as developing best practices for care and improving medication reconciliation.”

“In order for physicians to focus on patient care, health reform that covers the uninsured must also include permanent Medicare payment reform, antitrust relief and medical liability protections,” said Dr. Nielsen.

“President Obama’s appearance at our meeting is a wonderful opportunity for physicians to hear first-hand from him about reform efforts, and we are delighted that he will join us,” said Dr. Nielsen.

###

in case I get sick or injured.

However, I am also part of PNHP.ORG

I support single payer health care.

The AMA is not monolithic, there's a lot of reasons docs are in it.

However, the AMA (and most medical groups) is led by a bunch of dickheads in ivory towers.

Burn it down I say...but let me find a competitive rate on disability insurance first :)

On the other hand, the reason why the AMA and medical community has any influence, is because of rich procedural specialists.

Don't blame us community family docs. Most of us want single payer.

It's your rich asshole supspecialists that want to keep things the way they are, because they make shitloads of money doing procedures.

I guess I could have worded this all more politely, but lately I'm just not in the mood. If you are dickhead or an asshole, or married to one, deal with it.

Look how they have driven American health care into a ditch.

Shame on them ALL.

:kick: