American Medical Association tries to walk back its public-plan opposition.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/06/11/ama-walk-back-public/


American Medical Association tries to walk back its public-plan opposition.

The New York Times reported today that the American Medical Association (AMA) is opposed to the creation of a public health insurance option, telling the Senate Finance Committee that it “threatens to restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers, which currently provide coverage for nearly 70 percent of Americans.” Facing considerable attention (and criticism), AMA is now trying to spin its opposition:



This statement really isn’t any better; AMA is still not committed to a robust public option. As Igor Volsky notes, “A public plan that lacks the ability to negotiate cheaper rates with providers and push private insurers to do the same is a public plan in name only. While it may provide a repository for individuals who don’t trust private insurers, it will be unable to significantly lower health care costs.”

Update: Dr. Chris Coy, Policy Chair for the National Physicians Alliance, quit AMA today over its public plan announcement, here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5827419

Related:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5825733&mesg_id=5825733

The AMA Takes a Shocking Stand

But running off to the Baucus/Schumer school of thought to hide is not going to score you any points with people who are familiar with this issue....which is pretty much all of us that have been screwed over or ignored by the for-profit health care industry.

Robust public plan at a MINIMUM. Listen to your own damned doctors!

They are so intertwined with the insurers on ripping off the public that they refuse to see the damage their position is causing.

They represent corporate interests rather than the interests of the people they supposedly represent.

one that's either triggered or limited so as not to threaten the health insurance industry's profits.

Pelosi rejects proposal to skirt government healthcare
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 06/11/09 12:11 PM


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has rejected a Senate proposal floated in recent days to create privately-run healthcare cooperatives in place of government-run insurance plans.

Pelosi told reporters on Thursday morning that House Democrats want healthcare reform to include a government-run insurance option to ensure that all Americans can receive affordable healthcare.

“Not instead of a public option, no,” Pelosi said when asked about the proposal unveiled by some Senate Democrats to set up privately-run co-ops.

“In our house there is strong support for a public option,” Pelosi said.

The Democratic leader, however, said that a government-run plan should not have to depend on subsidies from the government and should be put on a “level playing field” with private plans.

“It should be actuarially sound, it should be administratively self-sufficient. It should be a real competitor with the private sector and not have an unfair advantage.”

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/pelosi-rejects-prop...