Letter to the Editor in the NY Times.....from the good Docs of the AMA:

[marmar]

:puke:



Health Care Reform: The View From the A.M.A.
Published: June 12, 2009



To the Editor:

Re http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/opinion/l13ama.html">“Doctors’ Group Opposes Public Health Insurance Plan” (news article, June 11):

Make no mistake: The American Medical Association is committed to health reform that covers the uninsured this year. Every American deserves affordable, high-quality health care, and the A.M.A. is calling for reforms that build on what works and fixes what’s broken.

A government-run health care plan is certainly not the only option on the table, and there are alternatives we are actively considering. The A.M.A. is engaged in continuing discussions with President Obama and members of Congress about how to make health care coverage for all a reality.

We are focused on reform that covers the uninsured, makes private insurance more affordable, increases the value we receive from our health care spending and enhances prevention and wellness for all patients. We look forward to the day when all Americans have health care coverage.

Nancy H. Nielsen
President
American Medical Association
Chicago, June 12, 2009



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/opinion/l13ama.html

[rusty charly]

1. !

"My doctor friends (in their 30s) all say that the AMA is now perceived by younger doctors as a conservative wing of the profession — precisely the types who are most likely to want to preserve the status quo. The AMA, in other words, should not be taken as representative of “doctors,” but of older, establishment doctors. Thus, reform activists have a chance of hiving off younger or less hide-bound doctors."

http://tinyurl.com/n2r9s9

"Let’s not forget that the AMA vociferously opposed Medicare in the 1960s, in part because they were afraid it would lead to national health care. I’d like to see an ad with Betty White or some other famous old lady saying, “If we’d listened to the AMA 40 years ago, we wouldn’t have our Medicare coverage today. They were wrong then, and they’re still wrong today.”

[DCKit]

2. How generic and non-commital could she get?

Sorry Nancy, but the cat's out of the bag - the AMA has made it clear they're siding with whatever the insurance companies want and NOT what's best for the people.

[iamjoy]

3. What Do The Nurses Think

I wonder what the ANA feels about a government-run plan.

I'm stereotyping here, but it seems one of the differences between doctors and nurses is that the former are interested in solving problems and the latter are interested in helping people.

No offense to doctors - most of them are smart and hard working - many of them are compassionate.