The American Medical Association today endorsed the $871 billion, 10-year Senate health care bill.
“This bill advances many of our priority issues for achieving the vision of a health system that works for patients and physicians,” Cecil Wilson, the association’s president-elect, said in a statement he read at a news conference attended by several Democratic senators.
Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who attended the news conference, called the endorsement “the most important,” because of the “fundamental relationship between a patient and his doctor.”
Pathetic.
Note that the AMA represents only about 15% of working physicians, many of them are in academia (meaning they are already on the public dole). I and many others are resigning.
I liked this from the comment section:
[blockquote] Congrats to Pfizer and all the other big Pharma companies on their big win.[/blockquote]
Too true. The AARP makes most of their money from medi-gap insurance policies. Guess which policies still allow for pre-existing conditions?
This is all about special interest groups. They are pushing this through with bribes (paid for by you and me).
The seniors have still not figured out that this new entitlement comes at the expense of Medicare. The dems will just “fix” Medicare with some more deficit money (1/2 trillion I think) after lying to America about the cost of their latest vote buying scheme.
And Robroy is right. None of the doctors I know and work with in family practice are members of the AMA. It’s a front organization for the Democrats.
My father-in-law, a pathologist who [url=http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/temetni_tudunk_-_the_hungarian_uprising_of_1956-print.html]fled the communists in 1956[/url], said he’s very happy to be retired before this all hits`.
His last Medicare invoice was paid nearly four years after he retired. He said this will be like Medicare, but run by the drivers’ licence people.
[i]Aux armes! Les citoyens![/i]
Well, Capn Jack, I’m a senior and I’ve figured it out. I have a zero-premium Medicare Advantage plan which includes gym membership. When the Medicare cuts become effective, I expect I will have to do my walking on the sidewalk instead of the treadmill (ps: it’s 27° right now and the sidewalks are ice-covered). But I’m not sure I would oppose the bill on those grounds. Somebody’s paying for my gym membership, and it’s not me.
RR is correct. 15% of physicians, and falling, are in AMA. At last count 19 other speciality societies have denounced the bill and the AMA including the American College of Surgeons who are several times larger than the AMA.
I have figured it out though. Obamanation will not be rationing care, he will be rationing providers. When we all have to quit, then he can promise anything he wants to, content in the Knowledge that there won’t be any providers to do it and send in any bills. Pretty neat, huh? And the nice thing about it is the electorate, as usual, won’t connect the dots or blame any of the politicians. As that old country and western song says, “When your phone don’t ring tonight—–that-ul be me.”
The AMA is probably a communist front organization. Besides, if doctors were really that bright, they’d be entrepreneurs. End the government interference in setting up medical schools, and stop all licensing, as these are just examples of government interference.
If we just allowed doctors to be more like shoe salesmen and compete with others, without government regulation, we’d all be much happier.
End the monopoly of medical schools. Let any person call themself a doctor. The government is evil, after all. And also, let people make their own medications and sell them. Without regulation.
John,
I realize that you are trying to be ironic or sarcastic, but I actually think we would be better off doing exactly what you describe. For you liberals out there, think how great it would be to finally end the bogus “war on drugs”. You guys could buy bongs in plain view!
The government granted monopoly to doctors is totally unfair to “alternative practitioners”, who are forever forced to justify their services to Medicare and the DEA in order to get in on the gravy train.
The only rule I would impose is that one would not be able to hold himself out as a medical doctor without the degree to prove it.
Think of the cost savings if the government was not pumping vast amounts of money into the medical system, only to bewail and hand-wring about healthcare inflation.
Caveat emptor, baby!!!
And, as I said in #4, the AMA is a Democrat front organization.
Furthermore, since Karl Marx taught “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need” and that seems to be the motto of the Dems, maybe they are not so different after all???
Besides, what’s so terrible about being called a Communist? Lot’s of very idealistic progressive people thoughout history have been Communists. I think modern liberals should go on and embrace the label with pride, because there are much worse things one could be called, even though I strongly disagree with Marxist/Socialist/Democrat ideals.
8-9
I agree. Let anybody prescribe medications (as long as they are not controlled substances) and accept the consequences. Most people are smart enough to figure out how to manage their blood pressure. Anybody smart enough to fill out the long form tax return is capable of monitoring their own diabetes. Let anybody hang up a shingle and practice medicine. It will need to be “buyer beware”. Obviously if you are spending a buck to get medical advice from your pimply 18 year old college freshman you can’t sue him for malpractice without suing yourself for stupidity. However, personally, I think it would work. It does in many other countries. People figure out that Mrs. Summarasingha who runs the local deli, is pretty good at sorting out ear infections, and keeps an otoscope at the back of the store. They don’t go to Mr. Wikramasingha whose main job is selling shoes, because while he also keeps an otoscope at the back of the store, he is much less kind with children, and his diagnoses are less often on the mark.
I have no trouble with open competition in medicine, Simply insist on truth in advertising. Thus, if your credentials are the fact that you are very smart, and got As in biology, and voluteered in a free clinic, say so. Folks with limited resources will find a medical assistant to help them sort out their medications at 5 dollars an hour, those who wish someone with more credentials may pay more and get it.
Works for me.
#6 Brer Rabbit,
I’m disabled and on Medicare. I agree with you. I’ve been watching the proposed plundering of Medicare like a hawk. I’ll bet the AMA members who endorsed this thing are among those who refuse to take their share of Medicare patients. I had a devil of a time finding a PCP who would but that actually served as a bit of a litmus test for me. When I found one, she has turned out to be an incredible doctor and advocate for her patients.
I, too, have a Medicare Advantage plan with no premium and the health club offer, along with other perqs. However, they’re pulling out of my area as of Dec. 31. In fact, we used to have our choice of about 60 Medicare Advantage plans in my area but when I went to the Medicare website to find a new plan, I saw that we’re down to about 25. Companies are seeing the writing on the wall and are heading for the hills.
I only have 9 more days to figure it out and I don’t know if I should try another Medicare Advantage plan or go with traditional Medicare. It all seems like a crap shoot these days.
The impromptu gathering of Doctors against the Health Care Bill on the Mall in DC far outnumbered those invited to the White House to don White House provided white coats in support of the Bill, however, the first group received almost no coverage from the LameStream media.
Jim Elliott
#12 Teatime, if you’re in California, go with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. They have to take you on transfer, that’ll give you another year on the same plan you’re on while you look around at other options.
My sister (northern Calif.) had her company withdraw from Medicare Advantage in Calif. and I did the research for her (she had just been released from the hospital and was bed-bound and woozy). BC/BC has the zero premium plan statewide.
Bre_er Rabbit,
I’m not in California — I live in Texas. BC/BS doesn’t offer Medicare Advantage plans in my area, for some reason. Humana seems like the best option right now but I have a feeling they might pull out next year, too, as United’s Secure Horizons did this year. I am tired of having to find a new plan every year but I guess this is going to be ongoing.