Doctors Now On Board for Public Insurance Plan
Bonnie Goldstein
Woman Up Editor
Posted:
07/17/09
Today, 70 percent of Americans rely on private health insurance carriers to pay their doctor bills, but public health insurance programs provide coverage for only a small portion of the rest of the population.
A major element of the president's health care reform policy is to expand the public insurance umbrella to cover citizens who can't afford private insurance but do not qualify for the public programs available to Americans over 65 and disabled persons.
The American Medical Association represents 250,000 physicians and its influence on Congress has always been impressive. In addition to the millions of dollars the professional organization spends on campaign contributions and lobbyists, every member of Congress has a private doctor who occasionally chats up a flag-pin-wearing patient.
In May, the doctors' organization harrumphed in comments to the Senate Finance Committee that it would not support government-sponsored insurance:
"The AMA does not believe that creating a public health insurance option for non-disabled individuals under age 65 is the best way to expand health insurance coverage and lower costs. The introduction of a new public plan threatens to restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers."
Undaunted, Obama gave a speech at the AMA annual meeting in Chicago June 15, and soon the MDs voted to keep the door open to public health insurance similar to the federal employee plan used by government workers and members of Congress.
Perhaps coincidentally, a chronic Medicare payment complaint involving physician reimbursement was also happily resolved. Having been attended to, the physicians' group on July 1 announced it supports the proposed health insurance exchange that lets consumers "choose between private insurers and a public plan."
Perhaps coincidentally, a chronic Medicare payment complaint involving physician reimbursement was also happily resolved. Having been attended to, the physicians' group on July 1 announced it supports the proposed health insurance exchange that lets consumers "choose between private insurers and a public plan."