Thread: Former AMA President Speaks out against Senate Inclusion of

Former AMA President Speaks out against Senate Inclusion of Public Option
Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:08pm EDT

Spokesman for 10,000-member doctor group opposes additional government control of medicine

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
The following is a statement from Dr. Donald Palmisano, spokesman for the
Coalition to Protect Patients` Rights and former president of the American
Medical Association, on Sen. Reid's decision to include a public option in
healthcare overhaul legislation:

"The government-controlled public option is bad policy that will weaken our
nation's healthcare system. As we've seen in places around the world,
government-controlled healthcare leads to long waiting lines, substandard care,
and an end to medical innovation. Placing Medicaid-for-all-type government caps
on payments will not slow the cost of healthcare, it will only minimize the care
that those patients' receive.

"Even with a state opt-out option, the federal government has leverage and
resources to coerce states into accepting the terms of Congress` desires. A
simple example is the government withholding highway transportation funds until
states complied with their legislative dictates. Now imagine the impact if the
federal government chooses its Medicaid funding as the means to pressure
cash-strapped state houses to accept the Congress` latest whim.

"Medicaid and Medicare already reimburse doctors and hospitals less than the
cost of providing many medical services. By forcibly tightening the grip on our
nation's healthcare sector, the federal government will wrest more of the
healthcare decision-making from patients and doctors and give it to bureaucrats
in Washington.

"We have the best healthcare system in the world. More than 230 million
Americans have health insurance and the vast majority of them are happy with
their care and their doctors. And we agree that we should work together to
expand access to healthcare without expanding the reach of the federal
government.

"The Coalition to Protect Patients` Rights believes that legislators can
strengthen our healthcare system by shielding patients from being dropped by
their insurance carrier for pre-existing conditions, allowing individuals to
keep their health coverage even when they change jobs, and empowering patients
to purchase insurance across state lines. However, growing government control of
healthcare is a recipe for disaster.

"We urge all Members of Congress to proceed with caution, because patients`
lives are at risk. We continue to look forward to working with Members of
Congress to ensure healthcare reform strengthens our nation's healthcare system
for all Americans."

Last week, the Coalition to Protect Patients' Rights hosted a two-day conference
during which more than 100 doctors from across the country came to Washington,
DC, to discuss healthcare reform and provide a "Second Opinion" on effective
ways to improve the nation`s healthcare system. Coalition representatives held a
press conference on Capitol Hill and met with more than 60 Members of Congress
and their staffs. These meetings continued the months-long conversation
Coalition doctors have been having with their elected representatives.

About the Coalition to Protect Patients` Rights

The Coalition to Protect Patients` Rights is a non-partisan, grassroots
coalition made up of over 10,000 doctors, healthcare providers, advocacy groups,
and concerned citizens who are dedicated to the implementation of
patient-centered healthcare reform that will improve patient care. For more
information, visit the Coalition to Protect Patients` Rights website at
www.protectpatientsrights.org or via Twitter at http://twitter.com/patientsnow.

www.reuters.com

I believe Dr. Palmisano is right on. Government run health care as we all know gets more and more costly with time. Medicare and Medicaid are perfect examples. If they have the public option doctors will be paid less and as with Medicare. It is very hard to find a doctor that takes a Medicare patient now. It will be even worse if they pass this bill, take out $500 million from Medicare and add at least 30 million people. Older patients will have a hard time getting care they need. The public option will eventually put some private insurers out of business.
It is time to tell Congress to leave our Health Care alone and to kill this mess they have dreamed up. We need good legislation that will stop insurers from dropping coverage to people who become chronically ill and denying patients with preexisting conditions. Some conditions people have had since birth and cannot get insurance because of it.

Very good article JEAN...Thank you for posting it.