Health Care For America Now

One Doctor Tells AMA:  “I Quit!” Read the letter:
http://tinyurl.com/Dr-McCoy

Washington, DC – In response to several reports that the American Medical Association is not in favor of giving patients the choice of a public health insurance plan, groups representing more than 200,000 physicians and physicians-in-training and the 2.9 million nurses affiliated with Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign – have reiterated their strong support for a robust public health insurance option:

"In this instance we must disagree with the AMA as we did at Medicare’s inception in 1965. The public option, properly designed, will better serve the needs of our people. Reforming the nation’s health care infrastructure will always need to focus on what is best for the people and not what is always good for doctors, hospitals or the insurance industry,” said Mohammad N. Akhter, M.D., MPH, executive director of the National Medical Association.  

 “A strong public health insurance option will increase transparency and force private health insurers to compete on a level playing field. Physicians currently waste enormous amounts of time and resources hassling with private insurance company denials.  At the same time, our patients are losing jobs and losing access to health care.  I have a colleague, an oncologist, who is struggling to manage his many patients who have lost health insurance in the middle of their chemotherapy schedules.  It is heartbreaking to work in a broken health care system,” said Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, an anesthesiologist and President-Elect of the National Physicians Alliance.

“A key element to meaningful health system reform is offering a choice of health plans and the information patients and employers require to select the option that best meets their needs and their budgets. A carefully crafted public plan option promises to increase access to health care coverage while preserving the strength of the marketplace,” said Ted Epperly, M.D., President of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

“The American Medical Student Association, as the oldest and largest independent organization of physicians-in-training in the United States, not only supports but insists upon a public health insurance option.  AMSA represents the true voice of the future of American medicine, speaking on behalf of their patients, and speaking for a future including Quality, Affordable Health Care for All,” said Lauren Hughes, MD, MPH, President of the American Medical Student Association.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) believes the best way to achieve its overall health system goal – guaranteed, affordable, high-quality health care for all – is through the inclusion of a public health insurance plan option in any health care reform legislation. The choice of a public health insurance plan will create a level playing field, where for-profit private plans will have to compete with each other out in the open under fair rules. Patients should be able to see what they’re getting so they can make the choice about where they purchase coverage and not receive a surprise from their insurer buried in the fine print when they seek health care services.” - American Nurses Association.

 “For those of us on the front lines of the health care system, this national debate isn’t abstract, and it isn’t theoretical.  It’s about standing up for what’s best for our patients.  We’re going to keep fighting for quality, affordable health care for all, and that includes giving our patients the option of keeping what they have or having the choice of a robust, quality public health insurance option. We know they deserve it,” said L. Toni Lewis, MD, President of Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare. 

Contacts:

Alisa Mosley   National Medical Association   202-347-1895
Jean Silver-Isenstadt, MD, PhD National Physicians Alliance 703-254-8972
Adam Sachs American Nurses Association 301-628-5034  
Tim Foley CIR/SEIU 212.356.8100
Jacki Schechner Health Care for America Now 202-454-6196