MoveOn: Over 5,000 Medical Pros Have Called On AMA To Ditch US Chamber
The striking news that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is seeking to fund a “study” undermining the health care reform proposal creates an awkward situation for one of its leading members: The American Medical Association, which is in favor of the reform plan.
Here’s something else that could increase pressure on AMA: I’m told that over 5,300 medical professionals have signed a petition calling on AMA to ditch the Chamber over its opposition to health care reform, as many other members have over its climate change stance.
Ilyse Hogue, a spokesperson for MoveOn, which launched the petition last week, confirms the number.
The AMA, of course, gave the reform proposal a big boost by coming out in support of it, lending it the medical profession’s stamp of credibility. The Chamber, meanwhile, is one of the proposal’s most determined and well funded opponents, sinking big bucks into ads blasting House Dems who voted for it.
The question now is whether the Chamber’s new study — which apparently has the goal of proving that the reform plan is a “job killer” — will increase pressure on AMA to reconsider its membership, as thousands of medical professionals apparently want it to do.
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I think it should be noted that the AMA not only said the house bill was not perfect, they also endorsed two bills simulataneously – the doctor fix that Pelosi slipped in at the same time. No doctor fix has yet to pass the Senate. If congress does as it usually does and continues to increase Medicare payments then the savings that are supposed to be realized with the h/c reform bills will simply not come about. The WaPo had a good article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/14/AR2009111402597.html?hpid=topnews
“A plan to slash more than $500 billion from future Medicare spending — one of the biggest sources of funding for President Obama’s proposed overhaul of the nation’s health-care system — would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens and could jeopardize access to care for millions of others, according to a government evaluation released Saturday.
“…Congress could intervene to avoid such an outcome, but “so doing would likely result in significantly smaller actual savings” than is currently projected, according to the analysis by the chief actuary for the agency that administers Medicare and Medicaid.”
I think it’s kinda obnoxious that the AMA belongs to the Chamber in the first place.
Why is AMA a member of chamber of commerce in the first place ? Isn’t that place meant for business types ?
Kathleen – mind meld ?
The US Chamber of Right Wing Con-artists sold out America with their “free market” cult ideology.
How do right wingers fail to understand that handing over America’s manufacturing interests to foreign interests is a bad thing for America, a bad thing for Americans, and only serves the tiny elite of right wing predators that are willing to sell out America to China?
I’ll join that meld. I think it’s weird, too.
AMK and Tena — Great minds meld alike.
Free Market = any market propped up by government*
* = so long as it benefits massive corporations
Katheen –
I know she’s getting more exposure to her ridiculousness than even Democratic strategists could dream of but this is cute.
http://www.goingrouge.net
Fyi, just posted White House talking points declaring open war on Chamber:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/white-house-talking-points-declare-open-war-on-u-s-chamber/
I have been pleasantly surprised to see that at least our medical professionals seem to care about the system as a way of treating and caring for people rather than simply extracting money from them. Let’s hope they don’t stay with the Chamber much longer.
Paul W – I will admit I have been pleasantly surprised that the AMA has decided to support health care reform, too.
There are a lot of fantastic Doctors who are very good people.
Unfortunately the American Medical Association (AMA) has historically been working against patients interests to line their corporate buddies pockets.
That’s why the AMA is in bed with the right wing corporatists over in the US Chamber of Commerce.
Hopefully the AMA will stay firm and do what’s right for patients this time.
SBJ…you are either heartless or a hypocrite. You continue your caterwauling about the COST of HCR..does that mean you are for single payer? EVERYBODY who has analyzed the situation agrees that Single payer would have been the most cost effective.
Does that mean you are tired or pissing away money in Iraq and Afghanistan?
One of my best friends works for a big giant corporation, is adamantly against “Card Check” (as they have it), and thinks single-payer is the only way to go.
Everybody I talk to keeps coming out of the single payer closet.
I’ve mentioned it before, but we’re single payer to military contracting, too. I don’t hear Bath Iron Works or Raytheon complaining about that.
Medicare is single payer. Republicans are against single payer. Therefore: Republicans are against Medicare.
The vast majority of Medicare (single payer) recipients LOVE Medicare.
But lets be clear, Medicare doesn’t own hospitals, hospitals can be completely private and still receive Medicare funds.
The Veterans Administration is the truest socialized medicine: The VA OWNS HOSPITALS.
And under Democratic management become very efficient, very competent, very well-appreciated by veterans who used it, and the VA was providing excellent care by objective standards.
But then Republicans were put in charge and Republicans abandoned veterans (see: Walter Reed Hospital scandal).
Republican ideology prevents them from doing right by Vets.
But in a larger sense: Republicans abandon all Americans.
Over 44,000 Americans die each year because the right wing chooses corporate-profits over American lives.
Who here cannot open their eyes and see that this administration is propping up more big corporations than the Bush before it? I deplore supporting a party just because it is my party. No more, Obama must be sent back to the thugs in Chicago.
So closeted right winger “Thom’s” concern trolling outed himself: “thugs in Chicago” is a pure right wing talking point.
Right wing enabling concern trolls are so tedious, worse, many are just plain dishonest, like “Thom”, who is here pushing Republican talking points.
Lets be clear about who ‘propped’ up big corporations: Right wingers like Bush who handed billions to his cronies through Haliburton and KBR and Blackwater.
And lets be clear who supported ‘thuggery’: Right wingers like Bush who lied US into a war, tortured people, illegally spied on American citizens, and eviscerated core Constitutional protections like Habeas Corpus.