AMA endorses health care reform

The American Medical Association is lending its support to the cause of health care reform.

In an open letter to President Obama and members of Congress, signed by J. James Rohack MD, president of the AMA, the organization urged political leaders to come to an agreement on health care reform.

Rohack, writing on behalf of the AMA, listed seven “critical elements” that need to be addressed by health care reform. These include:

Providing health insurance coverage for all Americans.
Enacting insurance market reforms that expand choice of affordable coverage and eliminate denials for pre-existing conditions.
Assuring that health care decisions are made by patients and their physicians, not by insurance companies or government officials.
Providing investments and incentives for quality improvement, prevention and wellness initiatives.
Repealing the Medicare physician payment formula that will trigger steep cuts and threaten seniors’ access to care.
Implementing medical liability reforms to reduce the cost of defensive medicine.
Streamlining and standardizing insurance claims processing requirements to eliminate unnecessary costs and administrative burdens.

“Enactment of the above policies will create the foundation for a stronger, better performing health care system, improve access to affordable, high-quality care and reduce unnecessary costs,” Rohack wrote on behalf of the AMA. “Further, those who are currently insured, including Medicare patients, and those who are uninsured will all benefit from greater security and stability.”