The American Medical Association (AMA) has gone on the attack for producing a better health care reform package with a new Wall Street Journal ad.
The AMA has identified seven critical elements necessary to improve access to affordable, quality care and reduce unnecessary costs in the current system:
- Health insurance coverage for all Americans
- Insurance market reforms that expand choice of affordable coverage and eliminate denials for pre-existing conditions
- Assurance that health care decisions will remain in the hands of patients and their physicians, not insurance companies or government officials
- Investments and incentives for quality improvement, prevention and wellness initiatives
- Repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula that would trigger steep cuts and threaten seniors' access to care
- Implementation of medical liability reforms to reduce the cost of defensive medicine
- Streamlining and standardizing of insurance claims processing requirements to eliminate unnecessary costs and administrative burdens
According to the AMA, the challenges in our health care system are many and complex. 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. Further, those who are currently insured, including Medicare patients, and those who are uninsured will all benefit from greater security and stability.
The Wall Street Journal ad: "A Healthier Tomorrow Depends on What We Do Today" advocates health insurance for all Americans because of their view that people withou insurance live sicker and die younger.
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