DanS.

I can see how they would support it....no more fighting with insurance companies about rates...no more competiting with other doctors who are accepted by insurance companies.....they don't have to worry about being paid or only being paid a fraction as they are under medicaid....they know the govt. has to foot the bill...and they can charge what they want....

anhailla

Wrong.... the AMA endorses a universal plan. I don't care what you find on google


I will grant this...there is a difference between a "national" plan
and a "universal" plan

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anhailla

The AMA does support a universal health care plan. Medicare is already a form of socialized medicine. You think doctors want to treat the elderly and not get paid?

__________________
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serum114

Doctors Call for National Health Insurance

Doctors Call for National Health Insurance Journal of the American Medical Association Publishes Physicians Proposal for National Health Insurance

Signed by 7,782 Physicians

WASHINGTON, D.C., AUGUST 11, 2003 — In an unprecedented show of physician support for National Health Insurance (NHI), 7,782 U.S. physicians propose single payer NHI in an article in the August 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The “Physicians’ Proposal for National Health Insurance” was drafted by a blue ribbon panel of leading physicians. The signers include 2 former U.S. Surgeons General, the former Editor-in-Chief of the New England Journal of medicine,hundreds of medical school professors and deans, and thousands of practicing doctors throughout the nation. The Proposal will be presented in D.C. at The National Press Club on August 12 at 10am in the Murrow room.

“This is an historic moment. Today, thousands of physicians are taking a stand on the side of patients and repudiating the powerful insurance and drug lobbies that block wholesome reform,” said Dr. Quentin Young, a leading Chicago physician who chaired the Department of Medicine at Chicago’s Cook County Hospital and convened the group of prominent physicians that drafted the proposal.”

The doctors’ article also critiques the health reform plans that have been offered by President Bush and the major Democratic presidential contenders. “Proposals that would retain the role of private insurers - such as calls for tax-credits, Medicaid/CHIP expansions, and pushing more seniors into private HMO’s - are prescriptions for failure. By perpetuating administrative waste, such proposals make universal coverage unaffordable,” said Dr. Young.

The physicians call for national health insurance that would cover every American for all necessary medical care - in essence an expanded and improved version of traditional Medicare.

* Patients could choose to go to any doctor and hospital. Most hospitals and clinics would remain privately owned and operated, receiving a budget from the NHI to cover all operating costs. Physicians could continue to practice on a fee-for-service basis, or receive salaries from group practices, hospitals or clinics.

* The program would be paid for by combining current sources of government health spending into a single fund with modest new taxes that would be fully offset by reductions in premiums and out-of-pocket spending.

* The proposed single payer NHI would save at least $200 billion annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the private, investor-owned insurance industry and reducing spending for marketing and other satellite services.

* Administrative savings would fully offset the costs of covering the uninsured as well as giving full prescription drug coverage to all Americans.

“In the current economic climate, we can no longer afford to waste the vast resources we do on the administrative costs, executive salaries, and profiteering of the private insurance system”, states Dr. Marcia Angell, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and former Editor-in-Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. “We get too little for our money. It’s time to put those resources into real health care for everyone.”

The physicians’ call for NHI comes as rising health costs and premiums, and the increasing number of uninsured have stimulated a new round of health reform initiatives. Yet most politicians have steered clear of NHI, offering proposals for incremental reforms of the current system.

“How bad does it have to get before politicians are willing to prescribe the major surgery our health system needs? Premiums are skyrocketing and we already spend twice as much per capita on health care as any other nation. 41 million people are uninsured, and millions more are under-insured and can’t afford vital medicines. How bad does it have to get before our politicians admit we need national health insurance?” asked Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, lead author of the proposal and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard.

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The full list of signers is available on the internet, but will be password protected until the JAMA’s embargo is lifted. To obtain a password, members of the press may call (312) 782-6006.

Physicians for a National Health Program was founded in 1987 and includes physicians in every state and medical specialty. For local contacts or other information, contact PNHP’s headquarters in Chicago at (312) 782-6006 or visit: Physicians for a National Health Program - Health Care is a Human Right.
Press/7.15 ver

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anhailla

Here are some current numbers on Physician support


Study: Most doctors support national health insurance -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

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Jonesy

I've given doctors enough grief. There is something inherently evil in their profession. It comes from the fact without injuries and illnesses, they do not have jobs. Naturally, and possibly subconsciously, this causes them to sometimes create fake illnesses/injuries (like in many psychiatric cases). I have met some really great people though, who are doctors.

It is interesting to hear their perspectives. Universal health-care could radically change their lives. My step-father is a surgeon, so it could have some direct impact on my own life and the life of my family. I often forget these individualist things, as I examine from a government point-of-view.

BleedingPinky

Well, we have it here where I live. Many docs have their private business along with their duties as civil servants. Though they are well paid, you know, earning money asks for more money. (I know the business, ).
But it works. And they are pretty competent at it. Nothing like some real examples, instead of googling whatever:
A friend of mine´s wife had to have an ovary extirpated a few months ago. After three weeks from the first signal of the problem she was ´fixed up´.
Another friend of mine had his father up in Barcelona for a back surgery last year. They paid for the fly over there and that´s it.
Last time I visited the doc it was because I had a sprung ankle (or however it is spelled) due to playing a ballgame many years ago. Ipso facto I got attended just as well.
It´s all a matter of having the will and decency of enjoying your job. Sure there are many fat ass lazy bummers out there who don´t give a shit about working, but that happens everywhere.

Jonesy

Hopefully, if UHC does happen, psychiatrists are not included. These psychiatrists come up with so many damaging theories. They tell everyone about mental illnesses, some of which cause people to murder and steal and rape. Like there are tons of psychotic crazies running around the streets doing these things. It isn't even close to being true. Simply by looking outside of your house, anyone with eye's and a brain can see it isn't true. Even so, most people look for any sign of 'craziness', so they can protect themselves from all the 'mentally ill', as diagnosed by psychiatrists. This ultimately amounts to every quasi-scientific dipshit out there thinking anything 'abnormal' equals psychotic madness which will soon result in a crime, most likely being committed on them.

Maybe psychiatry can become a legitimate field, but it is possible the mixture of MD and psychology will never have any good function.

Rigged

Hmm. its a healing profession...you do it to help people...

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jowey

Spain, spent a couple of days in Madrid in the 80's, nice city.

So the Health Care System there works smoothly, there are always problems, but you feel you get value for the "dollar", the doctors are satisfied with their income.

Here they try to sell us that the costs will go up. I figure that rather than paying health care + overhead + taxes it will be just a tax increase. With a larger pool contributing, the costs will be about the same. The problem is that our government cant manage anything competently.

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