The AMA has announced its qualified support of passage of health system reform legislation that the U.S. House of Representatives that on Sunday, March 21, is expected to go up for a vote. From the AMA letter of support to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi:
By extending coverage to the vast majority of the uninsured, improving competition and choice in the insurance marketplace, promoting prevention and wellness, reducing administrative burdens, and promoting clinical comparative effectiveness research, we believe that H.R. 3590 does, in fact, improve the ability of patients and their physicians to achieve better health outcomes.
The pending bill is an imperfect product. Congress needs to act very soon to preserve access to care for seniors and military families by permanently repealing the Medicare sustainable growth rate formula that will trigger physician payment cuts of over 21 percent next month. House and Senate leaders must also move immediately to correct problems with the proposed Independent Payment Advisory Board. Other provisions that must be promptly addressed in a subsequent corrections bill include the cost-quality value index and safeguards for data release and public reporting activities. The health care system will be further improved by reining in unnecessary costs through enactment of effective medical liability reforms.
For the full text of the letter, click here.
