American Medical Group Association Throws Support Behind New Obama Medicare Plan

WASHINGTON — An influential medical group's change of heart is boosting President Barack Obama's plan to use Medicare to promote higher quality, less expensive care.

The American Medical Group Association represents premier organizations like the Mayo Clinic, the models for the proposed "accountable care organizations" in Obama's health care overhaul law. The networks of doctors and hospitals will collaborate to keep patients healthier.

Just a few months ago, the group said the administration's initial plan was too complex to work.

But in a letter to Medicare chief Don Berwick released Friday, the group said significant revisions changed the final blueprint for the better, and now it warrants serious consideration.

Medicare starts accepting applications in January from groups of hospitals and doctors interested in forming accountable care organizations.

Comments

[jan1760]

09:33 PM on 10/30/2011

Hate to point out the AMA do not represent even 20% of the physicians in the US. A long time ago it stop representing the interest of the everyday practicing physician and became more of a political arm for the Democratic Party. Their input in the health care reform was foolish and poorly directed since they failed to address the low numbers of physicians that will be available in the next decade.They allowed the reimbursement to physicians for their services to become a political ping-pong ball and they never talked about the average medical student who finishes school with over 40,000 dollars of debt. So in my opinion if it is endorse by the AMA is most probably not very good for Physicians in the US or for the American public.

[LiberalDemIda]

03:15 AM on 10/31/2011

Hate to point it out, but TBagger fears don't make sound arguments. And that is all your comment is: TBagger fears.

Of *course* you'll find something to gripe about. You'd rather go uninsured, and have your fellow American go uninsured, than help find a pathway to getting ALL Americans insured.

Why do TBaggers h@te their struggling fellow American so much that they would fight to deny them any help in any way?

[jan1760]

03:43 AM on 10/31/2011

What you just posted is not even an argument is an ad hominem attack because you lack the arguments yourself. From the small headlines that are continuing to be ignored- like the states starting to limit hospital stays based in diagnosis- not in a case by case basis but just a generic diagnosis, or the current critical shortages of drugs in many cases secondary to heavy handed regulations from this administration and the worsening lack of primary care physicians are things that can not be ignored. There will be rationing, they will be a increase in denials and at times when a significant intervention is needed you will be send home with a "pill" to quote president Obama. Neither side is honest, but this recurrent lack of information and logical thought from the left drives me crazy. The Health Care Reform act is a disaster, done in haste and one that will bring much pain to the American people. And no I would like everybody to be covered, but everybody also have to take some responsibility on the way there.
Also read the article may be this has something to do with the change of heart;
"Medicare starts accepting applications in January from groups of hospitals and doctors interested in forming accountable care organizations."

[outofstepper]

03:27 AM on 10/31/2011

H8 to point it out but this article never mentions the AMA.

Reading comprehension not your strong suit?

It is the American Medical Group Association they are talking about.

[JDZSB]

07:50 PM on 10/30/2011

The support for the Obamacare healthcare legislation is waning as more Americans do not like it the more they learn about it. As far as the AMA is concerned, only about 15% of the doctors in ths country are members of the AMA because it is a liberally biased organization that many doctors feel does not really represent the medical profession in a balanced manner, much like the AARP, which is also liberal but gives the impression of representing the majority of seniors which it does not. Both the AMA and AARP support the Obama healthcare legislation and was instrumental in helping create a positive impression of the legislation.

[LiberalDemIda]

03:16 AM on 10/31/2011

Can you provide a link to support your hyperbole - I mean, argument? Thanks!

[outofstepper]

03:29 AM on 10/31/2011

That poster thinks this article is about the AMA, which it isn't so his/her/its comment is not relevant at all.

[LiberalAlarge]

03:37 AM on 10/31/2011

Bogus talking points, fears tacticians with no relevance. Radio amateurs who can't think for themselves depending on right-wigs extremist gigoes, "garbage in-garbage out"

[MUDPUPPY]

04:45 PM on 10/30/2011

It has already started. You make an appointment for one time and do not get seen for at least half an hour later. It is like an assembly line and if you get seen by a doctor instead of just a nurse or student doctor he spends as little time with you as possible. If they get less money per patient, they have to run more patients through as quick as possible. When Obama care really kicks in, the line will go out the door.

[loveis22984]

06:04 PM on 10/30/2011

I agree, less people should see the doctor so that I don't have to wait half an hour to be seen by my doctor. I have better things to do.

[outofstepper]

03:30 AM on 10/31/2011

Sorry, but you are totally and completely wrong. In fact you couldn't be more wrong. I wait on average about 5 minutes to see my doctor. The longest waitg was 20 minutes and that was due to an emergency the doctor had.

[Veganie]

03:19 PM on 10/30/2011

The Obama Administration has made great efforts to hold doctors accountable for their billing practices; this new endorsement is great news. Love you Mr. President.

[Gestas]

02:33 PM on 10/30/2011

There is nothing wrong with Social Security and Medicare...We just have to Elect smart people to run these plans...The Party of NO to everthing is not a Party of Smart People.

[miriamfl]

09:54 AM on 10/30/2011

We need a better improved Medicare not what the rightwing/GOP/BUSH created in 2003 that takes 20% of our Medicare dollars and gives it to for profit insurance companies!!! We need Medicare A for all or E for everyone! We need a small national sales tax on everything including web sales and put it in a lock box for Medicare only!!!!! This means everyone contributes to their healthcare. Whether you drive a Mercedes or a 10 year old Ford or Honda you pay that small sales tax the will help you when you get sick.
My cousin and her family moved to Spain 10 years ago. She had chest pains some years back and went to the ER. She was given a thorough exam and told that she needed quadruple by-pass, they scheduled her a few days later after some necessary tests were done and she had her surgery. She was not asked for a dime and is still doing well. As a matter of fact every resident in Spain is required to go for a check up once a year. You are not treated like an indigent or your credit ruined because you can't pay for care.

[hjmarrangoni]

08:26 AM on 10/30/2011

The video says 170,000 abusers cost Medicare (taxpayers) $148 million? It doesn't add up. This story must be bogus.

[miriamfl]

09:57 AM on 10/30/2011

During the Bush mis-administration he let everything go and no regulations or oversights were done and the department that looked into fraud we down to skeleton crews. President Obama has increased the number of investigators and is cracking down on fraud.

[kearie]

01:19 AM on 10/30/2011

Does anyone here really know how the private insurance companies and your employers really make their deals? IT lowered salaries.Greed and corruption did it by people who abused it and got more loopholes and they dont care about you. They have gotten laws that protect them from anything they do illegal and havent been held accountable.Not all in this are greedy but it hurts the real professional people who do their job with integrity and justice. AMA is one that is an advocate for the people and good non corrupt professionals in healthcare. and part of it as well is REPORTING the criminal and corrupt practices done by a doctor, corporation and their patients safety and rights are upheld. SO, about the AMA representing 17% of physicians is the fact they are the good ones and we drop the quacks and crooks. advocates for people is the part of every healthcare professional. They look out for discrepencies and problems and fraud. This has been really a problem well before Obama Became President. A lot of people just dont want to be held accountable or take responsibility for their wrong practices and anything that upsets their applecart. they make fools of themselves and play the blame game. They want you to believe this president is your enemy. Im sick of these anal retentive clowns.Where are the real republicans that have the professional leadership and clear meaningful ideas that can work with our president in the democratic process?

[l78lancer]

12:57 AM on 10/30/2011

T-publicans - Please stop it! This is NOT the AMA. Please use facts.

Thank you.

[Paulie21]

04:02 PM on 10/30/2011

tea baggers are immune from facts.

[l78lancer]

07:59 PM on 10/31/2011

Then that vaccination needs to be banned!

[catgirl666]

12:55 AM on 10/31/2011

facts not high on their priority list.

[l78lancer]

08:15 PM on 10/31/2011

Guess you're right. Neither is integrity, honesty, clarity, logic...

[wdw808]

09:42 PM on 10/29/2011

well then i guess it is good that a lot of states are making oh bamacare illegal

too funny

[Chris1962]

12:23 AM on 10/30/2011

The big trick is gonna be making that King George-style "mandate" constitutional. Good luck with that.

[l78lancer]

01:02 AM on 10/30/2011

Don't hold your breath. Most of the states are full of hot air. Most won't be able to afford the legal battles because so many are cash strapped unless Obama gives them more stimulus money to add to their budgets, again. And since many are already strapped with costs for indigent medical care, children's health care and other state related medical costs, they will drop out of the fight through attrician and give up their resistance.

[hidenout3]

09:46 AM on 10/30/2011

It's already going to the Supreme Court, so don't hold your breath.

[wdw808]

11:04 AM on 10/30/2011

and the mandate will be done soon in the SC

[zdeedle]

07:59 PM on 10/29/2011

i'm still quite confused how it is that right wingers are willing to spend ANY amount of money on the military and war, even not paying for wars they keep starting, and refusing to pay for them when the bill comes do later, all in the name of national security and supposedly saving american lives, but when it comes to something like medicare and medicaid saving american lives DIRECTLY here at home, they don't want any part of it. do we need to ship the elderly and infirm to a war zone to get any compassion for the right?

[scooter1]

09:09 PM on 10/29/2011

Have you seen some of the positions they take on other issues? They want to cut taxes AND lower the deficit. At the same time, they want to build a colossal fence and deploy troops, predator drones and every other military weapon we have to the Mexican border--as if those don't cost money.

[l78lancer]

01:20 AM on 10/30/2011

There is nothing really confusing about it. Their approach is like taking cash advances for their rich girlfriend (of boyfiend - aka big business) on someone elses credit card an blaming the card-holder for the debt while telling them it was for their own good. At the end of the day there is nothing to show for what was spent, the girlfreind is richer, still greedy and unappreciative, there's no money left on the credit limit to do anything else (so the card holder is left hoping to get the credit limit raised - sound familiar), and the card holder aka the little guy is still stuck with the bill.

The only people who see nothing worng with this scenario are criminals. People who do this go to jail because they are thieves. So what do thieves and the GOP have in common?

[LiberalDemIda]

03:21 AM on 10/31/2011

>>> So what do thieves and the GOP have in common? >>>

Gullible victims, aka, uneducated, narrow-minded, greedy sheeple.

[ruthtruth]

05:19 PM on 10/29/2011

Don't tell the TP/GOP this as the minute they hesar about it they will come up with so fear tactic or other BS to try and say how bad this would be and how evil the President is for caring about health care.

[Riverhippy]

02:45 PM on 10/29/2011

"But in a letter to Medicare chief Don Berwick released Friday, the group said significant revisions changed the final blueprint for the better, and now it warrants serious consideration."

Typical obfuscation. Headline says group throws support behind Obama's plan, but the article says the group thinks it warrants serious consideration.

[lonerangers]

03:16 PM on 10/29/2011

With the cuts to Medicaid, since many seniors Elderly use Medicaid as there secondary ins. Any change to the Major Medical or cut the DRS. visits from 80 to 70 percent will disenfranchise these folks the Elderly an Disabled from health ins. Unless they can buy a secondary ins. .In other words for 40 percent of our Seniors eat or see a DRS. ? No more war .

[Veganie]

02:06 PM on 10/29/2011

This is crunch time for OWS there may not be another chance.

[camelias and sweet tea]

11:34 AM on 10/29/2011

There are 50 MILLION seniors out here, and we vote.. And we know who is trying to cut our benefits it is not the Dems... We are mad as he!! between social security and medicare they are trying to make the seniors who are making it right now into the group that can no longer make it.

[mistykane]

12:17 PM on 10/29/2011

The $500 billion cut to Medicare to pay for Obamacare includes a 30% cut to the reimbursement rate to providers which starts Jan 1, 2012. The Medicare Trustees Report says it puts the reimbursement rate lower than Medicaid's and that seniors will lose access to care.

[Olderandwiser55]

04:55 PM on 10/29/2011

The providers pretty unhappy-like marcus bachmann....the Medicare fraudsters(got some $$ back there) as well. Losing access to care total bs. Same scare tactics. We're not buying it-try the tea partiers

[Forrester1]

05:46 PM on 10/29/2011

And yet many, many states CONTINUE to block independent practice for nurse practitioners, which could open up many more access routes for primary care services. Most of this obstruction comes at the hands of republican legislatures and the undue influence of the state medical associations.

Of course the biggest band for our buck will come when we finally get around to a major re-structuring of our healthcare delivery system. The AHA can't block these efforts forever.

[Jo Hargis]

12:48 PM on 10/29/2011

And how many more millions say in the 50-65 age group, like me? Lotssss and lotssss and we vote too. And despite Republican efforts to convince people that their children will be just fine in 20-30 years, we aren't buying it. Nothing they say has any ring of truth to it anymore, that's how much the R party has lied, deceived, twisted and camouflaged the truth.

[mistykane]

01:05 PM on 10/29/2011

Medicare goes broke in 10 to 12 years. That's what the Republican's have been saying (and the Medicare Actuaries), but so far there are no proposals to reform the program from the dems.

[camelias and sweet tea]

01:12 PM on 10/29/2011

# 16, and the biggest mistake the TEAvangelicalgop is making is they think we are all stupid.. We are NOT