SO, finally the AMA has broken their silence, and released a press release regarding the possibility of a government backed plan to compete with private health insurance.
I don't think anyone will be surprised by their opinion.
HERE
Too bad their relevance is vanishing. Once a proud, vibrant, and powerful organization, they have lost a lot in the way of membership, and their revenues continue to decline.
They did it to themselves, and really have no one else to blame. They have fought against ANY, and ALL change within the healthcare system. First, they labeled physicians practicing in group practices as "communists", then they claimed that a DO's education was inferior, and would not recognize them as physicians, they have also picked battles with virtually every other group in the medical arena.
These acts have diminshed their power, much as the boy who cries "wolf", the AMA is not as respected as it once was. Physicians now overwhelming join their specialty groups. They are becoming what the republican party has. A shadow of their former selves, finding themselves on the outside, trying to find any sense of relevance.
3 comments:
The AMA is on the decline and does not come close to representing the physicians of America. Sad. They are a UNION not a professional organization.
I never joined the AMA. See this posting to find out why. http://mdwhistleblower.blogspot.com/2009/06/ama-opposes-obama-health-care-plan.html
Many of the larger organizations experience the omnipotent attitude combined with omniscience. Fortunately, we no longer live in a society that embraces this short sighted and elitist attitude. I have been involved with numerous specialty groups and maintain membership in all of them because they have proved that they were concerned about my place in medicine both today and for all the tomorrow's. I am an affiliate member of the ACS and they too protect and defend the rights of surgeons.
The days of slinging mud are over. We pay dues to professional societies because they are or should be, fighting legislative battles and planning a program that will be a template for the future of medicine, whatever that may be.
Isolating ourselves from joining organizations represent two 20th century movies or shows. We are in fact saying, "I'm mad as hell and am not going to put up with this anymore." The second is the Popeye philosophy; That's all I can stand and I can't stand no more." May these national organizations and their boards , have ears to hear.
Bob Blumm, MA, PA-C, DFAAPA
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