William G. Plested III, MD (AMA President) said that ...
" The American Medical Association applauds President Bush's renewed focus
on covering the uninsured. Expanding health care coverage is a top priority
of the AMA, and we are greatly encouraged that the President used the State
of the Union address to focus nationwide attention on this important health
issue.
_ Tonight, the President has raised the
nation's awareness of the inequities in the tax treatment of Americans
based on individual versus employer purchased
health care. Bottom line: Americans with individually purchased health insurance
pay taxes on the entire cost of their insurance, while those with employer-sponsored
health coverage don't.
_ The American Medical Association plan
to cover the uninsured builds on the strengths of the current system, and
the cornerstone of the plan is
to enable patients to purchase their choice of health insurance coverage.
The AMA believes that the federal government should provide lower-income
individuals with a voucher or tax credit for the purchase of health insurance,
based on a sliding scale of their income.
_ Physicians see firsthand the devastating
impact not having health insurance can have on their patients. Uninsured
patients live sicker and
die younger, they often postpone preventive care and put off office visits
until health problems reach crisis proportions, leading to more costly and
more difficult conditions to treat. Many without coverage lack the means
to get regular check-ups needed to monitor and control chronic diseases like
heart disease and diabetes.
_ The AMA is also encouraged by the President's
new effort to help governors reduce the number of uninsured in their states.
State initiatives truly serve
as a learning laboratory as Congress and the Administration grapple with
how best to help all Americans get health care coverage.
_ We are pleased that President Bush continues
to call for federal medical liability reform as part of his health care
plan. We couldn't agree more
'that the best healthcare decisions are made not by government and insurance
companies, but by patients and their doctors'.
_ The AMA stands ready to assist the Administration
and Congress with efforts to cover the uninsured, and encourages bipartisan
efforts on an issue
that transcends party lines — the health of the American people. "
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2007 and may have been edited (e.g. in style, length, and/or for
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