AMA 'Pleased' Obama Noted Physicians' Liability Worry

[Old Coot]

Source: Wall Street Journal

The American Medical Association sounded a cooperative tone after President Barack Obama addressed the group about U.S. health-care revision Monday, with its leaders saying they were particularly pleased that he acknowledged the liability worries that can lead physicians to practice "defensive medicine."

"The AMA is looking for ways to best help the president reach the goals we share...affordable health insurance for all Americans," said the group's president, Dr. Nancy Nielsen, at a news conference in Chicago. Seeking to clarify the AMA's position, Nielsen said the physicians organization is willing to weigh any proposals that come forward and doesn't categorically oppose the idea of giving Americans the option of a public health plan.

Elsewhere, trade groups representing manufacturers of drugs and medical devices indicated they needed to see more details about Obama's proposals, and reiterated their stance that reform shouldn't stifle medical innovation. A trade group representing hospitals said it was "deeply disappointed" in Obama's weekend proposal to cut certain federal payments to hospitals.

The AMA took Obama's remarks about liability worries as a signal that he's willing to work with doctors on malpractice revisions, even though he said he doesn't support caps on malpractice awards.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090615-714994.html

[madrchsod]

1. the only positive thing about todays speech was....

instead of driving from the airport to downtown chicago he took a helicopter.

[Owlet]

2. The goal is what?

"The AMA is looking for ways to best help the president reach the goals we share...affordable health insurance for all Americans"

I thought the goal was affordable health CARE. Silly me.

[No Elephants]

12. Excellent point.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Malpractice Insurance and Payouts < 2% of All Health Care Spending

Very small: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/49xx/doc4968/01-08-MedicalMalpractice.pdf

And it's actually pretty difficult to make money suing doctors in Massachusetts, don't know how it is elsewhere.

[Krashkopf]

7. Did Obama throw Trial Lawyers, and their clients, under the bus?

We wouldn't be the first ones.

[MannyGoldstein]

8. He Actually Said Today He Was Against Caps on Settlements

Let's hope for the best.

[Psephos]

9. The problem is not the insurance and payouts, it's all the unnecessary tests and procedures...

...that are ordered to avoid giving lawyers a toehold in case the patient doesn't have a perfect recovery.

Current estimates peg unnecessary tests and treatments for somewhere between a fourth and a third of total medical expenditures. Those who work in hospitals are probably surprised the percentage isn't even higher. The amount of waste to avoid possible legal difficulties (emphatically not medical difficulties) is eye-popping.

[MannyGoldstein]

11. According to the CBO, Those Practices Wouldn't Change Much

See the article I referenced. CBO doesn't expect a savings here.

[Jefferson23]

4. No pun intended and not that Obama ever promised single payer,

but these reports make me sick. This situation is going to have to get how much worse before our country has a health care system that addresses and not excludes people from care nor bankrupts our citizens?

[liberalhistorian]

5. Fuck the AMA and their unbelievable greed

and selfishness. It has never supported the average American, ever. It was the main stumbling block for decades to the implementation of Medicaid and Medicare until they realized they could actually make money with such programs because more people would be able to pay for their services.

And don't get me started on the whole "malpractice" issue. It's been proven time and time again in study after study how little of an actual impact it has on health care costs, and most states already severely limit lawsuits. Perhaps it's not the best time for me to comment, however. My best friend of thirty years was, quite literally, murdered by doctors and the hospital, she died a few months ago after almost an entire year of terrible suffering, including months of hospitalizations, and I'm still so angry and devastated I can hardly think straight. Very little is ever mentioned about the medical costs of injuries and illnesses caused by medical negligence and malpractice, although it's in the hundreds of millions each year.

[Stellabella]

10. I have seen more doctors cover for really bad doctors. They need to

start taking responsibility for their actions. Some misdiagnosed my husband's cancer as everything from tapeworm to lactose intolerance before finally figuring out it was a huge tumor in his abdomen. Another left a catheter in my grandfather too long and he developed an infection that led directly to pneumonia.

And what happened to these doctors? Others covered up for them.

[saigon68]

13. Similar to the bishops covering up for the good father feeney

[Stellabella]

14. Yep, that sure is true. If they'd only be honest and police their own

there would be much less trouble in the world.

[jody]

6. I'll wait until a health care program is authorized and funded before praising anyone. n/t