FixHealthCarePolicy

Doctors Who Weren’t Invited to White House Voice Their Solutions for Health Reform

Doctors from across the country were at the White House this morning to support President Obama’s health agenda, except for three physicians — all former presidents of the American Medical Association — who outlined in a recent Wall Street Journal solutions that could encourage a more consumer-driven health care system.

Drs. Donald Palmisano, William Plested II and Daniel Johnson Jr. urged Congress and the Obama administration to scrap the possibility of a government-run health care plan and instead focus on incentives that help Americans affordably purchase private coverage.

“We could strengthen incentives to purchase low-cost health savings accounts, provide tax credits for individuals and families buying health policies on their own, and extend subsidies for those who need financial help. Also, the right of patients to privately contract with physicians to ensure they have the medical care they want, without penalty—regardless of what the government pays—must be recognized and protected,” the doctors wrote in their editorial.

“Today, if a doctor wants to bill a patient for additional payment over the Medicare reimbursement, he has to withdraw from Medicare entirely for two years. A patient who agrees with this arrangement can’t receive any Medicare money for that service, either.”

Additionally, cutting Medicare reimbursements will exacerbate the problem of physicians focusing on patient volume rather than quality of care, the doctors said. “Now the government is saying that additional Medicare cuts are coming—thus forcing doctors to try and make up the difference in volume, by seeing more patients. If you ask patients about this, they understand that more volume means less time with the doctor. That’s something that all patients and doctors should oppose. In time, it will be difficult to find a physician.”

President Obama’s conference flanked with doctors comes after a group of physicians rallied in Washington over the weekend against Congress’ latest actions in the Million Med March.

Tags: health reform, Medicare, Million Med March, physicians