AMA to NY Times: AMA on health care

New York Times
Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Re: "Health Care Terror," by Paul Krugman (column, July 9):

Make no mistake; physicians are committed to keeping patients healthy, which is why the American Medical Association is actively working to extend health insurance coverage to all Americans.

For the last 10 years, the AMA has advocated for a plan to cover the uninsured that builds on the strengths of our current system. The AMA proposal focuses on getting more Americans covered through income-based tax credits and insurance market reforms, and would expand patient choice based on individual needs.

Our first step is to cover kids through the Congressional renewal of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, a successful federal-state program that currently covers millions of low-income kids. This year's renewal offers new opportunities to get all children eligible for the program enrolled, providing low-income kids with access to the health care they need to grow up healthy and strong.

America's physicians see the problems in the health care system firsthand, but the solution is not to give up and turn our health care over to the government.

We are working hard toward feasible and effective solutions to get more Americans covered and hope that others will join us in this effort.

Sincerely,

Ron Davis, MD
President, American Medical Association