OPINIONThe AMA needs your help to stop Medicare pay cutsAMA Leader Commentary. By J. Edward Hill, MD, Sept. 19, 2005. A message to all physicians from the president of the American Medical Association, J. Edward Hill, MD. If you're a physician, during the week after Labor Day you should have received a postcard about Medicare from the American Medical Association. If you read it, you know how powerful its message is. If you haven't, do so now. As you can see, the card depicts a medical school diploma shattered by a scalpel -- and with it, this message: "Medicare payment cuts won't just hurt your career. They can kill it." Sharp words. And all too accurate. But what's most important about this groundbreaking AMA mailing is not just that it highlights the coming Medicare crisis, but that it points all physicians towards a real solution. That solution is action. From the AMA. From physicians. Even from Medicare patients themselves. Let's start with the AMA. For months, the AMA has been lobbying on this issue -- and hard. We've created allies and fostered partnerships in both houses of Congress and across all political parties. We've given vocal support to legislation aimed at fixing the cuts. In short, we've worked harder than ever before to bring this issue to the forefront of Capitol Hill. However, members of Congress have told us that they need to hear, not just from AMA lobbyists and leaders, but from physicians on the front lines of care. The AMA listened to their advice. That's why we mailed our Medicare postcard to more than 900,000 physicians and future physicians, members and nonmembers. That's why we wrote the following words on the back of the card: [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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