Interest Groups

Hi Everyone!
I just thought I would put out some information about some of the interest groups who play a big part in creating policies in our health care system, one of them being the AMA, the American Medical Association. The AMA is the nation’s largest physician’s group that is working to ensure that every American, regardless of race and economic standing, has the health insurance that will allow them to have control over their care and access to doctors. For the AMA’s 2008 policy agenda they have proposed to lawmakers a system of tax credits that allows individuals to purchase health care. The AMA has also urged Congress to fix the current Medicare law that creates cuts in payments to doctors and the group is also seeking reasonable limits to medical lawsuits that are forcing doctors out of work and increasing health care costs. The AMA is currently fighting to prevent legislation that will cut Medicare physician payments by 10 percent which would lead to a reduction in medical staff because physicians would not be able to meet payrolls with such a payment decrease and prevent doctors from being able to invest in medical technology. The AMA has a list of all the current legislation they are involved in at their address: http://capwiz.com/ama/issues .

Families USA is a national non-profit organization that works on the national, state, and community level. Families USA is urging Congress and the President to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and like the AMA is informing the public about President Bush’s budget for health care. They fear that Bush’s budget will create steep cuts in Medicare and Medicaid, provide disproportionate tax breaks for the high income tax payers, and cut programs that aid people who cannot afford health insurance. Families USA is pushing for an alternative plan to this budget that proposes that the government negotiate better drug prices, stop overpaying private Medicare Advantage plans, improve the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and design a refundable tax credit for those in the lower tax brackets. Families USA has also posted their video opposing the President’s budget plan on their website: http://usgovinfo.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.familiesusa.org/

America’s Health Insurance Plan’s, AHIP, is a national association for the healthcare financing industry. Earlier this week AHIP wrote to the House opposing the H.R. 1424, or the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equality Act. AHIP’s reasons being, “we support the Senate approach to mental health parity, S. 558, which was developed with input from consumer groups, employers, health insurance plans, and other stakeholders in this debate. Our letter noted that this approach recognizes the use of appropriate medical management tools to improve the quality and accessibility of behavioral health benefits; focuses on coverage for behavioral health and substance abuse problems, instead of applying broadly to all conditions in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM); and would allow plans to deliver behavioral health benefits through providers who participate in their medical management and quality improvement programs.” AHIP has also posted a list of health care activity currently going on Washington at: http://usgovinfo.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.hiaa.org/