The AMA supporting Michael Moore?

What strange bedfellows:

But many others, including those in the medical community, are hoping Moore will help make a difference. “Anything””including a film””that can bring this issue into the public eye is good for the debate,” says heart surgeon Dr. William Plested, president of the American Medical Assn. “So, I’m cheering on Michael Moore, even though I haven’t seen the film.”

Comments

Anonymous
Does anyone wonder why AMA membership is falling ? This is a comment from our “leader.” He hasn’t even seen the film but he is ready to endorse it. He would rather let Michael Moore define the debate than to set the tone of the debate from his position of authority. Amazing….
Anonymous
“Anything—including a film—that can bring this issue into the public eye is good for the debate,” says heart surgeon Dr. William Plested, president of the American Medical Assn.
Which issue is that? The issue of rampant obesity? You dont’ need to see the film to know that Michael Moore is a poster child for the issue.
KirschMD
I let my AMA membership lapse a couple of years ago and this reminds me why.
Michael Moore is a known advocate for single payer, govenment run medicine- he even holds Cuba up as an example of a role model. William Plested is a complete fool for endorsing Moore’s views.
What is the purpose of the AMA? It certainly isn’t advocating for physicians. Maybe they should spend a bit more time lobbying for improved reimbursement and tort reform, instead of endorsing Michael Moore and Fidel Castro.
The AMA is an obsolete organization that has impotently watched from the sidelines as every measure of physician satisfaction has eroded.
David
“The AMA is an obsolete organization that has impotently watched from the sidelines as every measure of physician satisfaction has eroded.”
Have you been to an AMA House of Delegates meeting recently? All of the business conducted there is generated BY physicians, and a great deal of which has to do with physician satisfaction including discussing ideas about reducing government entanglements and increasing reimbursements.
For that matter, have you ever tried to ask your Congressman or Senator to do anything for you? Over the last 8 years, the AMA has been integral in stopping Medicare reimbursement CUTS which otherwise would have resulted in thousands of dollars annually in physician incomes.
“Maybe they should spend a bit more time lobbying for improved reimbursement and tort reform, instead of endorsing Michael Moore and Fidel Castro.”
While I agree that the AMA needs to focus on issues and not Michael Moore, did you know that for the last four years of the Republican controlled Congress that the #1 priority of the AMA was tort reform, and while national change was not possible due to trial lawyer control of Democratic Senators, that the AMA was integral in helping states like Texas make it possible for doctors to continue to practice?
I am also not mentioning all the other things that AMA membership dollars support like the Worldscopes program, the Litigation Center, supporting the Patient Safety Foundation, CME reform.
That’s all the AMA does, not much.
Anonymous
Oh please.
The AMA is an old boy network. Since you are part of the network I expect you to support it. The AMA has made so many ass-backward decisions over the last 10 years that I will never be a member of that organization again.
DBR
The AMA is what the physicians who belong to it MAKE it….policy and priorities are the choices of the members and the officials they elect, period.
It’s kind of like voting. If you don’t do it, then you don’t have the right to complain about who gets elected.
Organized medicine is the same way – if you’re not involved in SETTING the group’s policies, then you don’t have the right to criticize…
And when the AMA and its members lobby to stop a government-scheduled decrease in physician reimbursement, or get patient safety legislation passed, even naysayers like those who’ve commented here benefit…WITHOUT the benefit of paying dues. So for you people, it’s a pretty good deal, overall….
Bottom line – don’t like how the AMA represents physicians? Then get involved and CHANGE it….
David
Yes, I am clearly a ‘good old boy’ because I have gone and participated in the AMA instead of deriding the largest organization in the country representing physicians.
One question, if the AMA packs up their bags and collapses under the burden of no one participating, do you think Congress with voluntarily offer physicians more money? Do you think the trial attorneys will just say, “okay you’ve had enough”?
Perhaps there is one person out there who can single-handedly reform one of the largest industries in the country. If so, would you please go ahead and fix it?

The AMA supporting Michael Moore?

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