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1 1 AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES 2 3 4 Resolution: 119 5 (A-09) 6 7Introduced by: Texas Delegation 8 9Subject: Commercial Insurance for All Expansion of Health Care 10 11Referred to: Reference Committee A 12 (Steve E. Larson, MD, Chair) 13 14 15Whereas, Government-sponsored health care, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP, 16significantly underpay physicians and cause inequality regarding access to care for these 17patients; and 18 19Whereas, There is concern that government will continue to gradually expand and control a 20significant portion of health care; therefore be it 21 22RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association endorse and promote the use of 23commercial insurance at standard commercial physician payment rates in all government health 24care benefit programs and oppose increased use of government-based payment rates for 25comparative purposes (Directive to Take Action); and be it further 26 27RESOLVED, That our AMA work with federation stakeholders and appropriate independent third 28parties to identify data and information tools for the purpose of comparing rates. (Directive to 29Take Action) 30 31Fiscal Note: Implement accordingly at estimated staff cost of $16,580. 32 33Received: 05/06/09 34

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Resolution: 119 (A-09) Page 2

1RELEVANT AMA POLICY 2 3D-165.957 State Options to Improve Coverage for the Poor - Our AMA (1) urges national 4medical specialty societies, state medical associations, and county medical societies to become 5actively involved in and support state-based demonstration projects to expand health insurance 6coverage to low-income persons; and (2) encourages state governments to maintain an 7inventory of private health plans and design an easily accessible, consumer-friendly information 8clearinghouse for individuals, families, and small businesses on available plans for expanding 9health insurance coverage. (CMS Rep. 1, A-05) 10 11D-165.955 Status Report on Expanding Health Care Coverage to all Individuals, with an 12Emphasis on the Uninsured - 1. Our AMA will continue to: (1) place a high priority on 13expanding health insurance coverage for all; (2) pursue bipartisan support for individually 14selected and owned health insurance through the use of adequately funded federal tax credits 15as a preferred long-term solution for covering all; and (3) explore and support alternative means 16of ensuring health care coverage for all. 2. Our AMA Board of Trustees will consider assisting 17Louisiana, and other Gulf Coast States if they should desire, in developing and evaluating a pilot 18project(s) utilizing AMA policy as a means of dealing with the impending public health crisis of 19displaced Medicaid enrollees and uninsured individuals as a result of the recent natural 20disasters in that region. (CMS Rep. 1, I-05) 21 22D-165.952 National Health Care Policy Agenda - 1. Our AMA will synthesize current AMA 23policy for the specific purpose of advocating a comprehensive, patient-centered National Health 24Care Policy Agenda. 2. This Agenda will strongly address the most important issues affecting 25physicians and patients in the United States, such as public- and private-sector financing and 26delivery, care for the uninsured, wellness and personal responsibility, liability, patient safety, and 27health information technology, and recommend comprehensive and workable solutions. 3. Our 28AMA will develop an appropriate mechanism to present a draft of the National Health Care 29Policy Agenda to members of the House of Delegates at the earliest opportunity prior to the 302007 Annual Meeting to allow delegates an appropriate period of time to review and offer 31feedback prior to the 2007 Annual Meeting. 4. A forum on the National Health Care Policy 32Agenda will be held at the 2007 Annual Meeting to debate and offer feedback to the Board of 33Trustees. 5. Once finalized, our AMA will use the National Health Care Policy Agenda as a 34framework for discussion with leaders of United States medicine, business, health care, 35employers, and government. 6. Our AMA will present the National Health Care Policy Agenda 36to the President of the United States, the Congress, the American people, and the major political 37parties by August 31, 2007, so that it can appropriately frame and drive the health care policy 38debate in the 2008 presidential election. (Res. 607, I-06) 39 40D-165.950 Educating the American People About Health System Reform - Our AMA will: (1) 41distribute our policy positions on health system reform to all declared candidates for the 42presidency of the United States of America and formally request their public support of those 43positions; and (2) undertake a media campaign designed to educate the American people about 44AMA policy on health system reform, emphasizing pluralism, individual ownership of health 45insurance and the insurance market reforms necessary to allow free market principles to 46function. (Res. 717, I-07) 47 48D-165.945 Study Effects of Individual Health Insurance Mandates - Our AMA will conduct a 49study of the effects of the Massachusetts individual health insurance mandate on individuals, 50taxpayers and physicians for report back to the House of Delegates by the 2009 Annual 51Meeting. The report shall include details on the number of uninsured remaining, public financing 52required, effect on private health insurance, primary care physician availability, physician 53reimbursement, and physician public reporting and compliance requirements. (Res. 808, I-08) 5