ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- In response to the endorsement by the American Medical Association of the Senate Health Bill, Missouri State Representative Rob Schaaf, M.D., a practicing family physician, is dropping out of the AMA and urges fellow physicians to do the same.
"The AMA has ignored the best interests of patients, opting to protect special interests," Dr. Schaaf said. "Physicians need to send the AMA a strong message that they will not tolerate AMA's support of this horrible bill."
Schaaf says the proposal before the Senate ignores several basic problems with the current health system while enlarging an already broken Medicaid program and burdening all patients with increased health insurance costs and taxes.
"While some patients would receive free or subsidized health care, they would do so at the expense of fellow citizens, all of whom would see increased health insurance costs as a result of this bill. Congress has squandered an opportunity to make changes that would lower costs for everyone and instead, Congress plans to move us closer to socialized medicine," Dr. Schaaf said. "They are forcing this bill down the throats of the American public, which poll after poll show are in opposition."
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http://www.nbcactionnews.com/content/health/criticalcondition/story/State-Rep-Drops-AMA-Membership-Over-Health-Reform/FaYXOnETuUCo7WERjVJAow.cspx