The American Medical Association (AMA) has withdrawn from membership in the Partnership for America’s Healthcare Future (PAHCF), an alliance of corporate healthcare organizations that the AMA co-founded in the summer of 2018 to curb support for Medicare for All in the United States.
PAHCF members include lobbying groups such as the American Hospital Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, PhRMA and more.
According to The Intercept, PAHCF developed an explicit campaign designed to
“change the conversation around Medicare for All,” then “minimize the potential for this option in health care from becoming part of a national political party’s platform in 2020.”
For industry opponents of expanded government health insurance, there are two main challenges. One is combatting growing public support for the idea. The other is shaping elite opinion within the Beltway.
In reaction to the AMA’s withdrawal, Dr. Adam Gaffney, President of PNHP, shared the following statement:
This is a big victory for single-payer supporters…As our movement grows, the industry is going to fight even harder against improved Medicare for All. We must be prepared, and we must continue to push the AMA to build on this first step by not only dropping its opposition to single payer, but by fully supporting improved Medicare for All.
Earlier this year, in June 2019, attendees of the annual meeting of the AMA were confronted by a rally organized by medical students and allies calling on the association to drop its opposition to single-payer healthcare.
Representatives from Students for a National Health Program (SNaHP) were joined by Medicare for All supporters from a variety of organizations including Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), National Nurses United (NNU), People’s Action, Public Citizen, the Center for Popular Democracy, The Jane Addams Senior Caucus and more.
The medical students introduced a resolution that forced the House of Delegates, which sets policy for the AMA, to a vote on their position on single-payer.
Although the AMA vote reaffirmed its opposition to single payer, the margin was extremely narrow – 53% to 47% (or 292 to 254).
In fact, according to AMA CEO James Madara, the AMA still opposes Medicare for All but withdrew from PAHCF due to other differences.
As reported in Modern Healthcare:
A source within the AMA who spoke on condition of anonymity said the partnership was successful in highlighting why single payer wouldn’t be viable within the U.S. system, but added, “we need to move on and not only talk about what we’re against but what we’re for.”
Meanwhile, the AMA remains internally divided on the issue of Medicare for All. It has been suggested that the division lies along generational lines, as younger doctors are more supportive of Medicare for All than older doctors.
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We in California need to get the California Professional Fire Fighters union onboard, today the fire service provides EMS at the public’s expense and the private sector profits. If the AMA is opposed to a all inclusive healthcare system, it’s because of a broken system of fair compensation for services rendered and maybe physicians should unionize.
Good point, Joe Bloom!