Dr. Chris McCoy: Dear AMA: I Quit!

Dr. Chris McCoy: Dear AMA: I Quit!:

"Dear American Medical Association,

"I recently had the opportunity to read your response to the Senate Finance Committee proposal [pdf] for health care reform, and it is clear to me that I cannot remain a member in your organization. Please remove my name from your membership rolls, effective immediately.

"In reading the response, I was frustrated and disheartened by the fact that you couldn't get through the second paragraph before bringing up the issue of physician reimbursement. This merely highlights how the AMA represents a physician-centered and self-interested perspective rather than honoring the altruistic nature of my profession. As a physician, I advocate first for what is best for my patients and believe that as a physician, as long as I continue to maintain the trust and integrity of the profession, I will earn the respect of my community. The appropriate financial compensation for my endeavors will follow in kind."

Read on. I agree with everything he says here, and yet, until the AMA House of Delegates meeting this week has concluded, I will withhold judgement and retain my membership.

If the floor fight at the House of Delegates takes shape as I predict, the old (literally) guard will get reaffirmation of every anti-reform policy reaffirmed and get an anti- public option policy added and will force the AMA leadership (progressive as they might be) to act like the AMA of old and start fighting reform.

We'll see. I have friends in leadership in AMA and they say it has changed.

We'll find out very soon.

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