Medical procedure

Republicans, Democrats and the American Medical Association all put their spin last week on the AMA’s sudden support of the Republican’s Medicare plan. But whatever happened behind the closed doors of Speaker Newt Gingrich’s office, it is clear that the medical group got what it wanted, the GOP won support and Medicare recipients were left paying for the deal.

The AMA was concerned that its members would receive less money for some medical procedures under the reform plan, which altered some of the monetary values assigned to various treatments. Speaker Gingrich wanted the AMA on board, and changed the formula to ensure that doctors would not lose a penny. AMA officials then pronounced the proposal sound. Too bad patients don’t have such a group looking out for their well-being.

Under the plan to save $270 billion, Medicare recipients would end up with fewer benefits and higher premiums and copayments. What no one has been able to answer yet is whether, five or six years out as the program falls farther and farther behind medical inflation, poor seniors will be able to afford to use the system. It is not even clear that they can afford it now.

Not all doctors are happy with the AMA’s nod to the speaker. The 86,000-member American College of Physicians, in fact, continues to oppose the cuts to Medicare and Medicaid “because they serve the goals of federal budget balancing and tax reduction, not health care cost containment needs,” according to William L. Medd, the governor of the Maine chapter of the ACP. Dr. Medd warns: “Massive, arbitrary cuts made with little regard to standards of quality and appropriateness place patient care at risk.”

That is why the AMA should have used greater care and a broader perspective in assessing the Medicare overhaul. Speaker Gingrich understandably wants this proposal passed through Congress as quickly as possible, but medical experts have a responsibility to ensure that service isn’t sacrificed simply to meet the budgetary goals of politicians.