Obama speaks to American Medical Association about ambitious health care reform

This week marks a pivotal point in the debate to reform health care. Congress will start unveiling their proposals. But the release of this legislation does not mean that consensus has been reached on Capitol Hill.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama spoke to doctors at the annual conference of the American Medical Association today.
The AMA has come out in opposition to the central theme in Obama´s plan, a public option. Obama challenged the doctors to get rid of pre-conceived notions.

"Now, I know there’s some concern about a public option. In particular, I understand that you are concerned that today’s Medicare rates will be applied broadly in a way that means our cost savings are coming off your backs.  These are legitimate concerns, but ones, I believe, that can be overcome. As I stated earlier, the reforms we propose are to reward best practices, focus on patient care, not the current piece-work reimbursement. What we seek is more stability and a health care system on a sound financial footing. And these reforms need to take place regardless of what happens with a public option."

Obama criticized the current healthcare system calling it a model that promotes quantity of care over quality of care.
He addressed doctors concerns over excessive lawsuits and spoke of ways in which healthcare spending could be made more efficient.

But the backbone of the speech,was Obama´s promotion of a government run health care option, that would compete with private insurers.  FSRN´s Washington DC editor, Leigh Ann Caldwell, spoke about the current health care debate.