AMA Annual Meeting: Healthcare Reform

President Obama faces a skeptical audience today at the American Medical Association’s annual meeting held in Chicago, Illinois. The president will attempt to sway critical opinions of his public health insurance plan.

The American Medical Association represents 250,000 doctors and is the nations largest physician organization.

Jonathan Oberlander, an associate professor at UNC, Chapel Hill says he thinks that “part of their concern about the public plan I think is ideological and a resistance to the idea of public insurance. Part of it is financial -- you know, they worry that a public plan will control costs by holding down what doctors are paid. And so they're trying to represent the financial interest of physicians.”

President of the AMA, Dr. Nancy Neilsen says that the AMA doesn’t think that public health insurance is the best option, stating:
“We haven't had exactly the most wonderful experience with government-run plans, but we are looking at all of the options that are on the table.”

It will be interesting to see how Obama is received amongst these medical professionals over the next two days of debate.

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Monday’s highlights
Registration for President Barack Obama’s address begins, 6 a.m., lobby level of East Tower and gold level of West Tower
Litigation Center of the AMA and State Medical Societies open meeting, 7:30–9 a.m., Regency Ballroom B
Overview: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Health Information Technology Provisions, 8–9 a.m., Regency Ballroom A
Grand Ballroom opens, 9 a.m.
President Barack Obama addresses the HOD, 11:15 a.m., Grand Ballroom
HOD General Session, 3–5:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom

Tuesday’s highlights
House of Delegates Registration,7 a.m.–6 p.m., Grand Foyer
House of Delegates Elections, 7:30–8:45 a.m., Columbus K–L
House of Delegates Business Session, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Grand Ballroom
Presidential Inauguration of J. James Rohack, MD, 5 p.m., Crystal Ballroom
Inaugural Reception and Dance (tickets are not required), 6 p.m., Regency Ballrooms and Foyer

From the AMA Annual Meeting Website