Healthcare still ranks as a top issue nationwide and in the Sunshine State.
Liberal Democrats running for president have proposed major changes when it comes to healthcare, including “Medicare for All.” But one major healthcare organization isn’t embracing their view.
The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s largest healthcare group, insists it is not the time for the U.S. to adopt the “Medicare for All” plan proposed by some Democrats running for president and in Congress.
With more than 200,000 members, at AMA annual meeting, a proposal backing Medicaid for all Americans barely failed, going down to defeat on a 53 percent-47 percent vote.
But supporters of a government-run healthcare system point out that, while the AMA didn’t embrace a Medicare for all proposal, it still supports having the federal government involved when it comes to addressing the concerns in America’s healthcare.
In 2010, the AMA supported Obamacare and continues to back Medicaid expansion in states like Florida. The AMA insisted its doctors concluded that Obamacare “is imperfect, but not broken” and will still continue to back an expansion of Obamacare.
While currently, the AMA won’t support a single payer health care plan, it plans on looking at areas where this a “public option” approach.
Members of the AMA insist they support increasing government subsidies for people who buy their own health insurance and increase the amount the federal government would pay towards people’s out-of-pocket medical expenses if they’re on Obamacare plans.
While some nationwide polls show voters overwhelming supporting plans like “Medicare for all,” that support weakens when voters are informed what the perceived costs might be.
While Florida voters may not support Medicare for all, that isn’t stopping Obamacare supporters. Groups like Florida Voices for Health are working to get an initiative on the 2020 ballot in Florida that would bring back up the issue of Medicaid expansion under Obamacare.
Reach Ed Dean at ed.dean@floridadaily.com.
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