AARP, the 40-million-member senior-citizen lobbying group, and the American Medical Association, representing 250,000 physicians, on November 5 threw their support behind the healthcare reform bill being proposed by House Democrats.

Bolstered by this support, Democrats are preparing for a November 7 vote on their bill, H.R. 3962. AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond indicated on November 5 that her group thinks H.R. 3962 shows the most promise out of all the congressional bills.

Speaking at AARP’s Washington headquarters, LeaMond stated, “We can say with confidence that it meets our priorities for protecting Medicare, providing more affordable insurance for 50- to 64-year-olds and reforming our healthcare system.”

The AMA sees the House legislation as giving doctors a choice whether or not to participate in the public option. The association also believes that doctors who take part in the public plan will be paid at better rates than what they currently receive from Medicare.

Some elements within the AMA are asking the organization are asking the group to reconsider its position, however. A resolution being brought before the AMA states, “These bills go far beyond what is necessary to fix what is broken with our healthcare system, and they grant the federal government considerable new powers and authority, which could ultimately amount to a complete government takeover of healthcare, and which is anathema to doctors and patients.” The American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the American Society of General Surgeons, and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery are jointly introducing the resolution. AMA delegations from Washington, D.C., and Georgia are also lending their support.

There are hints that the AMA is not as unified as they would like to appear. The Los Angeles Times reported on November 5 that “a source close to the AMA said its internal polling has shown doctors to be closely divided on a public option and healthcare reform proposed by Democrats, but 20% or more of doctors across the country also are undecided on what to support.”

While the backing of AARP and the AMA gives the Democratic proposal a boost, there are still enough questions about abortion and illegal immigrants to cause even some Democrats to waiver in their support. Representative Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.) offered language that would supposedly prevent federal money from funding abortions while still allowing people to use their own money to pay for them.

Pro-life groups judged the language to be deficient and nothing more than an accounting gimmick. Federal subsidies to allow people to buy coverage would not be sufficiently differentiated from private money used for abortions. Ellsworth’s attempt at a compromise is “a political fig leaf made out of cellophane,” according to the National Right to Life Committee.

Illegal immigrants are not supposed to be eligible for federal subsidies to buy insurance, but Democrats haven’t resolved whether or not illegals should still be able to use the government exchanges to find insurance and purchase it with their own money. The White House does not currently want illegal immigrants to be allowed to use the exchanges, but the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and some liberal Democrats are applying pressure to remove the restriction.

H.R. 3962 is huge step toward government domination of American healthcare. Washington doesn’t even need to offer single-payer socialized medicine as long as it determines who can participate in the government exchanges and what kind of coverage insurers must offer if they want to sell through the exchanges. Uncle Sam would be calling the shots, and he could easily use federal power to see that the government-run plan dominates the marketplace.

The time to register opposition to the House healthcare bill is now. Americans can communicate with their representative about H.R. 3962 by clicking here.

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randall said:

	... I will not go to a dr. that belongs to the ama and I will boycott arrp .I believe they both are a socialist groups and have no place in our gov.I cant believe that they would throw our senior citizens under the bus. our country is going to he-- way too fast.
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November 06, 2009
Votes: +6

Yankee said:

	... Don,t count mine in your 40 millon because they only speak for the leadership. Don,t beleive that pile of partitions every member I have spoken to said no
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November 06, 2009
Votes: +0

robhuc said:

	No more AARP I will send my AARP card back to them. There is now way they should have backed this vote. Pelosi is out of control and needs to go back to the great bankrupt State of California. We are on the same path as a nation towards bankruptcy as they are and Pelosi is one of the main reasons.
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November 06, 2009
Votes: +4

Jeff said:

	... Some years ago I joined AARP and quickly realized what a far left democratic group they are with every article biased in that direction. They really have thrown the Retired people under the bus and they should cancel their memberships by the million. Maybe they are associated with Acorn!!!!!!!!
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November 06, 2009
Votes: +1

Keith Thorne said:

None I am one of those people that is reasonably well informed, I watch all of the political shows and read numerous newspapers each day, and yet I cannot comment on the various bills that are in the house and senate because I am not informed of what they actually contain, so I wonder how all of these commentators are able to pass judgment on something that I suspect they have not read. As for Medicare, I am one of those beneficiaries, I am not the least bit concerned with any changes that may be happening. As for reducing payments to doctors, does anyone look at the bills that doctors submit.....$550 for five minutes with a doctor who did not even examine me? There is such abuse in the system that anything they can do to reduce costs will benefit us all.

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November 06, 2009
Votes: +5

rgw said:

	tax payer just another sup. ins. provider...wanting there share or tax moneyand more
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November 06, 2009
Votes: +1

Bluejeans Smith said:

... I believe that ILLEGAL immigrants are entitled to nothing more than transportation to their homeland. I am so sick of this! California is bankrupt and Illinois is nearly bankrupt by the strain of providing for illegals. Other countries throw them in prison. Let's all immigrate to another country ILLEGALLY and find out what happens to us! Send those people back the first time. Execute them after that. I'm tired of paying for them! How hard is this anyway?

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November 06, 2009
Votes: +5

terry in Nevada said:

	... I'm in AARP and certainly don't support the House or Senate Bills. We need health care REFORM, not more lobbyist strong-arming by Congress! Reforms like enlarging the HSA program to include young and old taxpayers would do far more to encourage all of us to save for health needs.
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November 06, 2009
Votes: +5

rjb said:

Dump AARP I totally agree with the other posts here. Drop your AARP, call them and hang on for 20 minutes and when they get on the line, cancel your membership, if 20 million of the 40 million wake up and send them a "YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR ME ANYMORE " message maybe they as with the labor unions will start listening to what their members actually want instead of padding their pockets and giving money to the liberal socialist sheep leading left. WAKE UP AMERICA, before it's too late. Tell the newspapers, the ABC,NBC,CBS, media to tell the truth. Quit getting all their information from the idiots in the white house. Stand up , wake up, get out of your chairs and quit being rolled over by the liberal socialist who are running this country. You have a voice , you have a brain, you are part of the problem if you don't speak up. Quit thinking there is a magic pill to cure every little ache and pain. Get up, get out get off the drugs, see how good you will feel when you aren't doped up. This is what the liberals want is for you to be too scared to stand up and tell them NO. Get your voice out , get your butt up, get on the phone and call your congressman and tell them "IF YOU VOTE FOR THE HEALTH CARE BILL, YOU WILL NOT BE IN OFFICE AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION" . INSTEAD OF A HELTH CARE BILL, CONGRESS SHOULD MAKE TORT REFORM THE MAIN AGENDA/DISCUSSION. REPUBLICANS , FORGET YOU ARE LAWYERS AND GET TO WORK ON TORT REFORM. WE COULD COVER EVERY PERSON IN THE U.S. (LEGALLY) IF TORT REFORM WAS PASSED. CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND TELL THEM THIS. IF THEY DON'T LISTEN, VOTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. CHANGE THEM OUT IF THEY DON'T STRAIGHTEN UP. ALSO, START ASKING FOR LEGISLATION FOR TERM LIMITS ON POLITICIANS, 8 YEARS MAXIMUM . WAKE UP AMERICA, THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY , TAKE IT BACK BEFORE THE U.N. AND SOME EURO TRASH IS DECIDING WHAT YOU CAN HAVE AND CAN'T HAVE. CALL ,WRITE AND SPEAK UP AMERICA. BEFORE IT IS TOOOOOOOOOO LATE.

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November 06, 2009
Votes: +3

American Medical Association said:

AMA Committed to Health System Reform The time to make health system reform a reality is now, and H.R. 3962 and H.R. 3961 go a long way toward achieving that goal. The bills significantly expand access to affordable, high quality health insurance coverage that cannot be lost or denied because of pre-existing conditions, make investments in initiatives that improve the quality of care and repeal the broken Medicare payment formula that threatens access to care for seniors, baby boomers and military families. Our nation has an extraordinary opportunity to build on what works and fix what’s broken in our health care system, and the AMA is committed to being part of the solution by advocating on behalf of patients and physicians.

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November 06, 2009 | url
Votes: +2

Plain English said:

... Check out the American Senior Benefits Association (ASBA). They are opposed to the Health Reform Bill because they acknowledge that their own members are opposed to it. Some senior organizations want seniors to follow in the direction the organization leads. ASBA lets members take the lead and supports them by providing free membership, discounts on benefits, and keeping up to speed on what’s going on in Washington. Visit their website at www.asbaonline.org

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November 06, 2009
Votes: +0

No longer AMA said:

Dishonest of AMA The AMA doesn't tell people that they get the majority of their income from ownership rights of the medical billing/coding nomenclature system that the GOVERNMENT uses. So everytime anything is billed payment to AMA is made. They are most interested in keeping this source of revenue. Only 17% (and dropping) of physician have chosen to continue membership with the AMA. They protect their revenue generation and thus are quite compliant with anything Obama requests. They do not hold physicians or patients interest as their top priority. I have terminated my AMA membership for this reason. Physicians are interested in maintaining quality, increasing accessibility and addressing lawsuit abuse. This bill does not accomplish those goals. Almost no practicing physicians support it. Yet the AMA does. The power of the dollar. The organization will sell out those who is "represents" for $$$$, lots of $$$$.

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November 07, 2009
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suze said:

	... The democrats are trying to accomplish for the majority of uninsured Americans what no republican EVER has thought about doing. The AMA and AARP are simply relaying the resounding Please Help US!!!!!!!!!!!!! (the UninSured) We Need Health Coverage. I'm 55 and have worked my entire life. Why shouldn't I have affordable health insurance? Even convicts are covered, why not I?
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November 09, 2009
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toddsant said:

beggers they will be I will never support any bill that is being paid for by my children and grandchildren.Most americans were taught that you live within your means,and you work to earn a living!I believe in our capitalistic system,why should I work so that some lazy welfare case can get medical treatment.Obamas' socialistic policies are wrong and have no place in our society.Well he promised change....our children being debtors to the welfare states of America.Isn't our government supposed to be for the people,and the voice of the people.Old Abe Lincoln is turning over in his grave,because our government is hell bent to pass a law WE DO NOT WANT!!!!!

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November 09, 2009
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