Doctors for America. I was unfamiliar with this MD advocacy group 'till this AM. Worth a look -

[pinto]

http://drsforamerica.org/

Doctors for America

We are a grassroots group of doctors across America speaking up to build a better healthcare system. We believe that physicians have a critical responsibility to bring our expertise to ensuring that this country enacts effective, comprehensive reform this year.

Our Goals

* Affordable health care for all Americans
* High quality, 21st century care
* Preventive care & patient safety
* Practice environments that allow physicians to focus on patient care

Their recent statement on the Public Option. ~ pinto

http://drsforamerica.org/documents/DAA_Support_PH_Option.pdf

For Immediate Release
June 11, 2009

Doctors Across America Support Public Health Insurance Option

WASHINGTON, DC— In a joint teleconference with Doctors for America and the Center for American
Progress Action Fund, President of Doctors for America Dr. Vivek Murthy, Executive Director of Doctors for America Dr. Alice Chen, and CAP Action Senior Fellow Judy Feder highlighted the strong support from doctors across the country for the inclusion of a public plan in health care reform legislation.

On the call, Dr. Murthy said the following:

"We've spent the last year or more speaking to physicians across the country and bringing doctors from all 50 states together, and what they're telling us is that they urgently need health reform and that a wellcrafted public option is an important part of a health reform solution."

He went on to say that:

"We know that a robust, well-crafted public plan, a plan that basically gives more of our patients the access that they need, that provides them with choice of their insurer, that rewards physicians for delivering the kind of care that we want, and also that values quality and that promotes prevention and wellness—this is the kind of plan that physicians and patients need this year."

---
Doctors for America leaders Dr. Vivek Murthy, Dr. Milan de Vries, Dr. Alice Chen and Dr. Mandy
Krauthamer released the following statement after the call:

“Across America, doctors are struggling to give care to their patients. We see patients all the time who don't have the coverage they need. That is why the doctors we speak to directly are so adamant that they need health reform to happen this year. The current health reform effort, including the consideration of a public option, is about providing high quality, affordable care to all Americans. A well crafted public option will reduce cost, increase access to care, and provide patients with more choice about their insurance coverage. As doctors, that is a mission we wholeheartedly support.

“In the current system, too many patients are struggling with costs that are too high and quality that is inconsistent. As physicians, we don't think it is right that many of our patients are going bankrupt paying for medical expenses and that they aren't getting the high quality care they deserve. This needs to change.

“This is why physicians across the country are standing up together to say that we need health reform
now. Doctors are not ready to walk away from reform that makes it easier for people to get to a doctor, rewards doctors for providing high quality care, and makes care more affordable. As doctors, we want Congress to consider a public plan, and we want to work with Congress to make it a good one.

"You can see what physicians are saying right now in all 50 states on the Doctors for America Voices of Physicians map: http://www.voicesofphysicians.org .”

http://drsforamerica.org/

[Barack_America]

1. I'm a member. I get e-mails from them almost everyday.

They keep me well informed regarding what is going on with the debate.

[slipslidingaway]

2. New name - they were Doctors for Obama. Max Baucus announced...

the name change back in May.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0509/Doctors_for_America_launches.html?showall

May 04, 2009
Categories: White House

'Doctors for America' launches

"This may not wind up being decisive in the health care fight, but the organizing gap between the two sides continues to widen.

Sen. Max Baucus and the Center for American Progress Action Fund are announcing a new group on a conference call later this morning: Doctors for America, which is a reincarnation of Doctors for Obama, an arm of the Obama campaign that boasted more than 10,000 members.

The question of patients' relationships with their doctors is always a flashpoint in debating changes to the health care system, so doctors are often particularly credible messengers.

Today they'll "release new reports detailing the depth and breadth of America's health care crisis and announce a new effort to amplify physicians' voices in support of health care reform," according to the advisory."


They were heavily represented at the WH meeting today, doctors who want a not for profit system were not as well represented.

:(

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/05/obama-hold-doctors-summit-effort-promote-health-care-overhaul-agenda/

"...Roughly 98 percent of the group's 15,000 members support a public insurance option, Doctors for America spokeswoman Megan Smith told FOXNews.com. She said roughly 40 of the 150 doctors who attended the meeting were from the organization..."