Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Today, President Barack Obama invited 150 physicians from each U.S. state to the White House in an attempt to showcase the medical community’s support for his health care reform proposals. Obama said the physicians have experienced first-hand the problems with the U.S. health care system.

“These men and women here would not be supporting health insurance reform if they really believed that it would lead to government bureaucrats making decisions that are best left to doctors,” said Obama. “They wouldn't be here today if they believed that reform in any way would damage the very critical and sacred doctor-patient relationship.”

One doctor in attendance is an official from the American Medical Association, Obama said. The AMA is "the nation’s largest organization representing physicians from every state and nearly every medical specialty... [and is] committed to achieving health system reform," according to its website.

Obama said that nurses and physicians know the system best and urged them to “speak out strongly” on why heath care reform is needed. With their help, the President said he is confident that some form of health reform will pass through Congress this year.