Senate Healthcare Bill Receives Crucial Endorsement

The American Medical Association (AMA) has thrown its support behind the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”

“America has the best healthcare in the world, if you can get it,” said AMA President-elect Cecil Wilson during a press conference Monday.

The AMA, which is the largest medical association of physicians in the United States, previously had announced its support for the House healthcare bill in November.

Wilson, who was joined at the podium by Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), praised the group of Democrats for “keeping the focus on [finding] a permanent solution.”

Baucus, whose committee was one of five in Congress to pass a healthcare bill, reveled in the magnitude of Monday’s endorsement.

“It’s an especially important endorsement [because] doctors know, [they] work with patients, they see patients.”

“If we could only have one organization support this bill, it would be the one you see today,” added Dodd.

The AMA’s endorsement comes as somewhat of a surprise given the fact that the Senate bill, unlike a separate piece of legislation passed weeks ago in the House, does not address cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates. Wilson, however, seemed content enough with the current bill, saying that passage “will bring us close to the finish line of healthcare reform.”

RNC Launches Ad Campaign To Combat Senate Healthcare Bill

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

On Monday Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) Michael Steele announced the launch of the “Listen to Me” Effort. Which will include the launch of a six-figure national radio ad which explains the GOP position on healthcare reform, with emphasis on the Senate healthcare bill.

“We can’t force the democrats to listen to the American people, but we can certainly help the American people lift their voice up to be heard by those in Washington,” Steele said. “[We] are asking the Democrats in Washington to do something different for once, and that is listen to the American people.”

The new initiative consists of telephone town hall meetings, an interactive internet campaign and a grass roots activist campaign.

RNC staff members will also be sent to the six states (North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana and Connecticut) who’s Senators still seem to be undecided on how they will vote on the healthcare bill.

“In these states we will do everything we can to help people get their elected representatives to listen, to pay attention [and] to hear their voice,” Steele said.

Senate Public Option Plan To Be Finalized 'In The Next Few Days,' Says Stabenow

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

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said Monday that final negotiations over a public option plan in the Senate health care bill will be completed “in the next few days.”

Most recently the Senate has debated the non-profit funded insurance plan; a plan which parallels the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The proposed plan offers Americans a variety of private non-profit funded insurance plans, overseen by the Office of Personnel Management.

Expressing her support for public option in the final bill, Stabenow added, “the critical issue is not what we call something, it’s the end result.”

Stabenow said she does not support the amendment proposed by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) to restrict federal funding for abortions. She said based on her understanding of the amendment it “parallels” Rep. Bart Stupak’s (R-Mich.) Amendment which also prohibits federal funding for abortion. The Stupak Amendment passed in the House last month.

“I don’t believe [the Nelson Amendment] is going to pass, I truly believe the votes are there to stop it in the Senate,” Stabenow said.