Doctor’s Lobby on Health Care Reform: Bend over, this won’t hurt a bit

From the Los Angeles Times:

The American Medical Assn., after 60 years of opposing any government overhaul of healthcare, is now lobbying and advertising to win public support for President Obama’s sweeping plan — a proposal that promises hundreds of billions of dollars for America’s doctors.

Of all the interest groups that have won favorable terms in closed-door negotiations this year, the association representing the nation’s physicians may have taken home the biggest prizes, including an agreement to stop planned cuts in Medicare payments that are worth $228 billion to doctors over 10 years.

In addition, the proposal that would require all individuals to obtain medical insurance includes premium subsidies to ensure that their doctor bills would be paid.

The AMA, which many still regard as the country’s premier lobbying force, is providing money and grass-roots backing for these and other reforms.