Our Vision for Health System Reform

The AMA Vision for Health System Reform

No one said that achieving meaningful health system reform this year was going to be easy. But tackling the tough challenges is something the American Medical Association (AMA) has been doing for 162 years.

As the nation’s largest organization representing physicians from every state and nearly every medical specialty—and the patients in their care—we are committed to achieving health system reform this year that:

• Protects the sacred relationship between patients and their physicians, without interference by insurance companies or the government
• Provides affordable health insurance for all through a choice of plans and eliminates denials for pre-existing conditions
• Promotes quality, prevention and wellness initiatives
• Repeals the Medicare physician payment system that harms seniors' access to care
• Eases the crushing weight of medical liability and insurance company bureaucracy

Physicians, patients, policymakers and others have found common ground on real health system improvements. Difficult issues must still be resolved. But it’s time for results, not rhetoric. It's time to shift our focus from arguing about differences to working together to resolve them.

The status quo is unacceptable. America's patients and physicians deserve better. The AMA will press on until a better health system is a reality for all Americans.