Doctors For Obama

A. Senator Obama has a strong record of supporting physicians. He voted against lowering Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rates, because he understands the devastating impact that would have on physicians' practices (Senator McCain was in favor of the cuts, and skipped the vote). Because his health plan will decrease the number of patients without insurance, physicians will worry less about recouping costs of serving the uninsured. This is especially true for physicians who care for children, since Senator Obama would require that all children and young adults through age 25 be required to have health insurance. Senator Obama's plan also contains provisions to streamline billing and reduce administrative costs, so physicians will save on overhead. These components, coupled with Senator Obama's plan to decrease malpractice costs, will result in healthier finances for physicians' practices.

A. Senator Obama recognizes supporting funding for basic science research is critical to increasing our understanding of health and human disease. He is proposing doubling the budget of NIH and NSF over the next ten years. Senator Obama's agenda advances stem cell research, increases work on genomics, and ensures rapid deployment of new breakthroughs into public health benefits, He also recognizes the need to support the research infrastructure, and has proposals to both support young investigators and to bolster early science education.

A. Senator Obama understands that many doctors are struggling with soaring medical malpractice premiums. The Obama plan stresses that our goal should be to reduce malpractice suits by preventing patient injury. At least 90% of error-related hospital deaths are caused by systems failures and administrative mix-ups. The Obama health plan will fast-track health information technologies that will greatly reduce the frequency of errors and the heavy burden of litigation which results from system-based mistakes. His plan also focuses on alternative models of dispute resolution: allowing doctors to learn from mistakes without penalty and to report preventable medical errors while being protected from malpractice suits. The plan ensures greater oversight and monitoring of the behavior of malpractice insurers, and strengthening antitrust laws to prevent insurers from overcharging physicians for their malpractice insurance. His plan recognizes that we need to let doctors focus on improving patient safety instead of worrying about being sued.

A. Senator Obama recognizes the crisis patients across the country face in accessing primary care. The Obama plan will increase the reimbursement rates and expand training grant and loan-repayment options for physicians who enter primary care fields. Unlike Senator McCain, Barack Obama recognizes fair compensation for primary care physicians as an essential element of health reform. He also supports increasing reimbursement for preventive care and the development of revenue models that provide incentives for care-management programs, team care, and medical home strategies.

A. Senator Obama's goals are to ensure quality, affordable access for everyone, contain healthcare costs, and make sure that healthcare is distributed fairly and equitably. The difference between Senators Obama and McCain's views on healthcare is stark. We believe that Senator Obama is the right person to begin serious healthcare reform to ensure that the system serves physicians, our patients and the nation at large.

A. Senator Obama is not opposed to mandates, and, in fact, will propose required coverage for all children and young people through age 25. But for the general population, he believes that the first steps in reforming the nation's health care should focus on making care affordable. Once healthcare is affordable, Senator Obama believes Americans will buy insurance. If this proves not to be the case, he is open to the possibility of more extensive mandates at a later date.

A. Senator Obama is very much aware of the hardships imposed on patients and doctors by current practices of insurance companies. That's why he would impose stringent new rules on these companies that include prohibiting them from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions, ensuring a guarantee of defined benefits, paying for prevention and disease-management time spent, and streamlining physician payments.