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GOP: Doctors at White House misrepresent physicians

By Michael O'Brien - 10/05/09 12:34 PM ET

The doctors summoned to the White House to lend support to healthcare reform don't accurately represent physicians' views, one Republican doctor-turned-lawmaker said Monday.

Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) and a former orthopedic surgeon, argued that the 150 doctors providing a backdrop for President Barack Obama's Rose Garden event this morning were "hand picked" by the White House.

"I'm kind of surprised that a hand-picked group of physicians that were brought to the White House today were applauding a government takeover of healthcare," Price said during a conference call organized by the Republican National Committee (RNC).

"I would suggest that a real cross-section of doctors would not be applauding a government takeover of healthcare," he added.

The doctors, hailing from all 50 states and a variety of medical organizations, were on hand at the White House this morning to lend support to health reform efforts as the Senate Finance Committee is set to take up a vote on the last health bill at the committee level.

The RNC included Dr. Donald Palmisano, the former president of the American Medical Association (AMA), to rebut claims that doctors back the health reform efforts in Congress. (The AMA has endorsed the House healthcare reform bill.)

Palmisano said that Congress should look more toward using a model of health insurance provided to federal employees, instead of a public option model for consumers.

Price said the takeaway is that, among doctors, "there are differences of opinions out there."

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/61635-gop-doctors-at-white-house-misrepresent-physicians

Comments (27)

Make no mistake! There are plenty of Drs. out here in the world that will agree on the wackiest of ideas. I've met a few who werent hitting on all cylinders! Wonder if the White House will produce a list of these Drs with their employment addresses so that we may avoid doing business with them? Oh, wait! These Drs are probably on the govt pay roll already! Why didnt I think of that earlier? lolBY Ula Maxie on 10/05/2009 at 14:14
I believe if you said doctors should give away their services and looked throughout the 50 states, you could find 150 doctors to show up to support that position.BY Cap Purvis on 10/05/2009 at 14:18
More crying from the GOP. When you have no ideas of your own all you can do is delay and disruptBY Michael on 10/05/2009 at 14:57
As a physician in practice I completely agree that this is not an accurate representation. The majority of physcians completely disagree with more government regulation without any meaningful tort reform. Essentially the bills have us taking on all the risk with Washington calling all the shots. What a scam.BY rsantuc md on 10/05/2009 at 15:24
Michael,Either you're ill-informed or you're dishonest. The Republicans have presented a number of ideas on HC reform, but they have been ignored.If the Dems really wanted to reform health care, they would agree to fix the things that can be fixed quickly like tort reform, buying insurance across state lines, establishing high risk pools for those with existing conditions and setting up vouchers for those who need help, but don't qualify for Medicaid.Why must we have legislation that can't be supported by the truth, but instead promoted by blatant lies? Why do we need reform that establishes 53 new agencies to support it?BY Kentucky Colonel on 10/05/2009 at 15:28
How dare you question the President and our Congressional Leadership? It is so unAmerican to question. President Obama is correcting the wrongs of the country's history. For too long the rich have been allowed to get richer, get better healthcare and live longer while they allow the poor to die off.Now that the American Revolution of 2008 was successful we should hang all that disagree with our Great Leader as we welcome new allies to our homes!!! God Bless President Obama — May he finally give us an America we can all be proud of!!BY Joshua from NYC on 10/05/2009 at 16:17
What would you call this, er, "useful idiots?BY smokehouse on 10/05/2009 at 16:20
What happened to the open forum on C-SPAN, with all stakeholders presenting their interests and ideas?This administration accepts the intrusive principles of the insurance industry, ignores the significance of tort reform and expects a "holistic" result.Come on!BY LeeM on 10/05/2009 at 16:43
Great to read the Fellow Travelers of Obama celebrate the Hugo Chavez-ization of this country. Get your free lunches at the soup kitchen, losers. Leave our health care alone.BY lance anderson on 10/05/2009 at 16:53
Most docs do not support this huge government plan. And remember, they will have to live under it as patients, too. Medicare and Social Security and the Post Office are all broke—so tell me again why this plan makes sense to anyone at all? And has the government ever in its history REDUCED paperwork and regulations? OK, so they go to Electronic Records. This will just represent an equivalent to more paperwork in time, money, and energy.The most controversial House plan created 53—FIFTY THREE—new agencies. And this will reduce costs??? Click here for a link to the Table of Organization for that plan:.http://www.house.gov/mica/Dem Health Care Chart.shtmlBY Maryann on 10/05/2009 at 16:55

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