The 9/22/2011 New York Times discusses, "One Small Group Sets Doctors' Pay".
In short, a "Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee" declares by fiat the worth of various physician services for Medicare. Because most private insurers peg their payment scales to Medicare, it affects most of American health care reimbursement. And as with all forms of economic central planning, the result is price controls and perverse economic incentives.
In the 9/26/2011 Forbes, Sally Pipes explains why "Doctor And AMA Split Over Contentious Issue Of ObamaCare". Key excerpt:
For more than 160 years, the American Medical Association has served as the self-appointed chief lobbying group for doctors. But the AMA's lofty status has been under threat over the last several years -- and is under attack today. In fact, the AMA now only counts about 17% of doctors as members.The reasons she lists are among the many that I'm not a member of the AMA.
According to a new survey, the majority of doctors do not believe that the AMA represents their views and interests. Much of that dissatisfaction stems from the organization's support for President Obama’s contentious health care reform package...
Some doctors are even dissociating themselves from the AMA. Of those who have terminated their membership, 47% cited the organization's continued backing of the health care law as the primary reason. Increasingly doctors are turning to associations like Docs4PatientCare and the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons that actually do represent their interests.
