TEXAS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES
Resolution 411 (A-07)
Subject: Health Care Disparity
Introduced by: Harris County Medical Society
Referred to: Reference Committee on Socioeconomics
Whereas, There has too long been a two-tiered situation of health care for Americans; and
Whereas, The great disparity in systems under which health care is delivered is becoming more evident and odious; and
Whereas, Most Americans are unaware of the reasons behind this disparity; and
Whereas, There is legitimate concern that federal bureaucrats (who have federal employee health care) have systematically subverted the intent of Congress as stated in the compilation pages of the Social Security Act which reads:
Prohibition Against Any Federal Interference, Sec.1801. (42U.S.C. 1395): Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize any federal officer or employee to exercise any supervision or control over the practice of medicine or the manner in which medical services are provided, or over the selection, tenure, or compensation of any officer or employee of any institution, agency, or person providing health services; or to exercise any supervision or control over the administration or operation of any such institution, agency or person; and
Whereas, This disparity in health care favors the employees of our federal government and causes intolerable systems of excessively complex or zero health care for the employers (the American taxpayers) of the federal government; and
Whereas, A few years ago the co-chair of the bipartisan committee on Medicare reform wrote an editorial which was printed in the Houston Chronicle stating the logical plan (stated as consensus) that Medicare be reformulated after the model of the Federal Employees Health Care Protection Act (1997); and
Whereas, The resolves of this resolution accord with existing Texas Medical Association policy; and
Whereas, There is a burgeoning sense of outrage among physicians and those others who know of this odious, unsustainable, and probably immoral system of a paradoxically enviable health care system for some and faulty or no health care for others; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Texas Medical Association seek a leadership role with other concerned parties to insist that the American people be provided no less desirable and proper health care system than is in place for the employees of the federal government; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas Medical Association leadership work with the Texas delegation to the American Congress to assure that Congress hears of the discontent that federal employees are served better than the American people; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas Medical Association Delegation to our American Medical Association House of Delegates carry this or a similar resolution to AMA annual meeting.
Relevant TMA Policy
195.026 Medicare Reform, Health Care Equity . The Texas Medical Association supports the study of a "Premium Support System" as a sensible approach to needed Medicare reform (Amended Res. 412-A99).
195.005 Medicare Reform . Because the existing Medicare program has evolved into an overly-complex, under-funded system, the Texas Medical Association agreed to seek an honest consensus to address current problems, explore ways to reduce the complexity of regulations, address the program's "hassles," develop a plan for future beneficiaries, explore funding alternatives, and examine long-term needs of the Medicare-eligible population (Resolution 28U, p 167, A91).
Relevant AMA Policy
D-165.972 The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program as a Model for Medicare Reform : Our AMA will study the potential advantages that the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program may have to offer as a model for Medicare reform and report its findings back at the 2003 Interim Meeting. (Res. 124, A-03; Reaffirmation I-03)
TMA House of Delegates: TexMed 2007