Why more doctors are breaking up with the AMA
Key Takeaways
Industry Buzz
“I don’t want you to make the mistake of thinking that the AMA, the American Medical Association, speaks for physicians.” — Scott Jensen, MD, a former Minnesota state senator and practicing physician.
“Us physicians need a new uniting body that’s representative of the true political concerns of physicians.” — Anonymous Reddit user.[]
Find more of your peers' perspectives and insights below.
A recent video by Scott Jensen, MD, a former Minnesota state senator and practicing physician, has gotten a lot of doctors talking about the American Medical Association (AMA). In the clip, Dr. Jensen says, “I don’t want you to make the mistake of thinking that the AMA, the American Medical Association, speaks for physicians.”
This hits home for many physicians who feel the AMA is no longer in tune with their needs. As Dr. Jensen points out, “Roughly 15 percent of actively practicing doctors in the United States belong to the American Medical Association.” This is a sharp drop from the 75% of U.S. physicians who were members back in the 1950s.[]
One reason for the growing frustration? The AMA’s stance on health insurance. Many doctors feel that while the AMA pushes for mandatory health insurance, they’re not tackling the real problems physicians face, like low reimbursement rates or the increasing red tape in healthcare.
“Doctor shortages? That's 100% the AMA, and it is 100% intentional,” wrote one Redditor. “High costs of service? That's the AMA. When you need care, and the provider won't give you an up-front cost for the care you'll receive? That's the AMA. The organization is almost singularly responsible for the state of healthcare in the US, and is the reason that American healthcare is more expensive than care in any other developed nation.”[]
Another hot topic? The AMA’s focus on lobbying. Some doctors feel that the AMA spends so much time and money on political influence that it forgets about the real issues affecting practicing doctors.
“Us physicians need a new uniting body that’s representative of the true political concerns of physicians,” read one Reddit comment.[]
As membership continues to shrink and frustration grows, many doctors are asking: Is the AMA still representing us? More and more physicians are calling for an advocacy organization that’s in sync with the challenges of modern medical practice.
Read Next: Doctors speak up: The most common patient health insurance challenges