Word: physicians
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...That physicians can do it themselves, with no third party intervening or insurance company overriding, is shown by a bold experiment that has been running for 23 years in Oregon. This is an attempt to combine solo practice (which many A.M.A. members still prefer), fee for service, free choice of physician and full prepayment. Sponsor of the plan is the Physicians' Association of Clackamas County (pop. 113,000), adjoining Portland. Every physician practicing in the county is eligible to join, and all have done so. Every resident is eligible, at $7.50 a month, to receive whatever medical and surgical...
...commands the profound respect of beefier, louder-talking outfits. The A.M.A. lobby, has only 13 people in its Washington office. It picks its legislative targets knowingly and concentrates its fire, and it is the envy of other lobbies because it has a secret weapon: the Congressman's personal physician...
...A.M.A. lobbyist learns that a Congressman is inclined to vote against the A.M.A. line and seems immune to Washington persuaders, he sends the word back to A.M.A. headquarters in Chicago. From there it is relayed through the Congressman's state and county society to his personal physician. This doctor usually does what he is asked: he phones or wires the Congressman. The legislator is far more likely to heed a trusted, intimate adviser than any number of relative strangers. This technique works poorly with Senators and some big-city Congressmen, but it has proved to be magic with small...
...poll-favored such a plan. Ewing's idea was to levy a 4% payroll tax (to yield $4.5 billion as of 1950), toss in a couple of billions from general revenues, and cover hospital and medical care for 85% of the population. Patients would have free choice of physician. Doctors would be free to join the plan or not; those in it would decide whether they wanted to be paid by fee for service, a per capita rate, or (in group practice) salary. Though the A.M.A. had powerful allies, it was the biggest single force in squelching the plan...
...from a position of great strength: A.M.A. mossbacks did not openly oppose the man who seemed headed for the presidency. In a massive report covering all forms of group practice and sparing none of their shortcomings, the Larson commission paid tribute to the principle of free choice of physician. But it held that this principle is not violated if the patient has free choice between an inde pendent physician and a panel...