Peter Klatsky in The Huffington Post:
This week President Obama addressed a meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA), amid media reports that the AMA will oppose the president's call for a public health insurance option.
Over the last 50 years, the AMA has stood on the opposing side of numerous positive proposals for health care improvement. As a result, AMA membership has dwindled to less than 20% of practicing physicians. Most of their members no longer represent the views of most American physicians. Unfortunately, the AMA may again stand against a reasonable approach to providing assistance to unemployed and middle class families struggling to buy health insurance — the proposed public health plan.
The AMA opposed a similar proposal introduced in the 1960's, which we now know as Medicare. The AMA spent heavily to oppose Medicare, driven primarily over concerns for physician's wages. If the AMA had their way in the 1960's most seniors would have gone bankrupt in order to get needed care.
More here. [Thanks to Zaneb Khan Beams.]