Thread by @BobDohertyACP

My take on what the votes by the AMA House of Delegates on coverage mean. First, there is a lot more support for publicly financed coverage then ever before. Nearly half of the delegates, 47%, voted to delete @AmerMedicalAssn’s long-standing opposition to single payer. #AMAmtg

Because a narrow majority, 53% of delegates, voted again the Medical Students resolution to eliminate opposition to single payer, the @AmerMedicalAssn will continue to oppose it. For noW But the delegates are clearly divided, nearly down the middle, on it. #AMAmtg

.@ACPinternists’ resolution to change @AmerMedicalAssn policy to support offering everyone a public option received very strong support in testimony before the Reference Cmte and on the floor. The Ref Cmte recommended study of public options rather than adopting it. #AMAmtg

And the House agreed and voted to have the AMA study public option approaches. Many delegates seemed supportive of the concept yet unsure about how a public option would work so wanted more study. #AMAmtg

This means the AMA is required to study public option approaches & report back the House of Delegates at a later meeting with recommendations. Given this, will the AMA still take a hard line against public option proposals while also studying them as the House directed? #AMAmtg

Bottom-line: there is a large segment of the House of Delegates who support single payer (or don’t want AMA to oppose them) or public option approaches, as well as AMA’s new policies to close coverage gaps in the #ACA. This would have been unimaginable in years past. #AMAmtg