Group Of Alabama Physicians Opposes Government-Run Health Care
Published: 2009-08-22 17:51:00
Author: Amber Stuart | WHNT NEWS 19 | July 28, 2009
DECATUR, AL - Around 43,000 doctors in several states are standing against President Barack Obama's government-run health care plan. Several hundred of those physicians are in North Alabama.
The government-run health care plan is making some doctors feel the pressure. Dr. J. Daniel Gifford practices medicine in Decatur. As a nephrologist, he takes cares of patients who suffer from kidney failure, hypertension and other ailments.
Dr. Gifford says he doesn't see the same promise President Barack Obama does in the government-run health care plan.
"The government-run health care would add bureaucracy, a lot of regulations, it would take away patients' choice of physicians and hospital," said Dr. Gifford. "It would limit what they could do, and would eventually probably ration health care."
Dr. Gifford is one of about 7,200 doctors in Alabama who belong to the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. About 1,000 doctors from the 5th Congressional District belong to the group. The Fifth District encompasses north Alabama.
On July 21, MASA joined medical associations in six other states to send a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Their letter criticizes the current health care plan in Congress.
"It does not allow you to choose your physician, it mandates your hospital. It basically is a takeover of employers and patients who will have no choice in who they see and what plan they have," said Dr. Gifford.
Let's switch the tables.
We visited the Alabama Career Center in Decatur, where people go to file for unemployment and find jobs.
Judy Mitchell doesn't have insurance right now because she lost her job when she got ill.
"At that time I had insurance," said Mitchell. "My temporary leave ended after six weeks, so I had to be laid off from my job. So after that, I no longer had insurance."
Mitchell admits she hasn't studied Obama's plan, but she has an opinion about it.
Full story
Published: 2009-08-22 17:51:00
Author: Amber Stuart | WHNT NEWS 19 | July 28, 2009
DECATUR, AL - Around 43,000 doctors in several states are standing against President Barack Obama's government-run health care plan. Several hundred of those physicians are in North Alabama.
The government-run health care plan is making some doctors feel the pressure. Dr. J. Daniel Gifford practices medicine in Decatur. As a nephrologist, he takes cares of patients who suffer from kidney failure, hypertension and other ailments.
Dr. Gifford says he doesn't see the same promise President Barack Obama does in the government-run health care plan.
"The government-run health care would add bureaucracy, a lot of regulations, it would take away patients' choice of physicians and hospital," said Dr. Gifford. "It would limit what they could do, and would eventually probably ration health care."
Dr. Gifford is one of about 7,200 doctors in Alabama who belong to the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. About 1,000 doctors from the 5th Congressional District belong to the group. The Fifth District encompasses north Alabama.
On July 21, MASA joined medical associations in six other states to send a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Their letter criticizes the current health care plan in Congress.
"It does not allow you to choose your physician, it mandates your hospital. It basically is a takeover of employers and patients who will have no choice in who they see and what plan they have," said Dr. Gifford.
Let's switch the tables.
We visited the Alabama Career Center in Decatur, where people go to file for unemployment and find jobs.
Judy Mitchell doesn't have insurance right now because she lost her job when she got ill.
"At that time I had insurance," said Mitchell. "My temporary leave ended after six weeks, so I had to be laid off from my job. So after that, I no longer had insurance."
Mitchell admits she hasn't studied Obama's plan, but she has an opinion about it.
Full story