Focusing on looming Medicare physician cuts of 21
percent that begin on March 1, the American Medical Association (AMA), AARP and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) joined together today in an unprecedented multi-state event. With advocates in
Washington, D.C., Madison, WI, Norfolk, VA, Bismarck, ND and Portland, ME, the three groups urged the Senate to permanently fix the Medicare physician payment problem before seniors, military families and baby boomers face a limited choice of physicians and limited access to care.
"Nearly 90 percent of people age 50 and over tell AARP they are concerned that the current Medicare physician payment formula threatens their access to care," said AARP's Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond, from an event in Washington, D.C. Rodger Wetzel, a member of
AARP North Dakota's executive committee, added from an event in Bismarck, ND that "millions of seniors in Medicare, along with the first wave of baby boomers who are just a year away from reaching Medicare
age, need Congress to fix the physician payment formula once and for all so they can be assured of continued access to care and choice of physician."
“All Americans deserve affordable, high-quality health coverage so they can get the medical care they need – and this bill advances many of our priority issues for achieving the vision of a health system that works for patients and physicians,” said AMA President-elect Cecil B. Wilson, M.D.
In a must listen to interview, AMA President Dr. J. James Rohack M.D. comes on the show to discuss the crisis facing our Medicare system.
Guest Info
J.James Rohack, MD, a senior staff cardiologist at Scott & White Clinic in Temple, Texas, became the 164th president of the American Medical Association (AMA) in June 2009. Dr. Rohack has been a member of the AMA Board of Trustees since 2001 and served as chair from 2004 to 2005. He has
served as treasurer of the board of commissioners of the Joint Commission, chaired the National Advisory Council to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and is one of the principals of the Hospital Quality Alliance.
In 2009 he was voted No. 20 in the 50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare by the readers of Modern Healthcare and Modern Physician magazines.
A board-certified cardiologist, Dr. Rohack is actively involved in patient care at Scott & White Clinic, where he serves as the director of the Center for Healthcare Policy and as the medical director for system improvement of
the Scott & White Health Plan—a not-for-profit health plan that is nationally recognized for quality health care delivery.
A professor in both the Departments of Medicine and Humanities at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Dr. Rohack’s past leadership
responsibilities include president of the American Heart Association’s Texas affiliate, president of the Texas Medical Association (TMA), chair of the
TMA Council on Medical Education and member of the TMA board of trustees.
Dr. Rohack’s lifetime commitment to advancing educational standards includes serving on the AMA Council on Medical Education, in addition to serving as
the AMA representative to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education and the Liaison Committee on Specialty Boards, as well as on the steering committee of the
Federation of State Medical Boards-convened Summits on Assessment of Physician Competency.
Dr. Rohack, who is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Physicians, has also served on the Bush School of Government & Public Service Advisory Board, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Executive Advisory Panel, the Texas A&M University System Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health External Advisory Committee, and the board of directors of the American College of Cardiology, Texas chapter.
Born in Rochester, N.Y., Dr. Rohack received his BS degree with highest honors from the University of Texas at El Paso and his MD degree with honors from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1980. He has received a Distinguished Alumnus award from both institutions.
Dr. Rohack lives on a small ranch near Bryan, Texas, that also serves as a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and release facility directed by his wife, Charli. They have one daughter.
