FMA Lashes Out at AMA for Backing Obama Health-Care Laws

The Florida Medical Association (FMA) is not happy with the American Medical Association (AMA) supporting new health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama.While the FMA sent a letter to the AMA expressing no confidence in the current leadership,it will stay in the AMA -- for now.

"The FMA House of Delegates strongly believes that the American Medical Association has failed to represent practicing physicians on the issue of health care reform, said Dr. Madelyn Butler, president of the FMA, on Monday. The FMA has voted to express these grave concerns to the AMA by sending a letter conveying a vote of 'no confidence' in the current AMA leadership regarding this issue. After passionate debate and testimony, the overwhelming sentiment was that the FMA members and leadership continue to have serious concerns about the effectiveness of the AMA and its ability to represent physicians' interests.

"It is important that the FMA continues to advocate for Florida's physicians and our 20,000-plus members and ensure that Florida's physicians stay engaged as we develop federal policy and advocacy positions on behalf of organized medicine, continued Butler. Therefore, the FMA will continue to send a delegation to the AMA's annual and interim meetings. We are hopeful that the AMA will recognize the concerns of the FMA, one of the largest and most representative health-care associations in the nation, and we will continue to ensure that the FMA aggressively carries out its mission in Florida of helping physicians practice medicine."