Washington, Sep 22 - Today, during the resumed mark-up in the House Energy and Commerce Committee of HR 3200, the Democrats’ health care reform bill, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas) offered an amendment that would allow balanced billing for doctors under the proposed public option. This amendment was endorsed by the American Medical Association, which represents thousands of doctors, but was ultimately defeated by a vote of 21-30.

“President Obama has promised repeatedly that if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. This morning, I proposed an amendment that would help ensure that this promise will hold true. The American Medical Association, which represents thousands of America’s doctors, supports the amendment, but unfortunately Committee Democrats weren’t interested.

“The current government-run health insurance options – Medicare and Medicaid – insufficiently reimburse doctors for their services. These rates are far below the actual cost of delivering the care. We have heard stories of doctors dipping into their retirement savings or forced to close their doors because their practices cannot continue to function on the embarrassingly low rates the federal government pays.

“Because of this, patients are losing their doctors that they have and like, and this will continue to occur under the newest government-run option under HR 3200. We could have fixed this problem today by passing my balanced billing amendment, but Committee Democrats have once again put the interests of the federal government over those of America’s doctors and patients.”