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AMA reinforces commitment to cover the uninsured at the Annual Meeting

American Medical Association spokesperson available for interviews on top health care issue

For immediate release
June 16, 2008


CHICAGO — The American Medical Association's commitment to cover the uninsured was clear today, as thousands of physicians reaffirmed the current AMA proposal to cover the uninsured, and voted to study the impact of free clinics on improving access to health care for the uninsured, and to study the tax treatment of health savings accounts.

"While we work to cover the uninsured, we need to find ways to care for those in need now," said AMA Board Member Cyril Hetsko, MD. "The AMA will be looking into ways free clinics can fill the void for uninsured patients until we can get everyone covered."

About 4000 AMA members are attending the AMA Annual Meeting this week in Chicago, a policy-making meeting held every June. In conjunction with the meeting, the AMA posted uninsured billboards around Chicago as part of the Voice for the Uninsured campaign, the AMA's three-year, multi-million dollar effort to spur action to cover America's uninsured. Two new campaign television ads were unveiled at the meeting and will begin to air across the country this fall. The AMA distributed new informational packets about the AMA's proposal to cover the uninsured to physicians attending the meeting and launched a newly updated campaign Web site.

For more information on the Voice For The Uninsured campaign or to see the details of the AMA's proposal to cover the uninsured, visit: www.VoiceForTheUninsured.org.

For more information, please contact:
Mollie Turner
AMA Media Relations
(202) 789-7430

About the American Medical Association:
The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issues. Working together, the AMA's quarter of a million physician and medical student members are playing an active role in shaping the future of medicine.