AMA Launches Campaign to Cover America's Uninsured

The AMA has announced the launch of a multimillion-dollar campaign aimed at motivating the public and pressuring politicians and Congress to tackle the issue of Americans without health insurance.

The three-year campaign, dubbed "Voice for the Uninsured," was formally announced at the National Press Club in Washington on Aug. 23.

The campaign includes an advertising push in both print and broadcast venues and a Web site dedicated to the cause.

"We want to give voice to the 45 million Americans without health insurance because it has become too heavy a burden on too many hard-working people," said AMA President-Elect Nancy Nielsen, M.D., at the National Press Club.

Nielsen said that one in seven Americans has no insurance. "That's not just a statistic, it's a tragedy." She pointed out that 80 percent of America's uninsured are "in families that earn a paycheck."

According to an AMA press release, the AMA's push for the uninsured coincides with the 2008 election cycle. This year, the focus of the AMA campaign will be to educate American voters and candidates about the plight of the uninsured; year two will focus on persuading voters to support presidential candidates who advocate for coverage for the uninsured. During the third year of the campaign, the AMA will pressure Congress to pass legislation that will ensure all Americans have health insurance.

According to the press release, the AMA's plan would ensure that most Americans could purchase health insurance coverage. "It would give individuals choices so they can select the appropriate coverage for them and their families and would promote market reforms in the insurance industry," said Nielsen in the press release.

The announcement coincides with a continued push by the AAFP to provide health care coverage for the uninsured. In fact, the AAFP's Task Force on Health Care Coverage for Everyone recently sent its recommendations on ensuring health care coverage to the AAFP Board of Directors; the Board has not yet announced proposed action on those recommendations.

In addition, earlier this year, the Academy and a bevy of other health care stakeholders joined with the Health Coverage Coalition for the Uninsured in advocating for a mix of public programs and tax credits that would help extend health care coverage to nearly 47 million uninsured Americans.