Illinois’ medical community is deeply invested in the conversation surrounding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The physician and medical student members of ISMS support access to care for all people, and advocate for a pluralistic health care system that leverages the strengths of both the public and private sector to secure such access. ISMS has identified 10 principles that should be prioritized when considering another round of health care delivery reform. These principles are articulated below. We are currently reviewing the American Health Care Act and how the proposed changes align with our principles:

1. Health care delivery and finance system reform should use the current public-private system as a basis and focus on incremental evolutionary change.

2. All patients should have access to a health benefit plan that would include catastrophic coverage as well as preventive services, appropriate screening, primary care, immunizations, and prescription drug coverage.

3. Health insurance reform is needed to allow public and private plans to develop innovative coverage plans, including the development of health savings accounts and other high-deductible plans to encourage patients, physicians, and other health care providers to pursue high-value care.

4. All health care expenditures should receive equal treatment for purposes of tax deduction and tax credits.

5. Professional liability reform – including caps on noneconomic damages – should continue to be pursued and defended as a way to reduce direct and indirect costs (defensive medicine) and to address the adverse effect the current medical liability system has on the physician-patient relationship and access to health care.

6. Use of information technology in health care delivery should be encouraged to improve quality and safety of care, enhance efficiency, and control costs.

7. Health care education and literacy must be an important part of any medical care financing and delivery system reform.

8. Health care reform proposals should include provisions for physicians to set and negotiate their own fees in order to adequately compensate physicians and other health care providers for the promotion of personal and public health.

9. Evidence-based protocols should support, not replace the patient-physician relationship.

10. ISMS objects to third party insurance carriers interfering with the practice of medicine and the patient-physician relationship.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:

March 9, 2017

John Maszinski, 312-580-6440

(cell) 312-608-3620