The Christian Century

President Obama’s plan to give all Americans the option of a government-run health insurance plan got a frigid reception in June from the American Medical Association, the nation’s leading lobbying group for physicians. Offering a public plan would “restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers,” the AMA warned in a statement before Obama appeared before the group. After hearing Obama speak, the AMA backtracked a bit from outright opposition, but it was clearly not encouraging any health-care reform that includes a public option.