The group says Obamacare could be improved.
The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) on Friday requested Pesident-elect Donald Trump to enact medical liability reform, which, according to the group, is the cause of high cost of the healthcare through “extra testing and the practice of defensive medicine”.
AAPI president Ajay Lodha said in a statement said, “AAPI supports a healthy doctor-patient environment by curbing aggressive litigation targeting physicians in which he congratulated Trump on his victory in the presidential election.”
Lodha added, “Such lawsuits have had a chilling effect and driven up the cost of healthcare, through extra testing and the practice of defensive medicine”.
The “Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare” (HEALTH) Act of 2011 limited the conditions for lawsuits and punitive damages for health care liability claims.
AAPI has asked for a modification of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Under Obamacare, hospitals and primary physicians would transform their practices financially, technologically, and clinically to drive better health outcomes, lower costs, and improve their methods of distribution and accessibility, it says.
According to AAPI, the current Obamacare could be greatly improved and repealing of it could have long time implications as 20 million people might lose their insurance coverage and could create problems.
“A more reformed system with emphasis on free-market while retaining the provisions protecting consumers with pre-existing conditions would be ideal,” Lodha said.
AAPI has over 60,000 physicians and 25,000 medical students as its members, representing residents of Indian heritage in the US.
Lodha has also invited Trump to address AAPI Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey next year.