Bob McCarty Writes

Thanks to health care reform becoming an issue of heated national debate, doctors now appear to be wearing their trademark white coats everywhere they go.  At least, that’s what President Barack Obama would have Americans believe.  So much so, in fact, he’s “white-coating” the truth about health care reform.

Today at WhiteHouse.gov, the photo above appears next to the headline, “REFORM HELP FOR FAMILIES IN 2010.” Below it, the caption reads, “President Barack Obama greets doctors from around the country in the Oval Office.”

Obviously, an attempt to convince ordinary Americans that “all doctors” support government-run health care (a.k.a., “ObamaCare”), photo opportunities like the one above are not at all representative of the truth or of all doctors.  Remember, doctors rallied against ObamaCare in Washington, D.C., Sept. 11 and in cities nationwide Nov. 21 (See St. Louis video below).

Among Americans who count themselves opposed to ObamaCare are members of Docs 4 Patient Care, a group of practicing physicians in the United States who have united to represent the interests and concerns of both patients and doctors in the health care reform debate.  Like 55 percent of Americans, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports weekly tracking update, they oppose government-run health care.

Docs 4 Patient Care, according to the groups web site, “endorses the concept of needed health care reform, but we recognize it can only be accomplished by proceeding in a cautious and responsible manner.  Our recommendations will enable us to reach this goal without requiring the nationalization of the entire American health care system.”

Prominent on the group’s web site is a headline (above) asking doctors who visit the site a question, “DOES THE AMA SPEAK FOR YOU?”

Below the headline is a remark pointed at the American Medical Association:  “PHYSICIANS’ GROUP MISREPRESENTS THE NATION’S DOCTORS, AGAIN.”

It’s followed by this:

Why we must succeed in building a new organization.  The AMA has endorsed the Senate Healthcare Reform Legislation. Now that the group’s support is in the bag, Senate backers pointed out how vital the AMA’s backing is to the reform effort.

So, next time you see President Obama standing next to a physician wearing a white coat, remember that he’s “white-coating” the truth (i.e., most physicians oppose government-run health care).

Read other BMW posts about health care reform here.