Senator Charles Grassley, Nominated by the PCMS,
Wins National AMA Award

U.S. Senator Charles Grassley was nominated by the Polk County Medical Society to receive the prestigious AMA Nathan Davis (founder of the AMA) award in Washington, DC, March 15, 2005. The PCMS received a letter from Michael Maves, MD, EVP of the AMA stating, “That your nominee for the 2005 Dr. Nathan Davis Awards, the Honorable Charles Grassley, was selected by the Panel of Judges as the recipient in the category United States Senator”. 

PCMS Board members: Tom Becker, MD, Richard Savage, MD, and Kelly Reed, DO, PCMS Alliance Member Barbara Savage, Executive Director, Kathie Lyman, along with Scott County and IMS representatives were present for the ceremony of Senator Grassley’s acceptance of the award.

Senator Grassley thanked the AMA for the Award and the PCMS for their support and nomination. He smiled and said that, “as a farmer, I always appreciated the veterinarian more than the family doctor. The vet always told me what was wrong with the animals. The doctor always asked me what was wrong with me. In our society we can’t imagine life without our doctors, and thank goodness we don’t have to”.

Senator Grassley stated that he could stand to be a better patient…so with humor he read a “Code of Ethical Behavior for Patients”:

1) Don’t expect your doctor to share your discomfort. Involvement with the patient’s suffering might cause him to lose valuable scientific objectivity.

2) Be cheerful at all times. Your doctor leads a busy and trying life and requires all the gentleness and reassurance he or she can get.

3) Try to suffer from the disease for which you are being treated. Remember, your doctor has a professional reputation to uphold. 

4) Pay your medical bills promptly and willingly. You should consider it a privilege to

contribute, however modestly, to the well-being of physicians and other humanitarians. 

5) Never die while in your doctor’s presence or under his direct care. This will only cause him needless inconvenience, pain, and embarrassment.

On a serious note, Senator Grassley stated that, “doctors provide quality health care to individuals of all ages, in a system that’s more complex all the time. I thank you for your work”. “Health care is more expensive than ever. Congress faces a tough issue this year with the Medicare physician payment formula. In 2006 and for seven years following, there will be a reduction in physician payments unless either the Administration or Congress takes action. Congress has to enact a permanent fix. This will be very expensive to fix, but we need to be creative and figure it out. I look forward to working with you on a permanent fix”. He also said that “Senator Baucus and I have a very good working relationship and will continue to work in a bipartisan way to enact good health care policy. While we look for a permanent solution to funding formulas, it will still be important for Congress to add some accountability to Medicare provider payments by rewarding quality and paying for performance. After all, provisions that Congress worked hard to include in the Medicare Modernization Act – like the prescription drug benefit and added preventive benefits – aren’t worth much if you can’t get in to see a doctor”.