WASHINGTON – With a House vote on the health reform package looming and Democrats still scrambling for support, the legislation got a much-needed nod of support Thursday from doctors and seniors.

The doctors' support came from the American Medical Association, which will back both H.R. 3962 and H.R. 3961, the two House health system reform bills. 

"The time to make health system reform a reality is now," said J. James Rohack, the AMA's president. "These two bills were introduced together, and they need to be passed together. Both are essential to achieving meaningful health system reform this year."

"On balance, H.R. 3962, The Affordable Health Care for America Act, is consistent with our principles of pluralism, freedom of choice, freedom of physician practice and universal access," Rohack said. "It will significantly expand health insurance coverage to Americans to empower patient and physician decision making, institute meaningful insurance market reforms, make substantial investments in quality, institute prevention and wellness initiatives, provide incentives to states that adopt certificate of merit and/or early offer liability reforms and reduce administrative burdens."

"H.R. 3962 is not the perfect bill, and we will continue to advocate for changes, but it goes a long way toward expanding access to high-quality affordable health coverage for all Americans, and it would make the system better for patients and physicians," Rohack added.

The AMA also called on Congress to pass the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 (H.R. 3961), which it said would permanently repeal the broken physician payment formula and preserve access to care for seniors, baby boomers and military families. Without Congressional intervention, doctors are scheduled to take a 21.2 percent Medicare pay cut in less than 60 days.

As for the seniors, the AARP announced Thursday that, "after carefully monitoring developments in Washington and studying the various legislative proposals, AARP's all-volunteer Board of Directors – made up of working and retired doctors, nurses, business people and teachers – has decided to endorse the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3961) because it delivers on key priorities we've been fighting for."

AARP officials added that while the organization is pleased that the House health reform package includes many proposals that are most critical to protecting Medicare and ensuring Americans age 50 and over have access to stable, affordable healthcare, "the fight isn't over."

"That's why we're going to keep working with members of the House and Senate to ensure our priorities are included in any final healthcare reform bill," a statement from the group said.

President Barack Obama thanked both the AMA and AARP for their support.

"When it comes to the AARP, this is no small endorsement," he said. "For more than 50 years, they have been a leader in the fight to reduce the cost of healthcare and expand coverage for our senior citizens. They are a non-partisan organization, and their board made their decision to endorse only after a careful, intensive, objective scrutiny of this bill. They're endorsing this bill because they know it will strengthen Medicare, not jeopardize it. "

"The same is true for the doctors and medical professionals who are supporting this bill today," Obama said of the ADA's support. "These are men and women who know our healthcare system best and have been watching this debate closely. They would not be supporting it if they really believed that it would lead to government bureaucrats making decisions that are best left to doctors. They would not be with us if they believed that reform would in any way damage the critical and sacred doctor-patient relationship."