The nation's two largest hospital associations say Democrats would make a mistake if their party voices support for a government-run health insurance option in its upcoming platform.

The American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals are urging Democrats to resist coming out in favor of a public option, which was famously rejected by lawmakers six years ago as part of a deal to get the Affordable Care Act passed, HealthcareITNews reported.

Some prominent Democrats are now having second thoughts about that rejection. President Barack Obama recently voiced support for a public option, which also has the backing of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The party's draft platform supports the policy.

"The addition of a public option at this time would only introduce greater uncertainty to a healthcare system that is experiencing rapid transformation," the associations said in a letter to Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), chairman of the party's platform drafting committee.

The associations said the government already has trouble paying what its owes hospitals through Medicare reimbursements, with two-thirds of their members saying those payments came in below the cost of actually providing care, according to the publication.

"Adding millions more enrollees whose healthcare would be reimbursed at Medicare rates would likely threaten access to needed health care services, particularly for those in vulnerable communities," they said.

FAH CEO Chip Kahn and AHA Executive Vice President Thomas Nickels signed the letter. http://bit.ly/29XKnG6

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