AMA continues to amaze. Last month it decided to monopolize control of medical data. Now it is sabotaging healthcare quality reform.

In the latest salvo, AMA Executive Vice President and CEO Michael Maves demanded the reversal of Medicare cuts, as a condition of AMA's support for pay-for-performance reforms, The Hill reports. That is on top of opposing a voluntary medical error reporting program.

Do not get us wrong. Physicians deserve to be fairly compensated and the Medicare adjustments should not be made lightly.

What is disturbing is AMA tying the issue of cuts to the quality reform. Enactment of incentives to provide quality care is vital to achieving meaningful progress with patient safety. To continue our comparison to airline industry, AMA's position is akin to airlines refusing to replace unsafe aircraft, unless Congress offers subsidies.

This is beyond the pale. AMA should stop holding the patients hostage and restrain itself to honest advocacy.