Both the House and Senate have introduced health care reform bills, and now its up to Congress to find common ground on the vital issues that will improve our health care system for patients and physicians. It's critical that we keep the momentum going to achieve meaningful health care reform this year.

Here's why: Currently, millions of Americans don't have health insurance because their employer does not provide it or they have a pre-existing medical condition. For the millions who do have health insurance, they have to fight bureaucratic red tape to get their insurer to pay for their medical care. The status quo is unacceptable.

There is an opportunity this year to get all Americans affordable health coverage that cannot be denied or lost because of illness or unemployment. This is critical. Without health insurance people do not get the care they need to stay healthy and productive.

Congress can reform our health system by building on what works and fixing what doesn't. All Americans will benefit from health care reform. The majority of Americans currently get their health care coverage in the private market — that's a good thing, but we can make it better. It's time for an end to the days of patients and physicians being forced to deal with endless paperwork and to fight with insurers to get payment for necessary treatments. Coverage should not be denied because of pre-existing conditions or be too costly for individuals to buy. More of the premium payment should go toward patient care, and less to insurance industry overhead.

Existing government insurance programs, like Medicare and Medicaid, need to be strengthened so they can continue to be a viable safety net for those in need. Health care reform must repeal the broken Medicare physician-payment formula to protect the security and stability of the Medicare program and ensure seniors' can keep their choice of physicians. A recent poll shows that nearly 90 percent of people age 50 or older are concerned that the current Medicare physician-payment formula threatens their access to care — and rightfully so. Without repeal, physicians face steep cuts forcing them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat right as the baby boomers begin reaching 65 and enter the Medicare program by the millions.

The House bill repeals the current formula and updates payments to better reflect the cost of providing 21st-century medical care. The American Medical Association is calling on the Senate to permanently fix the fatally flawed Medicare physician payment formula and protect seniors' access to care.

Physicians are on the front lines of health care and see the problems with our system firsthand. The AMA is at the table to ensure that reform benefits all Americans and the dedicated physicians who care for them.

I'm proud that the United States boasts some of the world's most dedicated physicians, state-of-the-art technology and medical treatments that can cure once-fatal conditions. Medical advances and improved care have led to fewer deaths from heart disease and cancer, but it's a national disgrace that not all Americans can get that care because they lack health insurance.

It's clear that the public, the medical community and lawmakers all need to stay constructively engaged to make health system reform successful. While we still have a long way to go, we have already seen physicians, patients and policymakers find common ground on ideas that offer real improvements. Let's build on the recent congressional action. We can't afford to squander this opportunity for America's patients and physicians.

Dr. J. James Rohack of Bryan, Texas, is president of American Medical Association.