Open Letter to Senator Kennedy from Mass. Physicians |
February 18, 2009 Senator Edward M. Kennedy Dear Senator Kennedy: We understand that you are working energetically on a comprehensive health care reform bill. We write as Massachusetts physicians and as your constituents who have experienced firsthand the consequences of our state’s health care reform. We seek to alert you to the defects in the Massachusetts approach and to advise that you push, instead, for a singlepayer reform. At certain junctures in history, the obstacles of the past melt in the heat of a rising popular demand for change. Now is such a time. You once proudly described yourself as “an old single-payer advocate,” and you have previously introduced model single-payer health reform legislation. We urge you to return to that vision now when your tremendous influence could make this truly just and practical plan a reality. Please consider the simplicity, cost effectiveness and humanity of a single-payer plan, which could be implemented comparatively easily like traditional Medicare. Any plan that retains private insurers will add layers of bureaucracy and fail to control costs, dooming the noble effort to assure good care for all. The Massachusetts reform is illustrative of these problems. Costs have skyrocketed –rising far faster than anticipated. Yet hundreds of thousands remain uninsured and the number of patients requiring free care has fallen by only a third. Surveys show that one of every seven Massachusetts residents still can’t afford the care they need, and among patients directly affected by the new law, more say it has hurt than helped them. We fear that worse is just around the corner; money needed to fund the reform is being drained from safety-net providers who still carry a heavy burden of care for the uninsured and underinsured. We ask that you introduce in the Senate legislation modeled on H.R. 676, which gained the support of 94 representatives in 110th Congress, and which has the backing of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, hundreds of unions, and thousands of physicians. We urge you to be our Tommy Douglas – the founder of Canada’s national health program, who according to surveys remains the most beloved of all Canadians. Surely we deserve the health benefits that are guaranteed in every other developed nation – all medically necessary care, and freedom from the fear of economic ruin due to illness. Only a move to single payer can cut bureaucratic waste, allowing an affordable expansion of care. We must not squander the opportunity of this momentous time. With your experience and stature you are uniquely able to ensure that generations to come will enjoy the legacy of health care as a human right. Leon Eisenberg, MD Susanne L. King, MD Rachel Nardin, MD Michael Kaplan, MD Bernard Lown, MD James Recht, MD Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH Jill B. Schiff, MD Ira Mintzer, MD David Bor, MD Barbara Ogur, MD Richard Pels, MD Alan Meyers, MD, MPH Mardge Cohen Michael L. Glenn, MD Joseph McCabe Janet R. Magnani Karen Victor, MD Thomas F. Plaut, MSW Martin I. Broder, MD Mark P. Eisenberg, MD Barbara J Katz, MD Roger Spingarn, MD David M. Keller, MD John Jainchill, MD Richard C. Evans, MD Michael D'Alessandro, MD Naomi Barbara Dworkin Seward B. Rutkove, MD Ashley Coopland Ante Lundberg Henry W. Rosenberg, MD Anthony Schlaff Alan Drabkin Julie Silberman, MD Stephen A. Eipper, MD Martha A. Nathan, MD Mary Aileen Dame, MD Thomas C. Sterne Bonnie Norton, MD Joel Snider, MD David J. Geltman, MD Ronald D. Schwartz John V. Walsh Gerald Hass Peter V. Tishler, MD Jayne Doherty, MD Russell Phillips Donna Ruth Cooper, MD Steven Atlas, MD George Ellsworth Joel E. Rosen, MD Charles Welch, MD Theodore M. Shoemaker, MD Gordon Winchell, MD Priscilla P. Shaheen, RN J Wesley Boyd, MD, PhD John F. Mueller David Kraft, MD, MPH Lindsey C. Kiser, MD Robert McKersie, MD Elizabeth Kissinger, MD Charles D. Howell Patricia Downs, MD Leslye Heilig, MD Victor Gurewich, MD O'Malley Brian Max O'Donnell Eugene J. Fierman, MD George Milowe, MD Jeremiah Schuur, MD Joellen W. Hawkins Lucy Candib, MD Robert Jandl Richard Balaban, MD Walter Gamble, MD Bruce Hurter, MD Stanley Kilty, MD George Hardman, MD N. Thorne Griscom Barry Poret Shelly Berkowitz, MD Richard Bail Robert A. Petersen, MD Rachel Seidel Carol Langford, MD Ronald B. Durning Meredith Martin, MD Robert D. Basow, MD Walter J. Alt Patricia Raney Donnah Nickerson-Reti, MD David Kaufman, MD Richard Oliver Heck, MD Hugh S. Fulmer Alexandra K. Rolde Paul Vinger, MD Warnie L. Webster Bruce L. Bender Anthony J. Costello Wayne A. Miller Masha J. Etkin, MD Sylvia A. Fine, MD Roger R. Jean-Charles Cathy L. Vanden Heuvel James R. Garb Melvin Chalfen, MD Thomas A. Johnson, MD Daniel Kamin Wayne Altman, MD Richard A. Parker, MD Jeanette Callahan, MD Daniel W. Zinn, MD Robert Horowitz, MD Edward Lowenstein, MD Douglas P. Kiel Bruce Weinraub John F. Crigler, Jr. Robert Sumner, MD Jessica R. Roth, MD Lenard Lesser, MD David Lotto, MD Carolyn Laura Augart, MD Jennifer Brody, MD Winfred del Mundo, MD Leo Parnes, MD Jocelyne Caplow, MD Paul Allen, MD Michael A. Lambert, MD Judith Herman, MD Donald L. Slovin, MD Renee McKinney, MD Roberta Berrien Karen Lasser, MD Saverio Maviglia, MD David Remis, MD Jody Naimark, MD Michael Hochman, MD Aubrey Milunsky Andreas Laddis, MD Timothy Davis Jeffrey Geller, MD Karen E. Lasser Daniel P. Alford, MD Carl A. Soderland Leslie Dubinsky Rona Klein, MD Milton Hirshberg, MD Suzanne Stoterau Christina Wai, MD James Kolb, MD Maureen McDonald Ron Distajo, MD David S. Lee, MD Giulia Scarantino Wilsa J. Ryder, MD Naomi Rappaport Andrew Linsenmeyer Michael J. Abele, MD David W. Bates, MD Richard McGinn, MD Brenda L. Johnson, MD, MA Donald Green, MD Padma Balasubramanian, MD Leonard W. Kaplan, MD Andrew Perry Harold W. Forbes Candace Foster, MD An Sokolovksa Kate Koplan, MD William V Dewhirst, MD Cheryl Hamlin, MD Gordon Fellman William Schmitt, MD Rosemary Kofler, RN Wallace & Clare Ritchie Michael D'Intinosanto, RN Michelle Hauser, MD Vaughn Harding Victoria Merson Pickwick, RN Timothy Macchio Gale Maynard Mary Ellen Daly O'Brien, RN Carol MacDougall, RN Adam Field Richard Kofler Michelle Kofler Edythe Cox Leena Gandhi, MD, PhD Jay Caplan Kelsey L. Dicker Ann Roy Stephen Hoy Donald Slovin, MD Stanley Shapshay, MD Marcia Angell Leonardo Velazquez Leonardo J. Velazquez Geraldine Zagarella, MD Robert Berger Neil Kudler Judith Goldberg, MD Elise Foster, MD Malachy Shaw-Jones Sally Weylman Laurel Davis-Delano Paul Dixon Lisa Dobberteen, MD Jean Grossholtz Kathryn Hunt Jeffrey Rivard Anne Warren Betty Munson Paul McBratney-Owen Kimberly Sue, MD, PhD David Larrabee, MD Richard Wein, MD Rebecca Rogers, MS Tom Hagamen Gertrude Bull Jeffrey Gill Lisa Carlson, MD Wendell D. Wyatt, MD Richard Corkey, MD Ramon Greenberg, MD Larissa Lucas, MD Phil Wilson Jay M. Pomerantz, MD Jerry Durbin Jan Schwaner, MD Sally Thompson, MD Lauri Robertson, MD Sarah Minden Kirsten Austad Nancy Rappaport Elinor Kelliher, MD Michael Garrity, MD Kimberly Sue, MD, PhD Sandeep Kumar, MD Michael Alexander Rachel Broudy Brian Green Monica Demasi, MD Ruth Barron Gerard Coste Bari Brodsky David Baron, MD Kirsten Meisinger, MD Megan Callahan Martha Sweezy Jane Fogg, MD Donna Mathias, MD Karina Lund, MD Mary McCormick, MD Melissa Bartick Shahram Khoshbin, MD Barbara Dworetzky Christopher Shanahan William Taylor, MD Alexandra Golby, MD Greg Lipshutz, MD Gregory Hagan, MD Maurice Martin, MD Pieter Cohen Theodore Murray, MD Karen Wood, MD William Kinsey, MD J. Elliott Taylor, MD James Peterson Barry Saver Charles Taylor, MD Susan Racine, MD Robert P. Marlin, MD Karin Hemmingsen, MD Richard Balaban, MD Julia Ragland Allen Ross, MD Erik Deede, MD John Jewett Milena Pavlova Edward Bromfield, MD Robert Shmerling Diane London, MD Elizabeth Kass, MD Howard Wolpert Reisa Sperling, MD Kelly Ford, MD Saurabh Saluja, MD John Stoeckle, MD Christopher Nauman, MD Matthew Ehrlich, MD Lee Cranberg, MD Michael Barza, MD Corey Fehnel, MD Louis Caplan, MD Lynne Brodsky, MD Peter Cohen Robert Reece, MD Rajani LaRocca, MD Barry Mills Michael Rich, MD Saverio Maviglia, MD Elizabeth Ross, MD John Jewett Jan Foose Robert Lange Richard Sens, MD Nance Goldstein, PhD Eve Spangler Sarah Weaver Seth Gale, MD Melissa Greenspan, MD Jacquelyn Wolf, PhD Barry Levy, PhD William Cutler, MD Catherine Horwitz, MD Joel Alpert, MD Ellen Z. Kaufman John Hanson Deborah Wolozin, PhD Sarah Goff, MD Rosemary Duda, MD Alonzo Shirin, MD, MPH Hanni Stoklosa, MS Brian Block, MS Mike Matergia, MS George Corey, MD Anne Weaver, MD Alan Berkenwald, MD Tereza Jaquez Shonali Saha Mirna Mejia Nicholas Carson, MD Catianne Dias Charlotte Golden Richard Pels, MD Huiyuan Lightner Miriam Goldfarb, MD Stephen Pinals, MD Michael Williams Heidi Ashih, MD, PhD Rachel Wheeler David Himmelstein Thomas Myers Cheryl Sneed Emily Straus Melanie Brunt, MD, MPH Susan Grosdov Nancy Vargas Sarah Rosenberg-Scott, MD, MPH Sara Karp, MD Somava Stout, MD Laura Obbard, MD Elissa Kleinman, MD Maren Batalden Page Carter Paul Geltman, MD Sarah Crane, MD Zarpash Babar, MD Goldie Eder Ruth Gerson, MD Andrea Gordon, MD Pedro M. Barbosa Albert H Fine, MD Evan Waldheter Catherine Pemberton Timothy Stephens, MD Suen Winnie Margaret Lanca Francisco Bonilla Hilary Worthen, MD Jill Forney Monty Monroe Gail Shulman, MD Lynne Seeley, RN Sarah Muzzy Elisabeth Traumann Pattie Heyman Jacqueline Bisbee David Fish, MD Judith Casarella Josephine Brown Paula Cushner, RN Xenia Johnson, MD Marshall Forstein, MD Paige Katzenstein Margaret Buckley, RN Louise Perrault David Smith Arthur Spector, MD Ellen Lapowsky Victor Saldanha, MD Judith Hunt Lori Tishler, MD Ravi Gatha Barry Mills, MD Marci Yoss, MD Norine Philipp Matthew Ruble Gail Levine, MD James LaFortune Jonathan Strongin, MD Blake Cady, MD Anne Fabiny, MD Katherine Miller, MD Abigail Judge Laura Pabo Margaret Fox Sabina Hak Dominika Seidman David Gunther, MD David Osler Betty Lee Marianna Kong Marie Hobart, MD Simeon Kimmel, MS Sally Thompson Penny Adams Brian Walsh, RN Amanda Zurick Patricia Mansfield Leslie Bodvar Cynthia MacDougall Whitney Rohrer Melissa Coco Andrew Jorgensen, MD Robert Nace Donna Ferri George Dominiak, MD Alexander Morgan Amy Itzkovitz Paul Thaler Bill Bicknell, MD, MPH Miriam Tepper, MD Sheila Cleary, MD Erin Boggs Amber Lerma, MD Randalal Paulsen, MD Jayme Shorin Joan Rabin Edos Igbinosa, RN Pano Yeracaris, MD, MPH Valerie Ososky Peggy Brown Kathleen Lentz, MD Katherine Wenger Hugh Roberts, MD William Copeland Linda Klaiman Nancy Crouse Audrey Gautreau Bert Fernandez, MD William Zinn, MD Judy Seifert Margaret A Lynch Jennifer Potter, MD David Slack, MD Stanley Sagov, MD Elizabeth Parsons Sharleen Johnston, RN Nina Marlowe, MD Erik Fung Muzzamal Habib, MD Leora Fishman, MD Emily Gregory, MD Melanie Adem Arthur Safran, MD Jill Schiff Francis Coughlin Richard Evans, MD Wendy Gray, MD Cassie Frank, MD Julie Meyers, MS Wayne Altman Blake Cady Jessica Stewart Clea Lopez Donald Chauls Martha Sweezy, PhD Don Steele, PhD Albert H Fine, MD Christopher Grieves, MD Pieter Cohen, MD Jeremy Keller, MD Hannah Olivet, MD Elizabeth Parlee, MD Cynthia Telingator, MD Daniel Tarsy, MD Soma Sengupta Yamini Saravanan, MD Amy Colson David K. Simon, MD Laura Sullivan, MD Anne Fabiny, MD Jean Matheson, MD Kristen Goodell Andrea Gordon, MD Lior Givon, MD, PhD Thomas Goldberger, MD Katharine Kosinski, MD William Horgan, MD Gerard Coste, MD Claudia Epelbaum, MD Lisa Dobberteen, MD Luis Lobon, MD Kevin Dennehy Geoffrey Pechinsky, MD Robert Dickman, MD Paul Allen Pushpa Narayanaswami, MD Amanda Klein, MD Jennifer Retsinas, MD Pano Yeracaris Rose Goldman, MD Amy Bauer Traci Brooks, MD Judith Herman, MD Miriam Goldfarb, MD Madeline Barott, MD Melissa Bartick, MD Ramona Dvorak, MD |