A group of NPA and AMSA members delivered our Prescriptions to Congress to the Hill this morning. Because of your help and partner organizations, the group delivered more than 1000 prescriptions to Members of Congress!

On July 14, 2009, the House Tri-committee Group released America's Affordable Health Choices Act (HR 3200).   This bill is projected to enable 97% of legal residents of the United States to have health insurance by 2015.  The bill would establish a mandate for most legal residents to obtain insurance, significantly expand eligibility for Medicaid, and set up insurance "exchanges" through which certain individuals and families could receive federal subsidies to substantially reduce the cost of purchasing that coverage.  The House bill will bemarked up over the next 2 days. To read a summary of the HR 3200, click here:

Preliminary Analysis by the Congressional Budget Office of the Insurance Coverage Specifications Provided by the House Tri-Committee Group Letter to the Honorable Charles B. Rangel:

Comparing bills is easy with this tool from Kaiser Family Foundation. It allows you to compare different aspects of the various proposals floating around out there. Very handy as we start to evaluate the nitty gritty of the proposals.

After returning from his overseas trip, President Obama met with Democratic leaders at the White House on Monday to discuss the progress in the health care reform discussions. When confronted with the apparent delays in achieving health care reform, President Obama stated, "Inaction is not an option…. And for those naysayers and cynics who think that this is not going to happen, don't bet against us."

Plan to set aside 15 minutes next Wednesday, July 22^nd to participate in the national physician & nurse call in day to Congress.   We will be calling Members of Congress to let them know that physicians support health care reform, including a public plan option. Look for details early next week.

Have 20 minutes?  Google "HR3200" or "America's Affordable Health Choices Act" and add your positive comments to the many blog threads. Be sure to identify yourself as a physician.

      On July 30th, our friends at Healthcare-Now are holding a rally and lobby day in Washington, D.C.: Medicare: Made In America Rally.   For more details, see this link:

You'll be hearing from us soon about planning an in-district visit with your member of Congress during the August recess!

Don't miss this video to support the public health insurance option and the NPA, which was put together by our fabulous NPA NY team. Dr. Manisha Sharma coordinated a team of volunteers to participate, produce and edit the video.  Great job guys! 

It's down to the wire this week with health care reform. The hot topics of the week focused on how to pay for health care reform and the public plan option. A piece in the LA Times discusses the role that Obama will play over the coming weeks:

President Obama named Regina M. Benjamin, an Alabama family physician as his nominee for Surgeon General. See a profile of her in The Washington Post here:

A recent USA TODAY/Gallup Poll showed that 56% of Americans support passing a major health care reform bill this year. Although most Americans state that controlling costs should be the major focus of the bill, more than 9 out of 10 individuals oppose limits on necessary treatment as recommended by their doctors. 

A piece in Medscape highlights the frustration that physicians are feeling with respect to health care reform:

This piece in The Financial Times by Matt Miller, a former Clinton administration budget official, argues that Obamahas gradually moved closer to the Republican position on many aspects of health care reform:

Some are stating that the key to ensuring that we pass health care reform will depend on how the message is crafted. The strategy suggested by Third Way and Benenson Strategy Group emphasizes 3 features:

1)     Ensuring the middle class can answer the question, "What's in it for me?"

2)     Ensuring stability of costs, coverage and quality of care.

3)     Highlighting the consequences of inaction (i.e. instability in coverage, costs, care and access).

Read this piece in the New York Times by Sandeep Jauhar, a cardiologist who is struggling to come to terms with the financial aspects of the practice of medicine:

See Val Arkoosh here talking about Secure Health Care For All:

Dr. Lenny Lesser got a mention in this piece on hospital food in The Wall Street Journal's Market Watch blog:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/hospitals-give-healthy-food-more-operating-room

Dr. Val Arkoosh was featured in an article in the Reading Eagle:

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