PNHP Newsletter Winter 2012
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PNHP Newsletter Winter 2012 PHYSICIANS FOR A NATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM ▪ 29 E. MADISON ST., STE 602, CHICAGO, IL ▪ WWW.PNHP.ORG PNHP’s 25th Anniversary Meeting States on the move – in San Francisco is largest ever Vermont, Hawaii and California Over 380 people, including more than 100 medical students, PNHPers in Vermont are fighting a media campaign against gathered in San Francisco on Oct. 27 for PNHP’s largest meet- single payer sponsored by the far-right. Vermont Gov. Peter ing ever. In addition to sessions on the health care crisis, financ- Shumlin, a strong advocate for that state’s “pathway to single ing single payer, health care systems in Canada and Europe, state payer,” was re-elected by a large margin. In Hawaii, PNHPer Dr. single-payer campaigns and more, there were ad hoc meetings Stephen Kemble was recently inaugurated as president of the Ha- on grassroots organizing, strategy, and medical student outreach. waii Medical Association after that body passed his resolution in Next year’s meeting will be in Boston, Nov. 2, 2013. Save the date! support of single payer. Dr. Kemble is working with the Hawaii Health Authority and others to promote a statewide single-payer plan. California PNHPers are developing a new strategy for single Single payer in the news payer now that the Democrats have supermajorities in both hous- es. Stay tuned! Late-night comedian Jon Stewart, host of “The Daily Show,” has been promoting single payer on the air, e.g. telling the CEO of pizza-maker Papa John’s that “if Obama had fought harder for Single payer gains supporters on the Hill single-payer health care, business owners like you would never have to pay another premium in your lives.” Bill Maher of “Real Three new U.S. Senators are sympathetic to single payer; Tam- Time with Bill Maher” on HBO, and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow my Baldwin in Wisconsin, Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts and also loudly support single-payer on their shows. Mazie Hirona in Hawaii. Warren was a co-author, with PNHP co- Many PNHPers are keeping up the drumbeat for single payer founders Drs. Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein, of two through media interviews and op-eds. Former PNHP President studies of medical bankruptcy, including a 2009 article that found Dr. Claudia Fegan appeared on MSNBC’s “Up with Chris Hayes” that 60 percent of people bankrupted by medical bills had private in- while Dr. David Scheiner was on CNBC’s “Closing Bell” and Dr. surance. The overwhelming majority of H.R. 676 co-sponsors were Mary O’Brien was a guest on Current TV’s “Viewpoint.” Dr. Eliza- re-elected while several new single-payer supporters were elected to beth Rosenthal’s comments opposing Medicare cuts were picked the House. Members are encouraged to educate their members of up by news outlets across the country and a profile of PNHP Senior Congress about the need for single-payer national health insurance. Health Policy Fellow Dr. Don McCanne ran in the Orange Coun- ty Register (reprinted on page 23). Dr. James Mitchiner’s article, In This Issue “It’s time for single payer” appeared in the ACEP News (reprinted Health care crisis by the numbers.............................3 on page 10) while Dr. Ed Weisbart’s op-ed “America’s health care It’s time for single payer ....................................10 Cost control in a parallel universe ...........................13 problems were not fixed by Affordable Care Act,” appeared in the Medicare and commercial health insurance ...................15 St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare.....................16 PNHP’s office helped PNHPers publicize research building Remember managed care? It’s quietly coming back.............18 the case for single payer on several topics, including on pay-for- Will pay for performance backfire? ..........................20 performance schemes (reprinted on page 20), health care costs for Profile of Don McCanne, MD ...............................23 the elderly in the U.S. and Canada (see page 13), and Medicare 5 myths about Canada’s health care system ....................24 overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans (see page 38). Cover- Taiwan’s progress on health care .............................27 age by new media, in particular, was widespread, including by the Single payer would save billions for Massachusetts .............30 Washington Post’s Wonk blog, Health Affairs blog, WBUR Boston Social responsiblity of physicians: A talk by Dr. Bernard Lown...34 Public Radio CommonHealth blog, Politico Pro, and more. Re- Medicare overpayments to private plans ......................38 search led by PNHP board member Dr. Danny McCormick show- Pharmaceutical research and development ....................43 ing that patients covered by public programs in Massachusetts face Undocumented immigrants in the U.S. .......................47 a wide range of cost-related barriers was covered by several promi- Major glitch for digitized health care records . 50 nent news blogs and highlighted in the JAMA. Hospitals’ geographic expansion.............................52 Chapter reports ...........................................61 Membership drive update Welcome to over 512 physicians and medical students who have joined PNHP in the past year! We invite new (and longtime) PNHP members to participate in our activities and take the lead on behalf of PNHP in their community. PNHPers in Charleston, S.C., Providence, R.I., St. Louis, Sonoma, Calif., and Memphis, Tenn., are starting new PNHP PNHP Board of Directors, 2013 chapters or expanding existing ones. To get involved in a PNHP chapter near you, see the chapter reports, page 61 or contact Dr. Officers Ida Hellander in the PNHP national office at (312) 782-6006 or Andrew Coates, M.D. (NY), President [email protected]. Garrett Adams, M.D., M.P.H. (KY), Immediate Past President Gordon Schiff, M.D. (MA), Secretary PNHP will be hosting exhibits at several medical specialty Quentin D. Young, M.D., M.A.C.P. (IL), Treasurer meetings in 2013, including the American College of Physicians meeting in San Francisco, April 11-13; the American Psychi- Regional and At-Large Delegates atric Association, also in San Francisco, May 19-21; and the Pippa C. Abston, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.P. (AL) American Academy of Family Physicians, in San Diego, Sept. Henry L. Abrons, M.D., M.P.H., (CA), Philip Caper, M.D., M.S. (ME) 24-28. Volunteer to spend a few hours staffing a booth by drop- Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D., M.P.H. (FL), Elizabeth Frost, M.D. (MN) Paul Gorman, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.M.I. (OR) ping a note to [email protected]. Danny McCormick, M.D., M.P.H. (MA), Mary E. O’Brien, M.D. (NY) Ann Settgast, M.D., D.T.M&H (MN), Diljeet K. Singh, M.D., Dr.P.H. (AZ) What PNHP members can do Robert C. Stone, M.D., F.A.C.E.P. (IN) 1. Learn health policy painlessly. Dr. Don McCanne, PNHP’s Arthur J. Sutherland III, M.D., F.A.C.C. (TN) senior health policy fellow, authors a single-payer “Quote Stephen F. Tarzynski, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P. (CA) of the Day” highlighting significant new research on the Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P. (NY/MA) Robert L. Zarr, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P. (DC) health care crisis and the evidence for single-payer reform. It’s like getting a Ph.D. in health policy one e-mail at a time Medical Student and Resident Delegates and it’s invaluable for keeping up on the latest developments Danielle Alexander, M.Sc. (MS3, Albany Medical College) in health policy and politics. Subscribe at www.pnhp.org/ Richard Bruno (MS3, Oregon Health and Science University) qotd. The archives are searchable and contain valuable in- formation on everything from cost containment to interna- Past Presidents Carolyn Clancy, M.D. (MD); Claudia Fegan, M.D. (IL) tional health systems. Oliver Fein, M.D. (NY); John Geyman, M.D. (WA) 2. Give a grand rounds at your hospital on health care reform, Robert LeBow, M.D. (deceased, ID); Ana Malinow, M.D. (PA) or invite another PNHP member to speak at a grand rounds Don McCanne, M.D. (CA); Glenn Pearson, M.D. (CO) or other hospital forum. Updated slides covering the new Deb Richter, M.D. (VT); Cecile Rose, M.D., M.P.H. (CO) health law are available at www.pnhp.org/slideshows (pass- Jonathon Ross, M.D., M.P.H. (OH); Jeffrey Scavron, M.D. (MA) word = adams).To invite another member to speak, call the Susan Steigerwalt, M.D. (MI) Isaac Taylor, M.D. (deceased, NC) PNHP national office at (312) 782-6006 or e-mail: info@ pnhp.org. Board Advisers 3. Arrange a session on health care reform at the next meeting John Bower, M.D. (MS); Aaron Carroll, M.D. (IN) of your medical or specialty society. Introduce a resolution Margaret Flowers, M.D. (MD); Gerald Frankel, M.D. (TX) in support of single payer. Sample resolutions are available Bree Johnston, M.D., M.P.H. (CA); Karen Palmer, M.P.H. (Canada) online at www.pnhp.org/resolutions. Sal Sandoval, M.D., M.P.H. (CA); Greg Silver, M.D. (FL) Walter Tsou, M.D., M.P.H. (PA) 4. Write an op-ed or letter to the editor for your local news- paper, medical specialty journal, or alumni magazine. Dr. Editors: Drs. David Himmelstein, Steffie Woolhandler, and Ida Hel- McCanne encourages PNHPers to “recycle” his single-pay- lander, and Mark Almberg. er “Quote of the Day” messages into letters and op-eds for local publication. National Office Staff: PNHP’s headquarters in Chicago is staffed by Dr. 5. Meet with your legislators. Ida Hellander, director of policy and programs; Matt Petty, director of op- erations; Mark Almberg, communications director; Dustin Calliari, tech- nology associate; and Angela Fegan, membership associate.