Updated:Action Alert: Call The White House: Let Single Payer In | Physicians for a National Health Program

Action Alert: Call The White House: Let Single Payer In Physicians for a National Health Program:

***Update***

The White House has reversed itself and extended invitations for two single payer supporters to attend Thursday’s Healthcare Summit.
Congressman John Conyers, author of HR 676 single payer legislation in the House, and Dr. Oliver Fine, who currently heads Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), received invitations on Wednesday.

"On Thursday, March 5, 2009, the White House will host a summit on how to reform the healthcare system.

"The 120 invited guests include lobbyists for various interest groups including the private-for-profit insurance industry (AHIP), some members of Congress including Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus who has already ruled single payer “off the table,” and various others concerned with healthcare.

"No single payer advocates have been invited to attend."

A disappointing turn of events. My letter to the White House and Senator Casey (my Senator, who is now on the HELP Committee.)

RE: March 5th Health Care Summit

I am disappointed that Single-Payer Health Care advocates are not going to be represented at the Summitt. If this is because Single-Paye is "off the table," then I suggest you disinvite all those representing the status quo, as I understand that that option is also off the table.

I personally favor transitioning to Universal Health Care via the Swiss or German Societal health Insurance model, but by not having Single Payer advocates at the table, a vast swath of serious intellectual and scientific thought is cut out of the discussion. This is NOT acceptable if we are to have a serious debate about the faith of Health Care in the US.

Thank you, etc.

To Senator Casey:

Dear Senator Casey,

I was very pleased to see that you have joined the HELP Committee. It represents a very important opportunity to do "to the least among us," what we would want for ourselves and our children.

I hope you will push for a very strong intellectual debate on health care reform, in particular.

I was very disappointed in a recent decision by President Obama to exclude those who advocate for a Single Payer system in the US from his upcoming Health Care Summit.

If this is because Single-Payer is "off the table," then I suggest disinviting all those representing the status quo, as I understand that that option is also off the table.

I personally favor transitioning to Universal Health Care via the Swiss or German Societal Health Insurance model, but by not having Single Payer advocates at the table, a vast swath of serious intellectual and scientific thought is cut out of the discussion. This is NOT acceptable if we are to have a serious debate about the faith of Health Care in the US.

Although I do not expect you to be able to change what will happen on March 5th, I hope you will use your position on the HELP Committee to ensure a robust, inclusive debate on health care reform.

Thank you etc.

You can get more details at the PNHP site, including that Rep. Conyers, the sponsor of HR 676 asked to be invited and was not at the PNHP site. And the WH phone numbers.

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