Dear Friends,
The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest is pleased to announce the release of several more interviews from Congress. This week’s newsletter features Congressman John Shadegg (R-AZ), Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI).
Congressman John Shadegg has been serving in the United States House of Representatives since 1994. Congressman Shadegg is a recognized authority in Congress on health care issues. He has introduced several bills to address the problem of the uninsured, lessen the bureaucracy of Medicare, give patients the right to hold HMOs accountable and strengthen the doctor/patient relationship.
Congressman Shadegg has worked to promote greater choice, ownership, and portability in health insurance. His two bills – the Patients Health Care Reform Act and the Health Care Choice Act – offer comprehensive, free-market solutions to the rapidly rising cost of healthcare by allowing individuals to choose a health care plan that best meets their needs.
In our interview with Congressman Shadegg, we discuss his two healthcare bills and his view on the future of US healthcare given this year’s election dynamics. Congressman Shadegg joined CMPI at the National Press Club in June of this year to launch our new BigGovHealth.org initiative. We speak about the importance of this website with Congressman Shadegg and much more.
View Congressman Shadegg’s interview:
http://vimeo.com/1346171
Congressman Jeff Fortenberry was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November of 2004. Congressman Fortenberry recently introduced “America’s Affordable Health Care Act.” This legislation permits insurance companies within a state to sell up to three limited mandate policies. This gives consumers more affordable options by giving them access to policies that do not include many expensive state benefit mandates. In our interview, we speak about this legislation and more.
View Congressman Fortenberry’s interview:
http://www.vimeo.com/1364078
Congressman Paul Ryan is currently serving his fifth term in the US House of Representatives. Congressman Ryan recently launched his new legislative plan which he calls “A Roadmap for America’s Future.” In our interview with the Congressman, we discuss the healthcare component to this legislative plan and the Congressman’s views on the future of American healthcare.
View Congressman Ryan’s interview:
http://vimeo.com/1423903
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
CMPI NEWS
www.cmpi.org
British System Discourages Availability Of New Drugs
By Peter Pitts
The Buffalo News
July 26, 2008
http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/400189.html
Cheap Imported Drugs May Be No Deal At All
By Peter Pitts
Star-Telegram
July 23, 2008
http://www.star-telegram.com/245/story/776632.html
Degrading Healthcare: Critic says half-truths and myths drives the Commonwealth Foundation's poor scores for the U.S. healthcare system
By Peter Pitts
The Journal of Life Sciences
July 22, 2008
http://www.tjols.com/article-732.html
DRUGWONKS BLOG
www.drugwonks.com
Nasty Rhetoric and Sloppy Reporting
By Peter Pitts
July 30, 2008
According to the Wall Street Journal, “Powerful members of Congress want to remake the Food and Drug Administration by giving it broad powers to levy fines, order drug recalls and restrict drug-industry advertising. Leading the drive are Rep. John Dingell (D., Mich.) and his longtime friend in Congress, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa).”
http://www.drugwonks.com/blog_post/show/6258
Some People Just Want To Watch The World Burn
By Robert Goldberg
July 27, 2008
One of them is Charles Grassley, who has nothing else to do than just create chaos and fear in the area of prescribing medicines by launching witch hunt after witch hunt.
Grassley reminds me of The Joker: "Some men aren’t looking for anything logical. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."
That's Grassley. Doesn't care who or what he maims. It's just fun to see how far he can push and throw his power until someone finally fights back. So far, no one has.
http://www.drugwonks.com/blog_post/show/6251
CMPI REPORTS
CMPI President Peter Pitts on The Patient-Centric Health Leadership Forum:
What happens when you put Mark McClellan (Chairman of the Reagan/Udall Foundation), Michael Weber (Chairman of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest), Ralph Snyderman (of Duke reknown), Tevi Troy (Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services), Jeff Cossman (President of the Critical Path Institute) and other leaders in progressive healthcare policy together in a room?
What happens is the meeting of the Patient-Centric Health Leadership Forum.
Read report here: http://www.cmpi.org/uploads/File/cmpi7-25.pdf
RADIO APPEARANCES
On July 7 CMPI President Peter Pitts and Canadian patient Shona Holmes appeared on The Laura Ingraham Radio Show to discuss new CMPI initiative BigGovHealth.org and warned about the dangers of adopting a government-run healthcare system here in the United States.
Listen to their appearance here:
http://www.cmpi.org/uploads/Media/laura_070708_56K.mp3
Radio Talk Show Host Laura Ingraham on BigGovHealth (7.8.08):
THINK GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE IS A GOOD IDEA? Think again. Closing out today's show, Shona Holmes, a Canadian brain-tumor survivor, recounted her personal health-care horror story. Fortunately, she managed to flee to the States for a life-saving operation. Joining her was Peter Pitts, president of the new website, BigGovHealth.org.
Republicans are already struggling to counter Obama's message of free health care, and that's what makes this site so useful.
INTERNATIONAL ARTICLE OF NOTE
Number Of Elderly Patients Starving In NHS Wards Doubles To 30,000 In Two Years
Daily Mail
July 30, 2008
Read Article
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