Health Experts to Debate National Health Insurance
Released by University Relations 12 October 2004
Contact: ISU Continuing Education and Conferences, 208-282-3155 or
800-753-4781.
Nationally Renowned Heath Experts
To Debate National Health Insurance at ISU
Pocatello - Should the United States have a national single-payer health insurance program?
That is the question that will be debated by two nationally renowned experts at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Idaho State University Pond Student Union Building Salmon River Suite as a keynote address of the 17th annual Idaho Conference on Health Care.
The debate features Dr. Stephanie, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard and co-director of the Harvard Medical School General Internal Medicine Fellowship program, and Dr. Jane Orient, executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS). “We pay too much for health care. More than any other industrialized nation, 78 percent more per capita than our nearest competitor Germany,” said Dr. William Woodhouse, physician, associate director of the ISU Family Practice Residency Program, and member of the health conference planning committee that organized the debate. “We can’t afford it. One in five Americans are uninsured and employers are increasingly unable to pay for employee health care and still stay competitive in the world market.
We don’t get what we pay for. Despite the huge cost we rank in the lower half or near last among industrialized countries for most commonly used health care quality outcomes.” Woolhandler and her organization, Physicians for a National Health Program, contend that a single payer national health insurance program is the answer to these problems.
Orient and her organization, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), reject single payer national health insurance and assert that the answer lies in our current free-market system. “Both speakers are very strong, nationally-known proponents of their respective viewpoints. I expect a vigorous debate on this critical topic,” Woodhouse said.
Orient’s group, the AAPS, has been a voice for private physicians since 1943, and supports the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship, traditional medical ethics and free-market principles. Orient is a board-certified internist in solo private practice since 1980. She is author of the book “Your Doctor Is Not In: Healthy Skepticism about National Health Care.”
Woolhandler’s organization attempts to educate physicians, other health workers, and the general public on the need for a comprehensive, high-quality, publicly-funded health care program, equitably accessible to all residents of the United States. Equitable accessibility requires, in the view of PNHP, removal of the barriers to adequate health care currently faced by the uninsured, the poor, minority populations and immigrants, both documented and undocumented.
The debate is just one of many presentations of the health conference running Oct. 20-22 at ISU. On the theme “We Can Do Better,” this year’s conference will delve into a variety of topics presented by nationally recognized health care authorities. The event will feature health speakers on everything from the risks of fast foods to doping by athletes.”Once again, we have an extremely rich agenda with speakers who will address health issues relevant to all sectors of health care, including the general public,” said Dr. Linda Hatzenbuehler, Dean of the ISU Kasiska College of Health Professions. “We want to stress what a varied and informative Idaho Conference on Health Care we have planned this year. The constituencies including students, practicing professionals and the general public.”
The conference keynote addresses are open to the public, but registration fees are required for most conference events, including plenary speeches. Continuing education units are available to professionals desiring them. For more information on the conference or to register, contact the ISU Office of Continuing Education and Conferences, 800-753-4781 or 208-282-3155, or visit http://www.isu.edu/chp/hlthconf/.
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ICHC Single payer events.
Thursday October 21, 2004
2:30 - ~4:30 PM: Reception / Activist work group
At home of Kellie and Bill Woodhouse, 1407
Juniper Hills Road*, Pocatello
Refreshments will be served
RSVP: Call Kellie at (208) 234-0973
7:00 - ~9:30 PM Idaho Conference on Health Care (see
www.isu.edu/chp/hlthconf for conference registration, accomodations, etc)
“Single Payer National Health Insurance - Is This the Answer?”
Steffie Woolhandler, MD (PNHP) vs Jane Orient, MD (Association of American Physicians and Surgeons)
This should be a very contentious debate. Both participants are very strong representatives of their viewpoints.
Salmon River Suite - Pond Student Union - Idaho State University
Friday October 22, 2004
9:45 - 10:45 AM “The HealthSystem Project”
Paul Ellwood, MD, Jackson Hole Group
Ballroom -Pond Student Union - Idaho State University
11:00 - 12:00 AM “We Can Do Better: The Future of the American Health Care System”
Panel discussion: Steffie Woolhandler, Jane Orient, Paul Ellwood
Clearwater Room - Pond Student Union - Idaho State University