Public Statement to the 208 Commission
By Paul Hsieh, MD @ 11:15 PM   
The Colorado Medical Society recently came out in favor of "universal" and "mandatory" health care for all Coloradans, and they submitted their position to the 208 Commission, which is the special commission authorized by the state legislature to "reform" the health care system in Colorado.
In response, I had Lin Zinser read my dissent into the public record at the 1/30/2007 Commission meeting:My name is Dr. Paul Hsieh, and I am a physician in practice in the south Denver metro area.
I'd like to register my strongest possible objection to the recent draft statement by the Colorado Medical Society's "Physicians' Congress for Health Care Reform".
Last Thursday (January 25, 2007), I received a bulk e-mail from the Colorado Medical Society enclosing a copy of their statement, explaining that it was a draft version, and asking for feedback from the rank-and-file member physicians. I was angered and appalled to learn shortly thereafter, that it has already been presented to the Blue Ribbon Commission as if it were the consensus opinion of the thousands of doctors in Colorado.
I would like to most emphatically state that it is NOT.
The CMS statement does not express my views, nor does it express the views of other physicians I've spoken with. I'm in the process of composing a more detailed dissenting response to the CMS and to the Blue Ribbon Commission, but I wanted to go on record now as saying that the CMS statement was issued "not in my name".
I am opposed to any form of socialized medicine, regardless of whether it's called "single payer", "universal mandatory coverage" or some other euphemism. Such a system would significantly compromise my ability to practice good quality medicine and would be harmful both to me as a practitioner and to my patients.
Thank you. (For the record, the letter that the CMS submitted to the 208 Commission includes a copy of their 2006 "Guiding Princples for Heath System Reform", as well as some additional proposals marked "DRAFT Version 1/25/07".)Labels: 208, CMS
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