Businesswire.com
October 14, 2009
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–More than 100 doctors and healthcare professionals will be in Washington, DC, to give the President, legislators, and the American people a “Second Opinion” on how to fix our healthcare system. Representing the more than 10,000 members of the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights, these healthcare professionals from across the country will give legislators their frontline perspective of what needs to be fixed in healthcare – and what doesn’t.
On October 5, President Obama invited doctors to the White House to participate in an event to help him promote his version of health system reform. However, only doctors who agreed with the President’s healthcare proposals were invited.
Now representatives of the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights will provide insight to elected representatives as they consider health reform legislation. The Coalition is offering a “Second Opinion” on healthcare reform with a two-day Fly-In which will include a press conference at the Capitol and visits with elected officials.
The former president of the American Medical Association, Dr. Donald Palmisano, is the Coalition’s national spokesman.
Date/Time:
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
9:30 a.m. Eastern
Location:
U.S. Capitol
East Front Grassy Area (Senate Side)
Washington, DC
NOTE: In case of inclement weather, the press conference will be held in the Federal City Room at the Phoenix Park Hotel. 520 North Capitol Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001.
Participants:
Dr. Donald Palmisano, spokesman for the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights and former president of the American Medical Association.
More than 100 doctors and healthcare professionals from across the country.
The Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights supports reform that will help improve the system, but is concerned that legislators are simply in a rush to reform for reform’s sake. The Coalition has laid out a number of principles and ideas that would help benefit the healthcare system, including:
1. We have the best healthcare in the world and any reform must enhance that care, not weaken it, and it must keep the patient in control.
2. The government-controlled public option is bad policy and divisive to the overall debate. This should be taken off the table.
3. Already Medicare reimburses less than the cost of providing many services. There shouldn’t be any cuts to Medicare.
4. We should expand access to healthcare to the uninsured. There are market-based approaches that can accomplish this goal without a complete government overhaul.
5. Government should continue to fund and otherwise support medical research.
6. The surest and quickest way to slow the healthcare cost curve is through comprehensive medical malpractice reform.
About the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights
The Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights is a growing, non-partisan, grassroots coalition made up of over 10,000 doctors, healthcare providers, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens who are dedicated to the implementation of patient-centered healthcare reform that will improve patient care. For more information, visit the Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights website at www.protectpatientsrights.org.
Contacts
Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights
703-405-9407
media@protectpatientsrights.org
