Health Leaders Urge Action Now!

Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford, president of The New York Academy of Medicine, participated in an event at the National Press Club in Washington on Thursday to join with colleagues concerned about what appears to be a standoff happening in Congress. She joined seven other national health policy leaders from varied backgrounds and points of view including Charles N. Kahn III, president of the Federation of American Hospitals; Dr. Donald Berwick, president

Dr. Boufford speaking at the National Press Club in Washington about health reform.

and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement; Dr. Stuart Altman of Brandeis University and former advisor to Presidents Nixon and Clinton; Dr. Judy Feder of Georgetown University; Dr. Peter Budetti, Bartlett professor of Public Health of the University of Oklahoma; Dr. Clifton Gaus, president of Health Reform USA; and Dr. William L. Roper, Dean of the School of Medicine, vice chancellor for Medical Affairs and CEO of the UNC Health Care System at the University of North Carolina all urging that the time for reform is now. As the head of an institution committed to the health of people living in cities, Dr. Boufford emphasized prevention in her message: “America spends almost twice as much per person for health care as any other country in the world, but the system we have is not delivering the health results our people deserve.” She continued, “We know what we have to do to change this: provide coverage to all of our citizens; avoid unnecessary illness by making prevention a priority; and create incentives to improve the quality of care for those who are sick. All of these steps are at the core of virtually every health reform proposal under consideration; now is the time to act.”

From left to right: Dr. Altman, Mr. Kahn, Dr. Roper, Dr. Boufford, and Dr. Feder

HealthReform USA, the nonprofit, nonpartisan group that helped assemble the health care leaders and sponsored an Open Letter to Congress that declares, our health care system is in crisis, the current system is not sustainable and meaningful reforms must be found now! Dr. Boufford signed the letter as an individual and invites NYAM Fellows to consider whether they might join the now over 400 signatories nationwide.

The Open Letter identifies eight policy changes that effective health reform legislation must contain. Among those provisions considered necessary is expanding coverage, promoting competition in health insurance, assuring affordability, and covering preventive services. The letter goes on to explicitly address the inaccuracies that “a small but vocal minority” has advanced concerning the current legislation. www.HealthReformUSA.com

Posted on September 21, 2009

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Contact:
Andrew J. Martin
Director of Communications
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
212-822-7285
amartin@nyam.org

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