Mad As Hell Doctors

The "Gates of Hell"

“ The evidence is conclusive that our people do not yet receive all the benefits they could from modern medicine. For the rich and near-rich there is no real problem since they can command the very best science has to offer…Among the majority of the population, however, there are great islands of untreated or partially treated cases…Although it is a principle of far-reaching and, perhaps, of revolutionary significance, I think there are few who would deny that our ultimate objective should be to make these benefits available in full measure to all of the people.”

This quote was spoken by Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur, the first President of Stanford University, in 1932 and sadly it is still appropriate now. Today we traveled to Stanford to speak to faculty and medical students about P-PACA and Single Payer.

In defense of the political feasibility of P-PACA, but not really explaining its nuances or fatal flaws, was Dr. Arnold Milstein.  Out of only a handful of slides was a photo tribute to a woman he considers a “friend” and “smart and reasonable.”  The infamous Nancy Ann DeParle.  This is the same DeParle who earned $6 million from sitting on the boards of at least 6 companies that were targets of federal investigations, whistleblower lawsuits and other regulatory actions, and now is commonly known as Obama’s “Healthcare Czar.”  Dr. Milstein’s main point focused on the fact that smart people in Washington did the best they could.

In defense of single payer was Mad As Hell Doc Margaret Flowers. Her job was simple because all that she had to do was show the evidence of the failure of the market when it comes to health care and the evidence of the success of single payer. Margaret compared P-PACA to HR 676 based on 9 criteria such as universality, affordability, and sustainability and the striking differences couldn’t of been more obvious.

Following the presentations, the MAHD marched with local single payer advocates to the “Gates of Hell” in the Rodin Sculpture Garden where we expressed our anger at health injustice in this nation and our conviction to end it.

“Political feasibility” ignores true human suffering and continues to tie our sick care non-system to a sinking ship.  We just rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic and think we’ll miss the iceberg.