Forum details flaws in health care bills

What was billed as a health care forum turned into a no-holds-barred attack on health care bill HR3200 Friday night in Sahuarita.

The Quail Creek Republican Club sponsored the forum at the Madera Clubhouse, where two speakers and 125 people in attendance said the bill would destroy a system that works and would challenge the freedom doctors have. Nobody spoke in favor of health care reform bills under consideration in Congress.

Dr. Philip Bakody, medical director of the Department of Radiology at University Physicians Hospital, quoted a Stanford University medical colleague who said 80 to 85 percent of Americans are pleased with their health care.

A radiologist since 1984, Bakody said a big cost in medicine is malpractice, and tort reform has not been addressed in the health care bill. Several members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., have said tort reform is a must for any bill they support.

The Obama administration said last week that new Census numbers put the number of uninsured in the U.S. at more than 46 million, and they are a big part of the reason to revamp national health care.

Sen. John McCain, who held a health care forum Friday night in Oro Valley, said something needs to be done but said the Obama administration needs to reach out more aggressively to minority Republicans.

Dr. Jane Orient, who has been in private practice in internal medicine since 1981, said medicine should improve the quality of life, not save money.

Not providing medically necessary procedures could be considered a crime, but keeping doctors from performing certain services will reduce costs, she said.

“I’m very much against this bill ... we need to get back to freedom in medicine,” she said.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net. Includes information from the Associated Press.