STEFFIE WOOLHANDLER, M.D., M.P.H.
DAVID HIMMELSTEIN, M.D.
OLIVER FEIN, M.D.
MARK ALMBERG
Woolhandler and Himmelstein are professors of medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-founders of Physicians for a National Health Program. Fein is president of the group; Almberg is communications director.

Addressing the Senate in an open letter, they write: “We ask that you defeat the bill currently under debate, and immediately move to consider the single-payer approach — an expanded and improved Medicare-for-All program — which prioritizes the advancement of our nation’s health over the enhancement of private, profit-seeking interests. …

“Congress’ capitulation to insurers — along with concessions to the pharmaceutical industry — fatally undermines the economic viability of reform. The bill would inflate the already crushing burden of insurance-related paperwork that currently siphons $400 billion from care annually.” See the full letter to the Senate.

KAREN HIGGINS, CHARLES IDELSON
Higgins is co-president of National Nurses United, and Idelson is a spokesperson for the group, which released a statement today: “The 150,000 member National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union and professional organization of registered nurses in the U.S., today criticized the healthcare bill now advancing in the U.S. Senate saying it is deeply flawed and grants too much power to the giant insurers.”

Higgins, a registered nurse, said today: “It is tragic to see the promise from Washington this year for genuine, comprehensive reform ground down to a seriously flawed bill that could actually exacerbate the healthcare crisis and financial insecurity for American families, and that cedes far too much additional power to the tyranny of a callous insurance industry.” See a comprehensive statement and analysis of the Senate bill.

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167