The White House is holding their big Health Care Summit in an attempt to begin the conversation about how to reform the healthcare system with the goal of bringing America some sort of universal health care system. There’s just one problem. Where are the pro-life leaning medical groups who may have a thing or two to say about reforming healthcare in this country? The Catholic Health Association is on the list and is considered pro-life, but how about the Catholic Medical Association or the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists or the Christian Medical and Dental Association? None of the major pro-life medical groups are really on the list.
On the hand, I do see Planned Parenthood on the list. The Human Rights Campaign is on the list. National Council of La Raza is there. The Children’s Defense Fund is there. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is there. The National Partnership for Women and Families is on the list. Shall I go on? You get the idea.
The Obama administration wants this public debate over healthcare to be an honest dialogue in an attempt to come up with real solutions. Great idea. And to their credit they have brought in groups that opposed healthcare reform in the 1990’s. As for Planned Parenthood, of course they should be at this gathering. But folks, if the Obama White House is interested in hearing diverse opinions across a broad spectrum, why not reach out to these well established pro-life leaning medical groups and make it more balanced. One pro-life group?
When asked about the absence of these groups, Assistant White House Press Secretary Reid Cherlin tells The Brody File, "This forum brought together participants from across the health care spectrum– and we’ll continue to work closely with groups on all sides. Today’s forum was just the first step in what will be an ongoing discussion about tackling health reform.”
I understand the Obama administration is interested in dealing with the financial aspect to healthcare and that’s all well and good. I also understand that this healthcare summit is not a launching pad for culture war ideology on both sides. I get that. Still, when you talk healthcare “reproductive care” is an integral part of the conversation. That means topics like abortion and contraception are part of the discussion. You don’t think there will be a big controversy if President Obama’s healthcare plan covers abortions? It may be smart to get these Christian groups in on the process early. While those passionate subjects will no doubt be discussed at some point in length in the future, you would think that if you bring Planned Parenthood and other liberal minded groups to the discussion you would also have an opposite viewpoint at the same table. It’s a perception problem for an administration who is trying to reach out to the other side and be inclusive like never before.
President Obama said today that in the health care discussion, he wanted every voice heard, every idea considered, and every option on the table. But are we really getting every voice, idea, and option from participants at the forum?
Comments?
Here is the list:
AARP, Bill Novelli, President
ADAPT, Bobby Coward
AFL-CIO, Gerry Shea, Assistant to the President for Governmental Affairs
AFSCME, Gerry McEntee, President
AFT, Randy Weingarten, President
AIDS Action Rebecca Haag President and CEO
Alliance for Retired Americans, Ed Coyle, Executive Director
America’s Health Insurance Plans, Karen Ignani, President and CEO
American Cancer Society, Daniel Smith, President
American College of Physicians, Jeff Harris, President
American Academy of Pediatrics, David Tayloe, President
American College of Cardiology, W. Douglas Weaver, President
American Academy of Family Physicians, Ted Epperly, President
American Diabetes Association, Larry Hausner, CEO
American Heart Association, Timothy J. Gardner, President
American Hospital Association, Rich Umbdenstock, President
American Medical Association, Nancy Nielsen, President
American Nurses Association, Rebecca Patton, President
Asian and Pacific Islander Health Forum, Dr. Ho Tran, Executive Director
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Jeff Caballero, Executive Director
Building and Construction Trades Department, Mark Ayers, President
Better Health Care Together, Jody Hoffman, Executive Director
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Scott Serota, CEO
Campaign for America's Future, Roger Hickey, Founder and Co-Director
Campaign for Mental Health Reform, William Emmett, Director
Catholic Health Association, Sister Carol Keehan, President and CEO
CCD Health Task Force, Peter Thomas
CED, Charlie Kolb, CEO
Center for American Progress, John Podesta, President and CEO
Change to Win, Anna Burger, Chair
Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman, Founding President
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Irwin E. Redlener, M.D.
Communications Workers of America, Larry Cohen, President
Families USA, Ron Pollack, President
Federation of American Hospitals, Chip Kahn, President
General Mills, Ken Powell, President and CEO
Health Care for America Now, Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager
Hispanic Medical Association, Elena Rios, President
Human Rights Campaign, Joe Solmonese, President
Jennings Policy Strategies Group, Inc, Chris Jennings, President
League of United Latin American Citizens, Brent Wilkes, Executive Director
Markle Foundation, Zoe Baird, President
National Association of Counties, Valerie Brown, Incoming NACO Chair
National Association of Manufacturers, John Engler, President and CEO
National Association of People with AIDS, Frank Oldham, President and CEO
National Association of Community Health Centers, Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO
National Council of La Raza, Janet Murguia, President and CEO
National Jewish Hospital, Dr. Michael Salem, President
National Congress of American Indians, Jacqueline L. Johnson Pata, Executive Director
National Federation of Independent Businesses, Dan Danner, President
National Indian Health Board, Stacey Bohlen, Executive Director
National Medical Association, Mohammad Akhter, Executive Director
National Partnership for Women and Families, Debra Ness, President
National Business Group on Health, Helen Darling, President
National Association of Children's Hospitals, Larry McAndrews, President and CEO
National Association of Public Hospitals, Larry Gage, President
National Rural Health Association, Dennis Berens, President
National Coalition on Health Care, Henry Simmons, Founder
National Association for Home Care & Hospice, Val Halamandaris, President
National Women's Law Center, Marcia Greenberger, President
National Minority AIDS Council, Paul Kawata, President
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Rea Carey, President
National Hispanic Health Alliance, Dr. Jane Delgado, President
National Education Association, Dennis Van Roekel, President
Pfizer, Jeffrey Kindler, CEO
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Billy Tauzin, President and CEO
Physicians for a National Health Plan, Dr. Oliver Fein, Director
PICO, Scott Hersey Reed, Executive Director
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Cecile Richards, President
Racial and Ethnic Disparities Health Coalition, Fredette West, President
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO
SEIU, Dennis Rivera, Chair
SEIU, Andy Stern, President
Small Business Majority, John Arensmeyer, Founder and CEO
Teamsters, Jim Hoffa, President
Trust for America's Health, Jeff Levi, Executive Director
UAW, Ronald Gettelfinger, President
UFCW, Joe Hansen, President
University of Chicago Medical School, Eric Whitaker, Executive Vice President For Strategic Affiliations
University of Miami, Donna Shalala, President
USW, Leo Gerard, President
US Chamber, Tom Donohue, President