Who is Stephen Hanson?
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x379808864/Bakersfield-man-rubs-elbows-with-the-Pres
Bakersfield physician assistant Stephen Hanson stood within arm’s length of President Barack Obama in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday as the president addressed a crowd of doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Flanked on the dais by Hanson and a few other health care professionals, the president pledged to make national health care reform a reality, even in the face of unanimous opposition among congressional Republicans — and wavering support from a number of Democrats.
Politics aside, Hanson enjoyed the experience for what it was: being very near the president of the United States and having the opportunity to represent at a national level the professionalism of some 75,000 physician assistants across the country.
“It was an amazing experience,” said Hanson, who was invited to the event because of his position as president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
The organization does not align itself with any one reform plan, Hanson said in a phone call from Washington, D.C. But it does support improved access to care for all Americans and recognizes that reform of the current system is critical.
Hmmmm... President of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.....
http://www.aapa.org/about-aapa
About AAPA
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) is the only national professional association that represents all PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the armed forces, and the federal services.
AAPA provides comprehensive support and advocacy for physician assistants so that they may, in turn, provide patients with increased access to quality, cost-effective health care.
And who, does this supposed non political organization seem to support?
http://www.healthfreedompas.com/blog/2008/05/
“AAPA buys Congress Votes: Dem 22 / Rep 8
The May issue of the AAPA news has an article entitled,
“Does Your Representative Care About Health Care?”.
This should attract our readers’ antennae. The article talks about the AAPA’s Political Action Committee (PAC). PACs are legal ways to bribe politicians to listen to you. So, who is the AAPA bribing? I thought I’d look. I went to the FEC (Federal Election Commission) website and found out EXACTLY who the AAPA PAC paid. Click here for my compiled summary of the AAPA PAC contributions by congress. I list the contributions by congress person and their party. Note : 22
Democrats and 8 Republicans received funds donated by PAs. On the FEC site you can also find out which PAs donated. The Center for Responsive Politics (at www.opensecrets.org links to the AAPA PAC info also)”
Interesting site... seems to say the AAPA tends to support socialistic health care...
A quick search of Christopher Lillis shows he is a MD, and practices as an internist in virginia.
He seems to have an unfavorable opinion of health insurance companies...
http://www.virginia-organizing.org/opinion_columns.php#181
Christopher Lillis Letter to the Editor 9-3-09
Rationing? Ask rich insurance CEO about it
As a primary care physician, I cannot help but follow the debate closely in Washington regarding health care reform. It has been quite discouraging to see this debate put into nearly purely partisan political terms when lives are hanging in the balance.
As someone who is in private practice and has long volunteered in free clinics, I have seen a rather disturbing trend: More and more Americans are losing their health insurance.
.
.
This leaves me guessing, with every test I order and every prescription I write: Will my patient be able to afford this?
When patients struggle to get care while compensation packages for insurance company CEOs are in the tens of millions, I cannot help but think we are doing something wrong as a country.
Taking medical decisions away from private, for-profit insurers could save $400 billion, according to the organization Physicians for a National Health Plan.
Physicians for a National Health Plan happens to be a group advocating a single payer system.
He also seems to be and admirer of ted (remember Mary Jo Kopechne) kennedy...
http://drsforamerica.org/kennedy/
pledge to work every day with blog posts, letters to the editors of newspapers, and speak with my neighbors and patients about our moral imperative to pass health insurance reform.
Christopher Lillis, MD