I practiced medicine in Erie from 1950-1990 and felt, in my earlier days, to be a member of a proud and dedicated profession.Some 25-30 years ago the physicians, who were preoccupied with their long hours of work, or politically naive, were taken hostage by a well planned, well coordinated putsch by the insurance industry. Thus, we now have a "Profession" subordinated to the insurance companies, captive to the insurance coordinators dictates as to care and management, and consumed by overburdening paper-work rather than having full time to follow their calling. (Not to say their increased exposure to malpractice claims), As a result medical care in the U.S.A. ranks 25th among nations of the world per a publication by the Commonwealth Fund in January 2008. Of course we encounter a dichotomy, for we note that our care may be superior if we are wealthy or blessed by first class employer provided insurance; however, if we are of the 50 million uninsured, or the great number of folks with inadequate or misrepresented health insurance, we are at the crises point. Let me underline the fact that the United States is the only country in the industrialized world that has health care managed by the insurance industry rather than by the medical profession. The Europeans have more physicians per 100,000 population, more hospital beds, more CT Scanners, and are provided adequate time in hospital to recover from an illness or procedure.

Let me make it clear that we do not desire "Socialized Medicine". This really is a boggy-man created by the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. This country does have examples of government run, i.e. socialized medicine, examples, the V.A., Medicare, the armed forces medicine---all of which are under funded by the Bush administration, but which normally provide excellent care . We have the outstanding government provided health care for members of congress and the executive branch. But, we who are promoting universal, single payer health care for all in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania would envision a program administered by a non-profit, public insurance company that provides autonomy to the physician and first rate care to the citizenry sans dictates from a third party. Let us emphasize that politicians should be excluded from the mix as many of them currently, and many at a later date, are and will be receiving moneys from the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. Our citizens need the best, deserve the best, and will have the best if they elect Mrs. Purvis as Commonwealth Senator from this district. We need a statewide, single payer, health care system, not the Governor's plan that is akin to the already failing plans in Massachusetts or California but a plan espoused by the Family and Business Health Care Security Act which has been introduced into the Pennsylvania Senate as SB300 and which can be reviewed by all interested at http://www.HealthCare4Allpa.org.

Hearings will begin on this bill, as well as a similar bill in the House, HB1660, this coming Spring. Please keep informed. I personally am ashamed to read hand written notes on restaurant doors indicating that a fund raiser will be held at a fire house, on such and such a date, to raise money so a 6 year old child can have a kidney-transplant. Here, in the United States! We can, we must, do better.

Dr. Stephen R. Keister

Erie , Pennsylvania