Doctors on Strike for freedom in Medicine

[glgphd]

We have a shared interest in protecting the rights of doctors and patients as Washington politicians are poised to inject a lethal dose of statism into the heart of our healthcare system — an industry already clogged with more government control than any others. This massive dose of statism will induce grave waves of arrhythmia — inflation, price controls, doctor shortages, waiting periods, and rationing.

Something has to be done soon halt to this leftist-led, lemming-like leap into the sordid sea of statism.

Doctors on Strike for Freedom in Medicine is a private, nonprofit, educational, and partisan-activist organization that I founded on July 4, 2009 to take on the mission of preserving, protecting, and promoting freedom in healthcare in the United States of America.

Doctors on Strike is based on the principles recognized and published in our founding document, the Declaration of Independence for Doctors:

• That doctors and patients have the same inalienable individual rights that all citizens have — the right to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness;
  
• That the purpose of government is to secure individual rights, not violate them;
  
• That individual rights impose limitations on government;
  
• That statism in healthcare violates individual rights;
  
• That the statist healthcare proposals being advanced by the Administration and Congress would violate individual rights and gravely threaten the viability of the healthcare system; and
  
• That doctors, patients, and elected officials need to act — now — to preserve, protect, and promote individual rights and freedom in medicine.
  

Our long-term educational objective is to supply doctors and healthcare providers with the intellectual ammunition required to win the “philosophical war” against statism in medicine. The "Intellectual Ammunition" page of our website (www.doctorsonstrike.com) provides doctors and other healthcare providers with a principled, vigorous defense of freedom in medicine based a philosophy of rational self-interest, individualism, and laissez faire capitalism.

What sets Doctors on Strike apart from fine nonpartisan organizations is that we are an activist organization that can and will "take the gloves off" to take on public officials without having to worry about our tax-exempt status being revoked. This allows us the freedom to publish pointedly partisan pieces here that can't found elsewhere. We try to strike an acceptable balance between the need for objectivity in thought and the need for passion in action. Our ideal is to be passionately reasonable and reasonable passionate.

Our most pressing goal for 2009 is to help defeat the statist healthcare reform proposals presently circulating through Washington. To this end, Doctors on Strike is actively encouraging doctors and patients to put intense political pressure on legislators during their deliberations on health care reform. And we provide the political ammunition to do this.

The Political Ammunition of our website provides convenient ways to communicate our message to legislators. We provide links to the contact information on every senator and representative. We just added a special page devoted to the 51 members of the Blue Dog Coalition--a unique resource not found anywhere else on the web. We supply sample messages that can be copied, pasted, modified, and communicated to legislators over the phone or by email, fax, or mail. The messages vary in length from once sentence to several paragraphs to suit the preferences of a diverse group of doctors and patients. The core message is the same: We demand that Congress and the Administration respect the right of doctors and patients to make private healthcare decisions without any governmental interference.

I invite participants in Objectivist Living to go to our "Political Ammunition" page see for yourself how easy we have made it for voters to tell Congress how important it is to protect freedom in healthcare. If you have not yet made your views known to your senators and representative, why not do this now? See just how easy it is and then let others know too.

Doctors on Strike just created a Petition to Protect Doctor-Patient Rights, which will be submitted to Congress and calls on them to oppose and vote against legislation that provides for any:

• Public plan option,
  
• Mandates that force individuals to buy insurance coverage,
  
• Mandates that force employers to provide insurance coverage,
  
• Surcharges that force some groups to pay for the healthcare of other groups,
  
• Mandates that force doctors to participate in public plans.
  

We are also calling on doctors to prepare themselves to go on strike against any more government-run healthcare programs. We are calling on doctors to let the country know now that if the President signs into law any legislation that establishes another government healthcare plan, doctors will refuse to participate in any such plan, and will stop participating in all other government healthcare programs, including, but not limited to Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE.

As the 2010 election cycle approaches, we will identify and work openly to support those candidates for elected offices at the state and federal level who champion individual rights and liberty in healthcare. We will also unhesitatingly identify and publicly target for defeat any candidates for elected offices who support statist public policies that violate individual rights and infringe on liberty in healthcare. We just created a page on our website, “Targeted for Defeat in 2010,” with this goal in mind.

Our blog, Doctors on Strike, regularly posts news, opinions, and humor concerning healthcare reform. Yesterday, for example, we posted the news that the fascists who dominate the House Ways and Means Committee, marking up the Health bill:

• Rejected 25-15 an amendment from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) that would have eliminated the public plan option;
  
• Rejected 22-19 amendment from Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) that would have prevented providers from being forced to participate in the public plan;
  
• Rejected 21-18 an amendment from Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) that would have required members of Congress and their dependents to enroll in the public plan option;
  
• Rejected 21-19 an amendment from Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) that would have based payment rates on the private market, rather than on Medicare;
  
• Rejected 26-15 an amendment by Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) that would have prevented comparative effectiveness research from being used to deny care based on cost.
  (Source: John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog at http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/all-in-a-...comment-43995.)
  I am pleased to report that since we launched our website on July 4th, we have been visited by people from 553 cities in 34 countries around the world, including all 50 states in America. Our message is getting through to people interested in protecting individual rights in healthcare. Of course, we have a lot more work to do to win the near-term battle in Congress and the long-term war against statism in healthcare.
  This is a war--one we cannot afford to loose. We can be allies. I am contributing intellectual and political ammunition. Grab some ammo, spread it around to friends and family, and fire off your messages to Congress. I am asking for your support by spreading the word about our organization and our message--your message.
  Dr. Gregory L. Garamoni
  Licensed Psychologist
  Founder & Executive Director, Doctors on Strike for Freedom in Medicine
  Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
  904-631-3939
  www.doctorsonstrike.com
  www.drgaramoni.com
  garamoni@gmail.com

Edited July 23, 2009 by glgphd

[Selene]

Greg:

Excellent job.

"What sets Doctors on Strike apart from fine nonpartisan organizations is that we are an activist organization that can and will "take the gloves off" to take on public officials without having to worry about our tax-exempt status being revoked..."

This is so critical. When we formed F.A.M.I.L.Y., Advocates, that was our key choice after significant analysis and discussion. Keep the states hands out of your books, wallets and pockets because they will extort your compliance via the tax status.

When our confrontation eventually occurred with the system, "inquiries", and I am being quite kind, were made and demands for our membership lists, etc.

Unfortunately, they did not do their research. They assumed we would have to be a "501" corp. and tax deductible.

I will support your efforts fully.

Adam

[glgphd]

Obama is pushing Congress to have a bill out by July 28th--only 6 days from now! We need to push back and push back hard.

What can we do at this point?

I encourage everyone to DO SIX THINGS IN SIX DAYS to protect individual rights against the onslaught of statism:

1. Compose a message that reflects your position on the importance of protecting the rights of doctors and patients, freedom of choice, and fiscal responsibility in healthcare reform, in general, and objections to specific provisions, in particular, including the public option, mandates that force individuals to buy insurance coverage, mandates that force employers to provide insurance coverage, surcharges that force some groups to pay for the healthcare of other groups, mandates that force doctors to participate in public plans (examples of messages of varying length are provided here).

2. Call or email or fax your legislators to communicate your message by using Project Vote Smart to get the contact information on your legislators (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com...)

3. Call or email the the leadership or individual members of the Blue Dog Coalition (an influential group of fiscally conservative democrats who may have the power to defeat ObamaCare).

4. Sign these three online petitions (you can find others on the web):

Protect Doctor-Patient Rights

Patients First

Free Our Health Care Now

5. Make a YouTube video of yourself reciting “The Trader’s Oath” that I included in the Doctors Declaration of Independence: 


“I swear by my life, and my love of it, that as a doctor, as a patient, as a human being, I will forever defend the right of every doctor, every patient, every human being to be treated as a trader among traders, not a slave under masters, nor a master over slaves.”

6. Get as many of your friends, family, and acquaintances to do these same things (email them a copy of this).

Our website (www.doctorsonstrike.com) provides resources to help you do these things.

The KEY here is to have an "implementation intention" -- a plan as to when and where you are going to which of these things. A review of studies by Dr. Peter Gollwitzer shows that people who do this are much more likely to do what they intended when they had implementation intentions (e.g, breast self-exams were done more frequently by women who were asked to think through where and when they would do the exam than by women who simply intended to do a self-exam; extra credit projects over Christmas break were done more frequently by college students who decided where and when they would do the project than by students who just intended to do a project. )

So, yes, psychologists often demonstrate what is commonsense: The road to healthcare hell is paved with good intentions that don't have an implementation plan!

So when and where are you going to do these SIX THINGS IN SIX DAYS to protect your rights as a patient and those of your doctors?

PS. Just this week, the House Ways and Means Committee, marking up the Health bill:

Rejected 25-15 an amendment from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) that would have eliminated the public plan option;

Rejected 22-19 amendment from Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) that would have prevented providers from being forced to participate in the public plan;

Rejected 21-18 an amendment from Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) that would have required members of Congress and their dependents to enroll in the public plan option;

Rejected 21-19 an amendment from Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) that would have based payment rates on the private market, rather than on Medicare;

Rejected 26-15 an amendment by Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) that would have prevented comparative effectiveness research from being used to deny care based on cost.

(Source: John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog at http://www.john-goodman-blog.c....)

This statist crap should convince you that we really are in a war--one we cannot afford to loose. We are all doctors and patients now. We can be allies. I supply intellectual and political ammunition. Grab some ammo, spread some around to your friends and family, and fire off your message to Congress.

I am asking for your support by spreading the word about our organization, Doctors on Strike, and our message.

I've now done six things in the last few days so I know you can do it, too.

Dr. Gregory L. Garamoni

Licensed Psychologist

Founder & Executive Director, Doctors on Strike for Freedom in Medicine

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

904-631-3939

www.doctorsonstrike.com

www.drgaramoni.com

garamoni@gmail.com

Edited July 24, 2009 by glgphd

[galtgulch]

Doctor Garamoni,

I have taken the liberty to copy and paste your posts above where they might be seen by activist members of the Campaign For Liberty whose membership is 186,998 at the moment.(187.250) Also posted it on the Daily Paul site where Ron Paul supporters visit.

I would encourage you to visit www.DownsizeDC.org and contact them to see if they would add your campaign to their list of Campaigns which facilitate emailing both Congressmen and Senators.

www.campaignforliberty.com

www.YALiberty.com

Thank you for doing this.

Wm R. Cohen, M.D. aka galtgulch, gulch

Edited July 24, 2009 by galtgulch

[glgphd]

Doctor Garamoni,

I have taken the liberty to copy and paste your posts above where they might be seen by activist members of the Campaign For Liberty whose membership is 186,998 at the moment.(187.250) Also posted it on the Daily Paul site where Ron Paul supporters visit.

I would encourage you to visit www.DownsizeDC.org and contact them to see if they would add your campaign to their list of Campaigns which facilitate emailing both Congressmen and Senators.

www.campaignforliberty.com

www.YALiberty.com

Thank you for doing this.

Wm R. Cohen, M.D. aka galtgulch, gulch

I appreciate your support. I sent a message to www.DownsizeDC.com today. I saw the post at the Daily Paul site and felt refueled by this (even though something weird is going on with the redundant comments here and there!??)

"This is war--one we can't afford to lose. We are all doctors and patients now. We are allies. I supply some ammo. Grab some and fire away."

Thanks for firing away to the Ron Paul site.

dr. greg garamoni

[Selene]

Doc:

What did you mean by:

"...(even though something weird is going on with the redundant comments here and there!??)."

Adam

[glgphd]

Doctor Garamoni,

I have taken the liberty to copy and paste your posts above where they might be seen by activist members of the Campaign For Liberty whose membership is 186,998 at the moment.(187.250) Also posted it on the Daily Paul site where Ron Paul supporters visit.

I would encourage you to visit www.DownsizeDC.org and contact them to see if they would add your campaign to their list of Campaigns which facilitate emailing both Congressmen and Senators.

www.campaignforliberty.com

www.YALiberty.com

Thank you for doing this.

Wm R. Cohen, M.D. aka galtgulch, gulch

I appreciate your support. I sent a message to www.DownsizeDC.com today. I saw the post at the Daily Paul site and felt refueled by this (even though something weird is going on with the redundant comments here and there!??)

"This is war--one we can't afford to lose. We are all doctors and patients now. We are allies. I supply some ammo. Grab some and fire away."

Thanks for firing away to the Ron Paul site.

dr. greg garamoni

I reposted my original comment here at Objectivist Living and now its free of all the really weird redundancies. Should you or I correct this at the Ron Paul site?

[glgphd]

Doc:

What did you mean by:

"...(even though something weird is going on with the redundant comments here and there!??)."

Adam

I just fixed it. I did not mean to say that others were making weird comments, although I can see now that someone might think that from my statement. Something was weird about how my original post was printed here. i've fixed it now--I hope.

[Selene]

Understood.

Paranoia has become a healthy state of mind.

Adam

[glgphd]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democratic leaders on Thursday abandoned plans for a vote on health care before Congress' August recess, dealing a blow to President Barack Obama's ambitious timetable to revamp the nation's $2.4 trillion system of medical care.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., delivered the official pronouncement on what had been expected for weeks, saying, "It's better to have a product based on quality and thoughtfulness rather than try to jam something through."

We have won The Battle of The Deadline!

Now that we have won “The Battle of The Deadline,” it is time to regroup and redouble our efforts to mobilize the American people to put even more pressure on the Congress to reform healthcare without violating the rights of doctors and patients to make private healthcare decisions.

SEVEN STEP STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS

Here are several steps (with links to useful resources) you can take to make a difference in the war against statism in medicine:

1. Compose your message. (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/samplemessages.html'>http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/samplemessages.html)

2. Communicate your message to your legislators in Congress. (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/projectvotesmart.html'>http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/projectvotesmart.html)

3. Communicate your message to the influential Blue Dog Coalition. (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/bluedogcoalition.html'>http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/bluedogcoalition.html)

4. Communicate your message to the media (op-eds, blogs, comments at the end of online articles, discussion forums).

5. Sign at least three online petitions:

• Protect Doctor-Patient Rights (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/petitiontoprotectdoctor-patientrights.html'>http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/petitiontoprotectdoctor-patientrights.html)
  
• Patients First (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/patientsfirst.html'>http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/patientsfirst.html)
  
• Free Our Health Care Now (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/freeourhealthcare.html'>http://www.doctorsonstrike.com/freeourhealthcare.html)
  

6. Record a YouTube message of “The Traders Oath” -- “I swear by my life, and my love of it, that as a doctor, as a patient, as a human being, I will forever defend the right of every doctor, every patient, every human being to be treated as a trader among traders, not a slave under masters, nor a master over slaves.”

7. Call or email your family and friends and ask them do the same by emailing a link to this page.

Resources for doing these things are at Doctors on Strike (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com)

[glgphd]

Greg:

Excellent job.

"What sets Doctors on Strike apart from fine nonpartisan organizations is that we are an activist organization that can and will "take the gloves off" to take on public officials without having to worry about our tax-exempt status being revoked..."

This is so critical. When we formed F.A.M.I.L.Y., Advocates, that was our key choice after significant analysis and discussion. Keep the states hands out of your books, wallets and pockets because they will extort your compliance via the tax status.

When our confrontation eventually occurred with the system, "inquiries", and I am being quite kind, were made and demands for our membership lists, etc.

Unfortunately, they did not do their research. They assumed we would have to be a "501" corp. and tax deductible.

I will support your efforts fully.

Adam

Thank you. A few weeks ago, I called a friend who is an attorney who referred me to another one: He quoted me $7,500-$10,000 to form a nonprofit organization and that did not include a few thousand dollars of government fees only to be gagged on saying what needs to be said. I told him about a wonderfully hot place he could go to with a one-way ticket!!!! (Gulp!)

I still would like to know how I could form a legal, nonprofit, yet partisan, entity that could accept contributions even if they are not tax-deductible (I have limited free personal time and monetary resources). What tax/legal category does that fit? Is there an attorney out there who would advise me on this issue pro bono (i.e., pro self-interest)? Isn't this what political PACS are? I want to be able to say on our website, for example, vote for Ron Paul, but vote against Ted Kennedy on the basis of their positions on healthcare reform. Anybody? Back channel preferred.

[glgphd]

Obama is pushing Congress to have a bill out by July 28th--only 6 days from now! We need to push back and push back hard.

What can we do at this point?

I encourage everyone to DO SIX THINGS IN SIX DAYS to protect individual rights against the onslaught of statism:

1. Compose a message that reflects your position on the importance of protecting the rights of doctors and patients, freedom of choice, and fiscal responsibility in healthcare reform, in general, and objections to specific provisions, in particular, including the public option, mandates that force individuals to buy insurance coverage, mandates that force employers to provide insurance coverage, surcharges that force some groups to pay for the healthcare of other groups, mandates that force doctors to participate in public plans (examples of messages of varying length are provided here).

2. Call or email or fax your legislators to communicate your message by using Project Vote Smart to get the contact information on your legislators (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com...)

3. Call or email the the leadership or individual members of the Blue Dog Coalition (an influential group of fiscally conservative democrats who may have the power to defeat ObamaCare).

4. Sign these three online petitions (you can find others on the web):

Protect Doctor-Patient Rights

Patients First

Free Our Health Care Now

5. Make a YouTube video of yourself reciting “The Trader’s Oath” that I included in the Doctors Declaration of Independence: 


“I swear by my life, and my love of it, that as a doctor, as a patient, as a human being, I will forever defend the right of every doctor, every patient, every human being to be treated as a trader among traders, not a slave under masters, nor a master over slaves.”

6. Get as many of your friends, family, and acquaintances to do these same things (email them a copy of this).

Our website (www.doctorsonstrike.com) provides resources to help you do these things.

The KEY here is to have an "implementation intention" -- a plan as to when and where you are going to which of these things. A review of studies by Dr. Peter Gollwitzer shows that people who do this are much more likely to do what they intended when they had implementation intentions (e.g, breast self-exams were done more frequently by women who were asked to think through where and when they would do the exam than by women who simply intended to do a self-exam; extra credit projects over Christmas break were done more frequently by college students who decided where and when they would do the project than by students who just intended to do a project. )

So, yes, psychologists often demonstrate what is commonsense: The road to healthcare hell is paved with good intentions that don't have an implementation plan!

So when and where are you going to do these SIX THINGS IN SIX DAYS to protect your rights as a patient and those of your doctors?

PS. Just this week, the House Ways and Means Committee, marking up the Health bill:

Rejected 25-15 an amendment from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) that would have eliminated the public plan option;

Rejected 22-19 amendment from Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) that would have prevented providers from being forced to participate in the public plan;

Rejected 21-18 an amendment from Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) that would have required members of Congress and their dependents to enroll in the public plan option;

Rejected 21-19 an amendment from Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) that would have based payment rates on the private market, rather than on Medicare;

Rejected 26-15 an amendment by Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) that would have prevented comparative effectiveness research from being used to deny care based on cost.

(Source: John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog at http://www.john-goodman-blog.c....)

This statist crap should convince you that we really are in a war--one we cannot afford to loose. We are all doctors and patients now. We can be allies. I supply intellectual and political ammunition. Grab some ammo, spread some around to your friends and family, and fire off your message to Congress.

I am asking for your support by spreading the word about our organization, Doctors on Strike, and our message.

I've now done six things in the last few days so I know you can do it, too.

Dr. Gregory L. Garamoni

Licensed Psychologist

Founder & Executive Director, Doctors on Strike for Freedom in Medicine

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

904-631-3939

www.doctorsonstrike.com

www.drgaramoni.com

garamoni@gmail.com

Oh, and here is a seventh thing you can do for extra self-esteem credit: Communicate your message to the media (op-eds, blogs, comments at the end of online articles, discussion forums).

[glgphd]

Do A Quickie So You Really Don't Get Royally Screwed

One quick thing you can do today is "sign" the Petition to Protect Doctor-Patient Rights

Here are the results so far:

Signatures (First and Last Names)

Total number 32

Total number today 10

Total number within last week 32

Answers to questions

Should doctors "go on strike" by refusing to participate in any new government-run healthcare plan? 32

Yes No

31 1

96.9% 3.1%

If ObamaCare is approved, should doctors "go on strike" by stopping their participation in other government-run healthcare plans (Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, SCHIP)? 31

Yes No

30 1

96.8% 3.2%

Please take a minute, go to this website, "sign" the petition, and email your family and friends to get them to participate in this campaign to tell Congress to reform healthcare without violating the rights of doctors and patients to make private healthcare decisions.

[glgphd]

An Open Letter to The Blue Dog Coalition

Dear Honorable Leaders and Members of The Blue Dog Coalition:

As a healthcare professional and the leader of a national campaign to protect the rights of doctors and patients, I urge you to vote against HR3200: America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.

On July 4, 2009, I founded a new organization, Doctors on Strike for Freedom in Medicine to take on the mission of preserving, protecting, and promoting freedom in healthcare. We simultaneously issued a Declaration of Independence for Doctors and declared a philosophical and political war against more governmental intrusion into healthcare.

Doctors on Strike is establishing a rapidly growing national audience through our internet presence at www.doctorsonstrike.com, where we supply doctors and patients with the philosophical and political ammunition to fight for their rights. Launched three weeks ago, our website has been visited by people from 756 cities in 40 countries around the world, including all 50 states in America. Our message is getting through to people interested in protecting individual rights in healthcare.

We hope this communication will get our message through to each member of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition.

Doctors on Strike is based on the principles that:

• Doctors and patients have the same inalienable individual rights that all human beings have — the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

• The purpose of government is to secure these rights, not violate them;

• Rights impose limitations on government;

• Government intrusion into healthcare violates these rights;

• HR3200 would violate these rights, be fiscally irresponsible, and gravely threaten the viability of the healthcare system; and

• Doctors, patients, and elected officials need to act — now — to preserve, protect, and promote individual rights and freedom in medicine.

Our most pressing goal for 2009 is to help defeat HR3200 and other statist healthcare reform proposals now circulating in Washington. To this end, Doctors on Strike is actively encouraging doctors and patients to put intense political pressure on legislators during your deliberations on healthcare reform.  We supply our national audience with the intellectual and political ammunition to do this.

We provide links to the contact information on every senator and representative.  You should know that we just added a special website page devoted to the 51 members of the Blue Dog Coalition, which provides the names, pictures, and contact information on each Blue Dog.  We are encouraging doctors and patients to urge the Blue Dogs to reform healthcare in a fiscally responsible manner and with due respect for the right of doctors and patients. 

As the 2010 election cycle approaches, we will identify and publicly support those candidates for elected offices at the state and federal level who champion individual rights in healthcare.  We hope you will be one of them.

We will also unhesitatingly identify and publicly target for defeat any candidates who support legislation that violates individual rights. We just created a page on our website, “Targeted for Defeat in 2010,” with this goal in mind.

We recently created a Petition to Protect Doctor-Patient Rights, which will be submitted to Congress and calls on legislators to oppose legislation that provides for any:

• Public plan option,

• Mandates that force individuals to buy insurance coverage,

• Mandates that force employers to provide insurance coverage,

• Surcharges that force some groups to pay for the healthcare of other groups, and

• Mandates that force doctors to participate in public plans.

We are also encouraging doctors to prepare themselves to go on strike against government-run healthcare programs.  We want doctors to let the country know now that, if the President signs legislation to establish a new government healthcare plan, they will refuse to participate in any such plan and will also stop participating in all other government healthcare programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and SCHIP.

Our blog, Doctors on Strike, regularly posts news and opinions on healthcare reform.  This week we posted the news that the House Ways and Means Committee, marking up the Health bill:

• Rejected 25-15 an amendment from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) that would have eliminated the public plan option;

• Rejected 22-19 amendment from Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) that would have prevented providers from being forced to participate in the public plan;

• Rejected 21-18 an amendment from Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) that would have required members of Congress and their dependents to enroll in the public plan option;

• Rejected 21-19 an amendment from Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) that would have based payment rates on the private market, rather than on Medicare;

• Rejected 26-15 an amendment by Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) that would have prevented comparative effectiveness research from being used to deny care based on cost.

(Source: John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog)

This information made it absolutely clear to our audience that those Democrats in Congress who support HR3200 are poised to inject a massive, lethal dose of statism into the brain of our healthcare system--the independent practice of medicine--a long-established, well-tested tradition in which doctors and patients exercise their right to make personal and private healthcare decisions that are informed by the professional training and experience of the doctor and tailored to the unique needs of the patient--without the forceful intrusion of government bureaucrats. We fear that this massive dose of statism will induce a wave of “seizures” in the healthcare economy — inflation, price controls, doctor shortages, waiting periods, and rationing. This is clearly the wrong medicine at the wrong time for the faltering economy, in general, and the over-regulated healthcare sector, in particular.

In your deliberations on healthcare reform, we respectfully ask you to demonstrate your respect for the rights of doctors and patients by opposing any government option, mandates for individual insurance coverage, mandates for employer coverage, tax surcharges, and requirement for doctors to participate in a public option. These provisions are immoral, unconstitutional violations of our rights as doctors and patients. These provisions are also fiscally irresponsible.

We urge you instead to support and vote for legislation to decrease the federal regulation of the entire healthcare industry. The burdens of federal and state control are stifling competition and innovation among insurance companies and other healthcare providers. They are a major cause of inflation in healthcare goods and services.

We understand that many of you are considering running for reelection. If your vote(s) reflect fiscal responsibility and respect the rights of doctors and patients, we will openly and vigorously support your reelection. If your vote(s) are fiscally irresponsible and violate the rights and doctors and patients, we may have no choice but to support your opponent.

We hope you make the right choice for freedom in America.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Respectfully,

Dr. Gregory L. Garamoni

Founder & Executive Director, Doctors on Strike for Freedom in Medicine

2304 Sawgrass Village Drive

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

904-631-3939

www.doctorsonstrike.com

garamoni@gmail.com

July 25, 2009

[glgphd]

I've totally redone the homepage for "Doctors on Strike" (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com).

I hope that all you cats, however impossible you are to herd, will take a peak, be inspirationally inspired, and take some time now out of your precious time (only a few minutes!) to act in your own self-interest!

Please check it out.

Positive feedback is welcome, negative . . . at your own risk!

Greg

[Selene]

I've totally redone the homepage for "Doctors on Strike" (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com).

I hope that all you cats, however impossible you are to herd, will take a peak, be inspirationally inspired, and take some time now out of your precious time (only a few minutes!) to act in your own self-interest!

Please check it out.

Positive feedback is welcome, negative . . . at your own risk!

Greg

Greg:

Nice job. Nice activity. Love the thermometer! It is being passed along to everyone in my circle of influence which has some significant reach.

Adam

[glgphd]

I've totally redone the homepage for "Doctors on Strike" (http://www.doctorsonstrike.com).

I hope that all you cats, however impossible you are to herd, will take a peak, be inspirationally inspired, and take some time now out of your precious time (only a few minutes!) to act in your own self-interest!

Please check it out.

Positive feedback is welcome, negative . . . at your own risk!

Greg

Greg:

Nice job. Nice activity. Love the thermometer! It is being passed along to everyone in my circle of influence which has some significant reach.

Adam

The little feedback I get like this is fuel for me to keep on going!!!!!!!!!

Thanks.

DrGreg

[Selene]

For everyone's interest:

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2009/07/whats-in-healthacre-bill.html

Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self-insure!!

Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments / benefits you get

Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill - YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED !

Pg 42 of HC Bill - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose HC benefits for you. You have no choice!

PG 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise

Pg 58HC Bill - Govt will have real-time access to individ's finances & a National ID Healthcard will be issued!

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access to your bank accts for electronic funds transfer

PG 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions & Community Orgs (ACORN).

Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an "HC Exchange" to bring privet HC plans under Govt control.

PG 84 Sec 203 HC bill - Govt mandates ALL benefit pkgs for private HC plans in "the Exchange"

PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!

PG 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill - Govt mandates linguistic approp services Example - "Translation for illegal aliens"

Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps, to sign up indiv. for Govt HC plan

PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs of Benefit Levels for Plans. AARP members, your Health care WILL be rationed

PG 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill - Medicaid Eligible Individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice

Pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt Monopoly

Pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill - Doctors / #AMA - The Govt will tell YOU how much $ you can make.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto-enroll employees into pub option plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HC for part-time employees AND their families.

Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Employer w/ payroll > 400k who does not provide public option. pays 8% tax on all payroll

Pg 150 Lines 9-13 Biz w/ payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesn't prov. pub. opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll

Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5%

Pg 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (You will pay)

Pg 195 HC Bill - Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL American's financial records

PG 203 Line 14-15 HC - "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" ( Yes, it says that.)

Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill Govt will reduce physician svcs for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor; affected

Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill - Doctors; doesn't matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same.

PG 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of Dr's time, professional judgment, etc. Literally value of humans.

PG 265 Sec 1131 Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries

PG 268 Sec 1141 Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power-driven wheelchairs

PG 272 SEC. 1145. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151 The Govt will penalize hospitals for what Govt deems "preventable readmission's."

Pg 298 Lines 9-11 Drs; treat a patient during initial admiss that results in a re-admiss - Govt will penalize you.

Pg 317 L 13-20 OMG!! PROHIBITION on ownership / investment. Govt tells Drs. what/how much they can own.

Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion - Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand

pg 321 2-13 Hospitals have option to apply for exception BUT community input required. (Can you say ACORN?!)

Pg335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339 - Govt mandates estab. of outcome-based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing

Pg 341 Lines 3-9 Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Adv Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing you into Govt plan

Pg 354 Sec 1177 - Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special Needs ppl! WTF !!

Pg 379 Sec 1191 Govt creates more bureaucracy - "Tele-health Advisory Cmtte." Can you say HC by phone?

PG 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance-Care Planning Consult. (Think: Senior Citizens end of life)

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory!

PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Govt provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death

PG 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program for orders for end-of-life. The Govt has a say in how your life ends

Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An "adv. care planning consult" will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates

PG 429 Lines 10-12 "adv. care consultation" may incl an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from GOV

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 - The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.

PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life

Pg 469 - Community Based Home Medical Services=Non profit orgs. Hello, ACORN Medical Svcs here!!?

PG 472 Lines 14-17 PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORG. 1 monthly payment 2 a community-based org. Like ACORN?

PG 489 Sec 1308 The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt into your marriage

Pg 494-498 Govt will cover Mental Health Svcs including defining, creating, rationing those services