Quinn appointed Dr. Quentin Young to state’s Health Facilities Planning Board.

Illinois’s governor has appointed a longtime advocate of universal health care to a troubled state board. The move comes amid questions about whether the board should even exist.

Quentin Young will chair the state’s Health Facilities Planning Board. The board regulates where the facilities can be built or taken away. Critics say the board stifles competition … but Young says a little planning will lead to a fairer system.

YOUNG: There’s no perfect way, obviously, to have balance between regulation and competition. But this planning agency is an attempt to control the devastating cost of health care.

The board has been a venue for graft and kickbacks, involving close associates of former Governor Rod Blagojevich. Congressman Mark Kirk suggests abolishing the board, calling it, quote: “an opportunity for total corruption.” Kirk is thought to be mulling a run for governor. Incumbent Pat Quinn says the key is appointing trustworthy people.

Quentin Young has been a civil rights activist, Pat Quinn’s personal physician, and a longtime medical analyst for this station.

http://wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=33627


very impressive move by our governor!

Quinn has been on the right side of a lot of seriously progressive issues in this state over the years and I think that part of his "problem" (as far as rising up the Dem ranks) has been that he scares hell out of some of the party bigwigs.

I heard Dr Young speak at a Health Care Consumers' dinner a few years ago and he is a most intelligent man with a LOT of good ideas. I am glad to see Quinn make this appointment.


Laura

great that he will get this opportunity. he has worked for this for a hell of a long time. he has a reputation of accepting every request to speak about universal health care, even if it is a dozen people.
the only question- how will wbez survive without him?

he is a part owner of a medical practice, and is thus not allowed to sit on a board that regulates medical issues. and is probably about the only person in illinois for whom that would be a problem. sigh. this is why government so easily tilts toward the corrupt.