John Nichols: The Good Doctor's Cure for a Broken Healthcare System

from The Nation:



The Good Doctor's Cure for a Broken Healthcare System
posted by John Nichols on 06/11/2009 @ 07:42am


Dr. Linda Farley, the Wisconsin physician and nationally recognized advocate for health care reform who died this week at age 80, came to a conclusion after decades spent as a family-medicine provider, medical-school instructor, community-clinic volunteer and public-health specialist. She became an ardent campaigner on behalf of replacing the current for-profit health care system with a single-payer plan. Such a plan would guarantee that all Americans have access to quality care while at the same time cutting costs associated with insurance and health care industry profiteering.

Many of us took our counsel with regard to health-care reform from Dr. Farley, and her husband, Dr. Gene Farley, the retired chairman of the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine who was one of the recognized founders of the specialty of Family Medicine and the originator of one of the nation's first family practice residency programs.

Among those influenced by the Farleys was a young legislator named Tammy Baldwin, who now serves as a key member of the health subcommittee of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee and is one of the chamber's most outspoken advocates for the single-payer reform.

Says Baldwin of Dr. Linda Farley, who died after a battle with cancer that never stopped her campaigning for economic and social justice: "She was a dedicated physician, a champion of health care for all, a powerful role model, and a beloved friend. I met Linda close to twenty years ago. Of course, the context of our meeting was organizing for health care for the uninsured. Linda has been a partner in the effort to cover the uninsured for most of my political career. That we are about to begin this health care reform debate in Congress at the time of her death is especially poignant. If we succeed in ensuring health care for all, it will be in no small part because of Linda's life's work." ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/442817/the_good_doctor_s_cure_for_a_broken_healthcare_system