Tonight's QUOTE:

HH the Dalai Lama:

Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.

Founding Father

Quote: "Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it". - Thomas Jefferson.

Letter to the Editor from our friend, Dr. Jo Ann!

National insurance plan deserves support

In his speech to the American Medical Association, President Obama said “I need your help, doctors. To most Americans, you are the health-care system. The fact is, Americans — and I include myself, Michelle and our kids in this — we just do what you tell us to do.” I often wonder if my patients do what I tell them to do. For example, I advise my patients to lose weight by setting a reasonable goal of about fi ve pounds. I say focus on losing fi ve pounds over the summer and then focus on keeping that fi ve pounds off for the rest of the year. I call it “Focus on Five.” Will they do it?

Will Americans listen to this doctor’s opinion on health reform? Maybe. So for those who will listen, here is what I hope to see in the new health reform bill which is due out of the Senate and the House of Representatives soon.

I believe that every American should be able to choose for himself what health insurance he buys and one of his options should be a national public insurance plan. A quality, affordable public insurance plan should be an option. Keep the insurance plan you already have if you want. You would not have to change. Or choose a dif ferent commercial plan or a public plan.

A quality, affordable public plan would be cheaper. It is comprehensive. It travels with the individual wherever he lives, no matter who he is employed by, and even if he is unemployed. It travels with the in sured across state lines. It eliminates dis parities of race, ethnicity, gender and age. It gives you peace of mind and a security that you will always have affordable quality health care that cannot be taken away. It focuses on preventive care.

The public plan gives us the same insur ance coverage that our U.S. senators and congressman have. We deserve that!

The national public plan choice will stimulate competition among insurers.

There is very little real competition among the commercial insurers the way the system is currently designed. Competi tion is suppose to bring prices down. But insurance prices certainly have not been going down. Instead prices are going up. A public plan option stimulates the private insurance companies to truly compete for your business. No more insurance com pany fine print denying you coverage. The competition from a public plan option would constrain out- of-sight CEO sala ries and bonuses, stockholder profits and bloated advertising budgets. If you do not like the service and the coverage you are getting, you can drop one plan and choose another.

How much will reform cost and who will pay? When you add up what we are already paying and factor in that we are not getting value for our dollar, how could re form cost us any more? The current system costs too much.

A public plan will help preserve the doctor-patient relationship. For a long time now the commercial insurers have been trying to be your doctor. And that needs to stop. The doctor and the patient should stay in control.

President Obama’s idea of a public plan option is all about choice, quality and af fordability. Keep your current plan if you want. Keep your doctor.

Choose among private plans or a high quality affordable public option which gives you a choice of doctors and guarantees you cannot be denied due to a pre-existing con dition or due to your age.

Health reform with a national public plan choice is a uniquely American solu tion. It is not a Canadian plan or a Euro pean plan. It is uniquely American. It builds on what has worked for us up to now and reforms the pieces that have not worked. It drives the private insurance companies to compete for your business. It gives you the choice of quality affordable health care that cannot be taken away.

President Obama says Americans will listen to their doctor and do what they say. So if you are listening and if you agree, please call or e-mail our congressmen and ask them to support a national public plan choice. It has to be a national plan so it has real bargaining power. Tell them that the so-called “trigger option” is ineffective and is basically a do-nothing band-aid Call Rep. Mike Castle 302-736-1666 www.castle.house.gov Call Sen. Tom Carper 302-674-3308 www.carper.senate.gov Call Sen. Ted Kaufman 302-424-8090 www.kaufman.senate.gov

DSN Editor’s note: Jo Ann Fields, M.D., is a Felton resident.

Dr. Jo Ann is one of our P4P participants (I am very happy to know this great lady)! This letter appeared in today's Delaware State News! July 5, 2009.

Here's her outfit as she visited us on the Mask's porch after the parade!

4th of July

See the other photos at Jan's Flickr pages, the set that is labeled PEACE.