Secretary Robert Reich: “This is a terribly important hearing.”
Dr. Quentin Young: “I’m confidant that when we get universal national health insurance, which will come a lot sooner than many of us in the room expect, this very hearing will be considered one of the launching pads of the beginning of that process in a fresh way.”
Dr. Marcia Angell: “A fifth and final myth is that a single payer system is a good idea, but politically unrealistic. Now that is a self-fulfilling prophesy. In my opinion, the medical profession and the public would be enthusiastic about a single payer system if the facts were known and the myths dispelled.”
Rep. John Conyers: “I just wanted to say that this is the best health care hearing that’s ever been held in the United States’ House of Representatives, and you should all be proud of yourselves.”
Rep. Dennis Kucinich: “We really need to hold town hall meetings all across the country on this issue and wake the town, tell the people… ”
The transcript of this landmark hearing is now available at: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast/uploaded_files/kff050101.pdf