From AMERICAN PATIENTS UNITED

On November 19^th, 2008, at 10 a.m., the Senate Finance Committee will hold a host a hearing in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, in Washington, D.C., titled:  “Health Care Reform: An Economic Perspective”

As of this time, only two U.S. Senators, Max Baucus of Montana and Charles Grassley of Iowa, are slated to offer statements, and only four other individuals are being offered as witnesses.  There is no citizen or patient voice in this discussion of economic perspectives, and there is no nurse, doctor or other health care provider or professional voice in this discussion – no balance of perspectives from which our Senate can make informed choices.

The hearing announcement is linked here: http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/hearing111908.htm

We do not have a lot of time, but for those of us who are able, making some contact with the two Senate members offering comment and with other members of the finance committee might be important. Contact information is below (Fax and phone call is best, followed by email contact).

VoteSmart links to members of the Senate Finance Committee

Sen Max Baucus, Montana, chairman

http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=53315

Sen Charles Grassley, Iowa

http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=53293

Link to list of full membership of Senate Finance Committee:

http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/committee.htm

The members are (some will not be back in the 111^th Congress):

Sen. John Rockefeller, West Virginia

Sen. Kent Conrad, North Dakota

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico

Sen. John Kerry, Massachusetts

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas

Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon

Sen. Charles Schumer, New York

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Michigan

Sen. Maria Cantwell, Washington

Sen. Ken Salazar, Colorado

Sen. Orrin Hatch, Utah

Sen. Olympia Snowe, Maine

Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona

Sen. Gordon Smith, Oregon

Sen. Jim Bunning, Kentucky

Sen. Mike Crapo, Idaho

Sen. Pat Roberts, Kansas

Sen. John Ensign, Nevada

Sen. John Sununu, New Hampshire

Let’s make our voices heard.  Fax, write, call and attend if you can.