Doctors raise stakes about presidential candidates' health care plans

A Delaware County physician says health care is too important of an issue in the upcoming presidential election, and that the candidates should have a forum to talk about their vision for the future of health care.

That's why C. Richard Schott, a cardiologist and vice chairperson of the Pennsylvania Medical Society Board of Trustees, has extended an invitation to Barack Obama and John McCain to explain their health plans for America in front of nearly 300 physicians at the annual meeting of the organization to be held on October 25 and 26 in Hershey, Pa.

"Pennsylvanians say health care will play a role in how they vote this November," Dr. Schott said citing statistics from The Patient Poll through The Institute for Good Medicine at the Pennsylvania Medical Society. "Roughly, 70 percent of Pennsylvanians say that health care is either a significant or the most important factor on how they will vote."

"Doctors are advocates for quality and access to patient care," he said. "While both McCain and Obama have some information on their web sites, they both provide only a glimpse. It is difficult for even the most politically savvy doctor to fully comprehend the details of either of their plans."

Health care that is accessible, affordable, and portable are important issues that all need to be addressed, Dr. Schott says, adding the medical society has concerns about how to pay for the escalating costs of health care.

"Health care has great demands placed upon it, and our resources are being squeezed," Dr. Schott said. "With our baby boomers entering an age when they'll need more and more health care, and with a lot of our physicians approaching retirement, this raises additional access issues."

"Having an opportunity to present their specific ideas for health care reform here in Pennsylvania, one of the key battleground states, just before the November 4 election should be a tough offer for either candidate to turn down," he said. "We are hopeful that the candidates will come to explain their positions on all of these important health care issues."

Invitations from the Pennsylvania Medical Society were sent to the candidates on September 19.