CIR Doctor Featured in New York City Hall Rally for Health Care

As the health care reform fight heats up, CIR doctors in New York are adding their voices to the call for quality, affordable health care.

“Our union is comprised of doctors on the front lines of health care,” Dr. Greg Dodell told a crowd of health care advocates and reporters at a July 28 rally at City Hall.  “We face patients and their families daily who can’t, or aren’t, getting the health care they need and deserve. We are not going to allow this to happen any longer!”

Dodell, an Internal Medicine resident at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt, is one of dozens of CIR members who have spoken publicly this summer about the need for real health care reform that includes a public health insurance option. Residents have been taking time each week to send letters to the editor, call their members of Congress, or educate their colleagues about the latest developments in health care reform. 

Dr. Dodell related the story of a patient who was distraught over how to manage his advanced diabetes when he couldn’t afford health insurance, despite the fact that he has a job. He brought up similar issues in a recent meeting with Congressman Joseph Crowley, stressing that a public option is crucial to provide competition for the private insurance companies, and any new insurance options must be affordable to the working-class patients who need them the most.