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HRC Health Care Correspondence 93 - S
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HRC Health Care Correspondence 93 - S
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Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
SUBJECT/TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
AND TYPE
001. memo
From: Susannah Wellford, To: Pam Barnette, Re: Letter to HRC (1
7/27/93
b(6)
page)
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
First Lady's Office
Pam Cicetti
OA/Box Number: 13598
FOLDER TITLE:
HRC Health Care Correspondence 93 - S
2014-0159-S
sb282
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act |44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - 15 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA|
b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office |(a)(2) of the PRAJ
b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute |(a)(3) of the PRA|
an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute |(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information |(a)(4) of the PRA]
h(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President
information |(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy |(a)(6) of the PRA]
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
of gift.
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
2201(3).
concerning wells |(b)(9) of the FOIA]
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
HRC
HC CORR 93-S
PERSONAL
&
CONFIDENTIAL
DETERMINED TO BE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE MARKING
INITIALS: ADB DATE: 12-4-13
PHOTOCOPY
PRESERVATION
Withdrawal/Redaction Marker
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
SUBJECT/TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
AND TYPE
001. memo
From: Susannah Wellford, To: Pam Barnette, Re: Letter to HRC (1
7/27/93
b(6)
page)
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
First Lady's Office
Pam Cicetti
OA/Box Number: 13598
FOLDER TITLE:
HRC Health Care Correspondence 93 - S
2014-0159-S
sb282
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - |44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - 15 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
b(1) National security classified information |(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office |(a)(2) of the PRA)
b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]
an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information |(a)(4) of the PRA]
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President
information |(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors. or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy |(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA|
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes |(b)(7) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
of gift.
financial institutions |(b)(8) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
2201(3).
concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
COLUMBIA
cc: mike Jup
A New Commitment to Healthcare
Together
Columbia Healthcare Corporation
201 West Main Street
P.O. Box 740033
Louisville. Kentucky 40201-7433
Telephone 502/572-2000
FAX 502/572-2002
October 26, 1993
PAM NOV 8 1995
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Office of the First Lady
Room 100 OEOB
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to meet with me. I commend you for
the dedication to developing solutions to help improve the delivery of health care for the
people of our country.
As I indicated in our meeting, I agree with you that affordable, quality care should be
available to all our citizens. At Columbia, we are already addressing many of the concerns
that you have voiced often during this past year. However, I believe that increased
government regulation and price controls will only stifle private sector initiatives that already
are showing promising results. Continued improvements will result if the private sector is
allowed to use the forces of the marketplace to effect the changes we agree are vitally
important to the future of our nation.
I hope you will call on me in the future if I can be of help in implementing changes that will
ensure the delivery of quality and cost-effective health care for all Americans.
Sincerely,
Rechal Dar
Richard L. Scott
President/Chief Executive Officer
INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
2101 CONSTITUTION AVENUE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20418
KENNETH I. SHINE, M.D.
October 22, 1993
$ 1995
PRESIDENT
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
On behalf of the Council, members, staff and fellows of the Institute of Medicine, I
want to express our deepest gratitude to you for speaking at the Institute's annual meeting on
Tuesday, October 19. Your presence was an honor in and of itself, but even more so was
the amount of time you spent with us, describing the President's health care reform plan and
responding to our questions. Our members were universally delighted and impressed by
your clear and total grasp of all of the issues, your willingness to openly and frankly discuss
aspects of the plan, and your obvious sincerity in asking for our help and input in the months
ahead. It was a masterful presentation.
You mentioned backstage that you never get to see the fronts of buildings you visit,
so I am taking the liberty of enclosing a brochure and card on the Albert Einstein statue,
which has become the landmark for identifying the National Academy of Sciences building.
Once again, we deeply appreciate your taking time from your incredibly busy
schedule to meet with us. Our members have been involved in the health care arena all of
their professional lives, and your work on health care reform has been an inspiration to all of
us. Your presence with us served to underscore all of our hopes that at last major reform
will be achieved. We thank you and the President for that inspiration and vision of a health
care system that will respond to the needs of all Americans.
Sincerely,
Ken Kenneth I. Shine, M.D.
The Albert Einstein Memorial at the
National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC
Sculptor: Robert Berks
Medium: Bronze, marble Dedicated: April, 1979
The National Academy of Sciences, chartered by the United States Congress in
1863, is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the furtherance of
science and engineering for the public welfare. In 1916 the Academy organized
the National Research Council, which provides independent advice to the
nation on scientific and technical questions.
Today, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine are
also part of the Academy complex and are housed in the same building.
PHOTOCOPY
PRESERVATION
Photograph: Diana H. Walker
CC: MINE
cux
THE WHITE HOUSE
June 3, 1993
Mr. Ron Silver, President
Actors' Equity Association
165 West 46th Street
New York, New York 10036
Dear Ron:
Thank you for writing, and I
apologize for the delay in responding. My
mail has been overwhelming since the
Inauguration, especially because of the
health care work I am doing.
I understand from Mike Lux that you
had a very constructive and thoughtful
meeting several weeks ago. We want to
keep you involved and appreciate your
expression of support.
It was good to hear from you, however
long ago, and thank you again for all you
do.
Sincerely yours,
Hillary Hillary Rodham Clinton
Professional Theatre
Actors'
RON SILVER
Equity
President
Association
Pounded in 1913
CLC
February 1, 1993
Hillary Rodham Clinton
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
As you may know, I have been a strong advocate of National Health Care for some
time. What you may not be aware of is that Actors' Equity Association, the 39,000
member union of which I am President, has joined me in this battle and has been
very active in the struggle for health care reform.
One of the things that first drew me to President Clinton's campaign was his call for
health care reform and I have been a strong supporter of his as an individual, as
President of Equity and as President of The Creative Coalition. Kathy Berlin, a
friend of yours, is an active member of The Creative Coalition. In our work together
with TCC, we have also prioritized building an agenda for National Health Care.
Equity may not be a huge union but we can make an impact. And because we are
a union of actors and theatre people, our members are passionate, vocal and active.
We have outreach potential and want to get behind your efforts. We have the ability
to generate national will, help build a consensus, educate the millions of people as
yet uninformed about our health care crisis. We have access to radio and television
outlets such as Phil Donahue, Oprah Winfrey and the other talk shows.
In fact, the red ribbon worn in support of those with AIDS and their caretakers was
launched in this office. Visual AIDS, a group of artists fighting AIDS, came up with
the idea and design. Equity Fights AIDS then promoted the ribbons and was
responsible for their national exposure by having them worn first on the Tony
Awards in 1991 and later on the Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes.
Let us know how we can best help and what role we can play in your work with
Health Care. We wish you the best of luck with your endeavor. We can make a
difference.
Sincerely,
Ron Silver
Ron Silver
President
165 WEST 46th STREET
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10036
TELEPHONE (212) 869-8530
117
Hillary - I opoke to Brian
Greenspin about Dr. Sinous
He is a "zealot," a good one,
but someone who will never
set enough attention.
Brian sai d a
you're this point
than evan sh. Pan
THE WHITE HOUSE
June 16, 1993
John N. Simons, M.D.
Health Campus International
7101 East Jackrabbit Road
Paradise Valley, Arizona 85253
Dear Dr. Simons:
Thank you for your letters and
commitment to reforming our health care
system.
I am delighted that you have had
several conversations with Ms. Wellford, a
senior health analyst in the Office of
Policy Development, and that your
materials have been received and reviewed
by the working groups of the Task Force on
National Health Care Reform.
At this point, the task force and its
working groups have disbanded and we look
forward to presenting a health care reform
initiative to the nation in the near
future. Thank you for having been a part
of this process.
Sincerely yours,
Hillary Rodham Rodbam Clinton Clinton
cc: Brian Greenspun
DCC
НФӀ
HEALTH CAMPUS
INTERNATIONAL
June 10, 1993
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Chairwoman, White House Health Care Task Force
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500-2000
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
On April 7th, I was pleased to receive a phone call from Ms. Susannah Wellford of Ira
Magaziner's office who stated that she had received a note from you suggesting that I
might have a contribution to make in your reform of health care delivery. I assured her I
would be happy to do so. I Federal Expressed information to her in support of my
position that evening. I had additional contact with Ms. Wellford on April 16th, and last
had contact on May 4th.
I am writing to you again today, as I just heard a part of your speech at Johns Hopkins
which was just played over the local radio, in which you were challenging those who
were graduating today from the Johns Hopkins University Medical School relative to the
fact that you could not believe that anyone experienced in the delivery process would not
acknowledge there needs to be significant change.
I could not agree with you more, but it has been two months since my initial phone call
from your office. I do have a very strong message about reform of the delivery process
which I believe is equal to or is perhaps of even greater importance than necessary
financial reforms. I can do nothing more than to repeat my willingness to make a
contribution.
I am aware that Brain Greenspun was responsible for my initial contact by your office
and I do not believe he would have suggested to you I be contacted unless he felt I could
be of help. I am acutely aware that payment of medical care becomes a political process,
but let me emphasis again, the delivery of health care is apolitical and it's inefficiency is
the root cause of our present crisis.
7101 EAST JACKRABBIT ROAD
PARADISE VALLEY, AZ 85253
602 947 2454
FAX 602 481 9579
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Page 2
June 10, 1993
As you said in your speech today, the delivery process needs significant reform and I am
frustrated that in spite of 60 days of repeated offerings to participate, my message has yet
to be heard by you or the leaders of your task force.
Sincerely,
In Sima, Sima )
John JNS/bs
John N. Simons, M.D.
think the
would W Cooled
HEALTH CAMPUS INTERNATIONAL
at
John N. Simons, M.D.
freastrees
7101 E. JACKRABBIT ROAD
PARADISE VALLEY, ARIZONA 85253
who Special perion
(602) 947-2454
meaded him
6 a 70B
May 4, 1993
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Chairwoman
White House Health Care Task Force
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500-2000
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
Several weeks ago, I received a call from Susannah Wellford of Ira Magaziner's office, who
informed me she had received a note from you suggesting I be contacted relative to a new
group you were putting together in your continuing focus on health care reform. I asked Ms.
Wellford how my name had come to your attention, and was told it was through our mutual
friend, Brian Greenspun. At Ms. Wellford's suggestion, I sent a packet of background
material to her. I have heard nothing further and assume the group she was talking about is
the new, 47-member group I have recently read about.
I am disappointed there was no follow-up contact from Ms. Wellford, not because I wished
to wear a chevron on my sleeve signifying I had made a trip to the White House, but because
I did not have the opportunity to bring to your attention a key issue which I feel has received
little, if any, attention in the tremendous efforts expended in the name of health care reform.
As a background, I spent the first thirteen years of my medical career at the Mayo Clinic,
followed by fourteen years in private practice in the Phoenix area. In the last four years I
have devoted a significant amount of time, effort and dollars toward reform in health care
delivery. I have had the great pleasure of performing 27,000 surgical procedures, all
delivered significantly below competitors' prices. I might add, more than a third of those
patients traveled a considerable distance in seeking my care. The common denominator,
both at Mayo and in the Arizona setting, is that I was a part of a delivery system which was
extremely high in quality and reasonable in cost. My practice covered the spectrum from
cleft lip to cosmetic.
possible
5/28 Susanah willchechons Zelman contact
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Page 2
May 4, 1993
I agree with you the cost of health care delivery in America today is exorbitant and must be
controlled. As you know, there are many causes, including aging of the population,
technology explosion, patient expectations and, last but not least, perverse financial
incentives. However, a major cause that has received little recognition is the shameful
inefficiency existing in the delivery process. You are aware there are lawyers and law
firms that can be counted on to deliver a quality product and there are the opposite.
Medicine is no different. Some physicians and institutions consistently turn out a superb
product at a reasonable cost, while others routinely turn out a mediocre product at a
irresponsibly high cost. To date, we have rewarded both systems equally.
As tempting as price controls might be (even if used only for temporary braking purposes),
history gives us little comfort such strategy will assist us in improving quality and lowering
the costs of health care. I believe very sincerely that if you and the President will allow real
effort to be directed at understanding the flaws of our present delivery system and
encourage solutions for these flaws, you have the opportunity, without increasing taxes, to
eliminate hundreds of billions of dollars in the cost of health care, regain physicians as your
allies and, most importantly, give the American public a quality product, delivered with
warmth and dignity at a reasonable cost. One of the first lessons the medical student learns
is that before one can treat and reach goals, one must accurately diagnose, and I am
concerned that in spite of all the manpower and expertise you have assembled, the diagnosis
of what may be the root cause of our health care crisis is not at this time well understood.
This is the message I wish to bring to your attention, and I am sorry I have not thus far had
the opportunity to do so. I am convinced you and I wish to achieve the same goal, which, to
repeat, is a quality product, accessible to all, delivered with warmth and dignity at a
reasonable cost.
It is the flawed medical delivery system which must be held responsible for many of our
present problems and must be altered if we are to provide the American public with the
health care they deserve.
I hope to hear back from you.
Sincerely,
John N. Simons, M.D.
JNS:sw
Enc.
HEALTH CAMPUS INTERNATIONAL
John N. Simons, M.D.
7,10.1 E. JACKRABBIT ROAD
PARADISE VALLEY, ARIZONA 85253
(602) 947-2454
May 4, 1993
Ms. Nancy Hernreich
Special Assistant to the President
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500-2000
Dear Ms. Hernreich:
I have routed the enclosed to you at the suggestion of Brian Greenspun's office.
Sincerely,
In Simuer
John N. Simons, M.D.
JNS:sw
Enc.
HOGAN & HARTSON
COLUMBIA SQUARE
BRUSSELS
555 THIRTEENTH STREET NW
LONDON
WASHINGTON DC 20004-1109
PARIS
CLIFFORD D. STROMBERG
(202) 637-5600
PRAGUE
PARTNER
WARSAW
DIRECT DIAL (202) 637-5699
BALTIMORE, MD
July 23, 1993
BETHESDA, MD
McLEAN, VA
By Courier
Ms. Pam Barnett
Office of the First Lady
White House
West Wing Second Floor
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Ms. Barnett:
As you asked when we talked today, I am enclosing a full set of the white
papers prepared thus far by the American Bar Association's Working Group on Health Care
Reform, which I chair. I expect to send you several new white papers next week.
I am available at any time to meet and discuss how the ABA can be helpful
to the Administration in the health care reform process, and to respond to whatever issue
Mrs. Clinton had in mind when she asked me to call.
Thank you for your interest and assistance.
Sincerely,
Cliff Kroomberg
Clifford D. Stromberg
Enclosures
FAX: (202) 637-5910 TELEX: 248370(RCA). 892757(WU) CABLE: HOGANDER WASHINGTON