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<\/a>By Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director<\/strong><\/div>\nWhat was I doing this week in Tampa at the site of the Republican National Convention? And why — as a strong proponent of universal health care- and so-called Obamacare — would l want to appear on a panel with staunch conservatives like former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and Congressman Tom Price at their party?<\/p>\n
Because I think the NCL\u2019s point of view \u2013 that millions of Americans are suffer daily in this country because they can\u2019t afford health insurance \u2013 was worth airing at this panel, sponsored by The Hill newspaper<\/a>. It so happened that the panel\u2019s moderator is a friend of NCL\u2019s, Robin Strongin, who publishes the \u201cDisruptive Women<\/a>\u201d blog. When a slot opened up, she asked whether I\u2019d like to speak, I said sure!<\/p>\n Though I didn\u2019t have a chance to go inside the Convention Center because that requires advanced credentials, I did get to chat with the delegates coming and going from the hall, watched Governor Romney\u2019s wife Ann and NJ Governor Chris Christie speak while sitting in a Tampa restaurant next door to Chris Matthews taping MSNBC\u2019s hardball. The panel discussion remained lively throughout and providing the consumer point of view proved provocative. Both the elected officials called for repealing the Affordable Care Act. I noted that many countries \u2013 China, Thailand, Rwanda, Ghana that are far less affluent than the US — provide universal health care to their citizens for the sole reason that it makes good economic sense. I also threw the question out to my co-panelists: what are we going to do for the 50+ million Americans without health insurance? That got us into a heated discussion.<\/p>\n Dr. Donald Palmisano also sat on the panel. He used to head the AMA, which today supports the bill, but his focus has always been on limiting injured patients\u2019 access to medical malpractice lawsuits, a position we disagree with strongly.<\/p>\n