Physicians for Reform

cleta only cits 5 26

[### Koch and Bradley Groups Battle Medicaid Expansion ...

EXPOSEDbyCMD

https://www.exposedbycmd.org › 2019/02/21 › koch-br...](https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2019/02/21/koch-bradley-groups-battle-medicaid-expansion-proposed-gov-tony-evers/)

Feb 21, 2019 — While there are many arguments against states' Medicaid expansion, [Dr. C.L.] Gray and PFRF are quite keen on and good at making the one that ...Read more

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Physicians for Reform was founded in 2006 by Dr. C.L. Gray, a nationally-renowned author, public speaker, and board-certified physician practicing hospital-based medicine in North Carolina. Dr. Gray’s work has been sought after by FOX News and published in The Washington Times, Investors Business Daily, The Washington Examiner and The Hill. His book, The Battle for America’s Soul: Healthcare, the Culture War, and the Future of Freedom, is now in its second printing.

As one of the nation’s leading patient advocates, Dr. Gray was asked to write a plan to reform the U.S. health care system for one of the presidential campaigns during the 2012 primary. His work regularly takes him to Washington and state capitals where Physicians for Reform is tapped for direction on health care policy.

[### hysicians for Reform: Healthcare Reform Advocates

Physicians for Reform

https://www.physiciansforreform.org](https://www.physiciansforreform.org/)

Physicians for Reform is leading a powerful coalition of patients, physicians, and business owners to rebuild our nation's broken healthcare system.

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actually they did not make the cut on this list

right-Wing "Think" Tanks and Health Policy

“You can always tell if you’re succeeding by the viciousness of the opposition.”

— Dr. Quentin Young, PNHP National Coordinator

By Nicholas Skala. Updated by Chris Gray, July, 2010

As the movement for single payer expands, attacks on single payer in the media by the far right have increased. In addition to misleading articles and op-eds, several books attacking single payer by conservative pundits were published in recent years, including one endorsed by former GOP Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

The PNHP National Office has identified 20 right-wing think tanks that employ full-time health policy “scholars” to oppose national health insurance and advocate for health care privatization, deregulation and market-based reforms. These groups are funded with millions of dollars from wealthy far-right foundations such as the Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation, the Charles Koch Foundation, the John Olin Foundation, the Adolph Coors family’s Castle Rock Foundation and the Scaife Family Foundations, which share an ultra-conservative social agenda.

The Right-Wing “Echo Chamber”: Although they masquerade as legitimate research institutions, most of these policy think tanks are little more than PR firms for those who want to obscure the facts about health care in America. Many, such as the Fraser Institute, produce bogus research and purposely avoid peer review. Instead, they provide “experts” with fancy titles to write editorials and appear on TV news programs to spread misinformation. Each of these institutions is funded by the same small group of ideological foundations, and it is extremely common for these “experts” to cite each other’s bogus research in their commentaries, giving the impression of wide scientific credibility for their views. Twenty of the top “think” tanks are detailed below. Members are encouraged to take the lead on behalf of PNHP in responding to misinformation spread by these and other groups.

1. American Enterprise Institute

_Advocates:_ Privatization, Medicaid cuts, tax credits for the uninsured, teaching emotionally disturbed children to seek “self-reliance” rather than going to therapy.

_Look Out For:_ “Wilson H. Taylor Scholar in Health Care” Joseph Antos, “Resident Scholar” John E. Calfee, “Senior Fellow” Newt Gingrich. Mark McClellan, M.D. “Resident Fellow” Thomas P. Miller

_2008 Budget_: $50.9 million

2. Association of American Physicians and Surgeons

_Advocates:_ This tiny group’s impressive name often confers false legitimacy onto its public statements. AAPS favors abolishing Medicare and is primarily devoted to spreading misinformation about single payer. Opposes HIPAA as government interference. Has made claims that HIV does not cause AIDS and a “gay male lifestyle” shortens life expectancy by 20 years. Also attempted to link abortions with breast cancer. Journal has claimed undocumented immigrants are carriers of disease such as leprosy.

_Look Out For_: Executive Director Jane Orient, M.D., “Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons”

_2009 Budget_: $1.1 million

3. Cato Institute

_Advocates_: Medicaid / Medicare privatization, FDA deregulation, HSAs, elimination of state mandatory coverage laws for insurance companies, increased managed care. “Health status insurance” – insurance to have money to afford high-risk health insurance. Phase out employer-sponsored health care in favor of individual market. Advocates purchasing insurance across state lines, from states with little regulation.

_Look Out For_: “Director of Health Policy Studies” Michael F. Cannon; “Director of Health & Welfare Studies” Mike Tanner.

_2008 Budget_: $20.1 million

4. Competitive Enterprise Institute

_Advocates_: Operates the “Death by Regulation” Project, which seeks to reduce or eliminate FDA regulations which “delay the availability of life-saving treatments.”

_Look Out For_: General Counsel Sam Kazman; “Senior Fellow” Gregory Conko; TV reporter John Stossel

_2007 Budget_: $5.3 million

5. Discovery Institute

_Advocates_: Main health policy business seems to be publicizing Fraser Institute (see number 6) research in editorials, but also notable for providing “experts” to criticize the scientific basis of Evolutionary Theory at meetings of Kansas’ public school board.

_Look Out For:_ “Senior Fellows” Robert J. Cihak and Richard W. Rahn (also of Cato Inst.). Physicians and Surgeons for Scientific Integrity.

_2008 Budget:_ $5.2 million

6. Fraser Institute

_Advocates:_ Specializes in producing unreviewed crackpot studies such as “How Good is Canadian Health Care?” and the annual “Waiting List Survey.”

_Look Out For_: Anything even remotely tied to Fraser. Their research is so bad that not even pro-privatization Canadians bother to cite their work.

_2008 Budget_: $13.7 million

7. Galen Institute

_Advocates_: Privatization, tax credits for the uninsured, health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, “competition in the health sector” and “incentive-driven health reform,” bills itself as “only free-market think tank solely dedicated to…putting individuals rather than corporate or government bureaucrats in charge of health care decisions.”

_Look Out For_: President Grace-Marie Turner; “Center for Consumer Driven Health Care” Director Greg Scandlen., Sewell Hinton Dixon, M.D.

_2008 Budget_: $814,000

8. Heartland Institute

_Advocates_: Privatization, health savings accounts, state-subsidized high-risk insurance pools, voluntary drug industry discounts for the uninsured, “consumer-driven health care,” deregulation of health insurance.

_Look Out For_: “Senior Fellow” Merrill Matthews Jr., “Fellow” Scott Whipple.

_2008 Budget_: $7.8 million

9. The Heritage Foundation

_Advocates_: Medicaid / Medicare privatization, tax credits for the uninsured, health savings accounts (HSAs), drug “discount” cards.

_Look Out For_: “Center for Health Policy Studies Director” Robert Moffit; “Vice President for Domestic Policy” Stuart M. Butler.

_2008 Budget_: $70.9 million

10. Hudson Institute

Advocates: Medical malpractice award caps, elimination of state mandatory-coverage laws, policy papers make numerous hostile references to abortion. Attacked WHO for allowing distribution of generic anti-retroviral drugs.

_Look Out For_: “Senior Fellows” Ronald W. Dworkin and Betsy McCaughey.

_2007 Budget_: $11.1 million

11. Institute for Health Freedom

_Advocates_: Essentially the total abolishment of Medicare and Medicaid, “consumer driven health care” and HSAs.

_Look Out For_: President Sue A. Blevins

_2008 Budget_: $236,000

12. Manhattan Institute

_Advocates_: HSAs and “consumer driven reform,” eliminating premium tax deductibility for employers, remedying the fact that “Americans tend to be over-insured.” Manufactures misinformation about Canada’s health system to undermine support for national health insurance in America.

_Look Out For_: “Senior Fellow” David Gratzer, M.D., Center for Medical Progress, Chairman Paul Singer

_2008 Budget_: $9.7 million

13. National Center for Policy Analysis

_Advocates_: Privatization and health savings accounts (NCPA runs the “consumer-driven health care project”), health debit cards, increased cost-shifting to patients.

_Look Out For_: President and CEO John C. Goodman, Ph.D.

_2007 Budget_: $4.1 million

14. Pacific Research Institute

_Advocates_: HSAs, tax credits, banning prescription re-importation (PRI extensively uses crackpot data supplied from fellow Bradley beneficiary the Fraser Institute).

_Look Out For_: Pacific CEO Sally C. Pipes; “Director of Health Care Studies” John R. Graham

_2008 Budget_: $4.0 million

15. Hoover Institution

_Advocates_: Recirculates material from National Center for Policy Analysis: uncited statistics praising the U.S. system and disparaging other health systems. Supports medical savings accounts, abolishing Medicare, Medicaid and elimination of employer-sponsored health care.

_Look Out For_: Michael W. McConnell, senior fellow

_2008 Budget_: Part of Stanford University; no data available.

16. American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC )

_Advocates_: Seeks to oppose single-payer laws at the state level by pushing forward constitutional amendments to ensure private health insurance; also opposes universal health care in general, against the individual mandates. Spinoff of the Heritage Foundation that works in state governments.

_Look Out For_: Christine Herrera, health and human services director

_2008 Budget_: $7.0 million

17. Americans for Prosperity and the American for Prosperity Foundation

_Advocates_: Ran series of commericals of Canadian woman who claimed to be denied surgery for brain tumor when she never had more than a benign cyst. Attacked single payer and Canada’s system in the debate, pre-emptively excluding single-payer from the reforms.

_Look Out For_: Patients United Now (bogus shell group), Any Menefee.

_2008 Budget_: $14.4 million

18. Independence Institute

_Advocates_: Colorado “libertarian” group, behind anti-single-payer group “Patient Power Now” and “Center for the American Dream,” former board members include right-wing Republicans former Interior Secretary Gale Norton and overtly racist Rep. Tom Tancredo.

_Look Out For_: Linda Gorman, health policy researcher

_2008 Budget_: $1.8 million

19. National Center for Public Policy Research

_Advocates_: Puts out bogus information about allowing the government to negotiate drug policies for Medicare. Pushes for privatization of Medicare. Warns against single-payer “propaganda” and Sweden’s system.

_Look Out For_: Edmund F. Haislmaier, health care analyst. Amy and David Ridenour, health care “experts.”

_2008 Budget_: $8.6 million

20. FreedomWorks Foundation + Freedom Works, Inc.

_Advocates_: Founded by Charles Koch. Attacks Obama health plan as a government takeover of health care. Boasts of work to derail single-payer systems and “Hillary Care” in the past. Group is a fake grassroots organization, Wall Street-supported front group that helped set off the Tea Party movement. Social Security privatization, outreach for pharmaceutical donors. Attacks FDA to speed up drug approvals.

_Look Out For_: Dick Armey, Wayne T. Brough, Ph.D. Group is formerly known as Citizens for a Sound Economy.

_2008 Budget_: $7.4 million

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[### A FRAMEWORK FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM

healthcareforyou.com

https://www.healthcareforyou.com › policy-guide](https://www.healthcareforyou.com/policy-guide/)

The Job Creators Network Foundation and Physicians for Reform have conducted the largest market research healthcare study involving more than 30,000 ...Read more

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