The four most recent U.S. Surgeons General – the nation's doctors – issued a statement on the ongoing health care reform debates. The statement was directed specifically to Congressional leaders.
Explicitly non-partisan in their approach to protecting and promoting health and preventing disease, the Surgeons General urged elected leaders to prioritize reforms that improve the health and well-being of all people. In short, the Surgeons General said that the health, safety, and security of the American people are more important than politics.
The collective statement issued on October 9, 2009, by the U.S. Surgeons General reads:
"We have seen first-hand that the current health care system is unsustainable. Meaningful reform is vital to improving the health of our nation. We need to have reform that prioritizes prevention, preventive care, and health literacy to encourage healthier lifestyles and we must also lower costs in order to make quality health care affordable for every single person who needs it. The approaches that Congress is considering will help achieve these goals and we urge members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to work together to achieve real reform to improve the health of our nation."
The four most recent U.S. Surgeons General are:
- Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., 17th U.S. Surgeon General (2002-2006), and president of Canyon Ranch Institute;
- David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., 16th U.S. Surgeon General (1998-2002), and director of The Satcher Health Leadership Institute and Center of Excellence on Health Disparities at Morehouse School of Medicine;
- Joycelyn Elders, M.D., M.S., 15th U.S. Surgeon General (1993-1994); and
- Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., 14th U.S. Surgeon General (1990-1993).
On October 14, 2009, Surgeon General Carmona added, "With this collective statement, my fellow Surgeons General and I are calling on all elected leaders to prioritize healthy outcomes over political bickering. Health care system reform is critical if our nation is going to change the sad truth that seventy-five cents of every health care dollar is spent on treatment of largely preventable diseases. We can and must do better. Our elected leaders must address the problem now and not let politics interfere with the necessary transformation of our current 'sick-care' system into a true health and wellness system that embraces prevention and health literacy."
The statement is part of an ongoing informal collaboration between the four most recent Surgeons General. In 2008, at the request of Lance Armstrong Foundation Chairman and Founder Lance Armstrong, U.S. Surgeons General Carmona, Satcher, Elders, and Novello, collaborated to lead the development of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship. The National Call to Action provides a roadmap for private sector leaders, policymakers, and all Americans to take decisive action in making cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.
Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., 17th U.S. Surgeon General (2002-2006), and president of Canyon Ranch Institute
David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., 16th U.S. Surgeon General (1998-2002), and director of The Satcher Health Leadership Institute and Center of Excellence on Health Disparities at Morehouse School of Medicine
Joycelyn Elders, M.D., M.S., 15th U.S. Surgeon General (1993-1994)
Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., 14th U.S. Surgeon General (1990-1993)