Insights

<p>The passage of the health care reform bill has not mitigated the meaningless, hyperbolic assertions coming from those who oppose it. John Boehner practically called for an overthrow of the government. Reporting on the bill has been long on polling numbers and budgetary concerns, and short on any of the substance that makes this bill important. Asking vaccuous questions such as, "Have you even read the bill?" or "Why aren't you listening to America?" are worse than useless. Questions that need asking (and should have been asked before last night) include:</p>

<p>Some physicians cater to the immigrant community out of public service or cultural affinity. Others, like Dr. Harrell Robinson, end up there because they ruined their own reputations with English-speaking patients.</p> <p>The Southern California cosmetic surgeon shared an Anaheim office with <a href="../../../../../../../../blogs/doctor-appointed-medical-board-supervisor-had-been-disciplined-new-york-california">Dr. Andrew Rutland</a>, the doctor who is now accused in the death of Chinese immigrant Ying Chen.</p>

<p>I recently produced a web-only interactive story about a <a href="http://shukakalantari.com/journalist/2010/03/kidney-gives-artist-second…; target="_blank">San Francisco-based artist's quest for a kidney donor </a>for KQED Public Radio's <a href="http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201003182000&quot; target="_blank">Health Dialogues</a>.

<p>Well, here we go! In a historic 219-212 vote late Sunday night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $914 billion health reform package extending health coverage to as many as 32 million Americans</p><p>The Washington Post's Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/21/AR20100… up</a> the legislation's enormous significance in the ultimate <a href="http://mediacareers.about.com/od/glossary/g/NutGraf.htm">nut graf</a>:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.reportingonhealth.org/users/mindofandre">Andre Blackman</a>'s conception of public health casts a huge net. He thinks about environments and neighborhoods, data and medicine. He laments the fast food restaurants that fill the spaces of low-income communities, and the parks and fresh produce that do not. "It's a cycle," he says, and one that makes it hard to achieve good health.</p>

<p>You have it all planned out ahead of what may be this weekend's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/health/policy/20whip.html?ref=politic… vote on health reform</a>, right?</p><p>You carefully lined up your uninsured folks, community health advocates, Congressional delegates, doctors, local tea party members and hospital executives: all are on speed dial and waiting for your call over the weekend. Right?</p><p>Well, kudos to those of you who had time to prepare. If you didn't, here are some last-minute resources and ideas that may help you out this weekend:</p>

<p>Even a doctor with dead patients in his past can find startup capital.</p> <p>When Dr. Andrew Rutland was trying to set up shop in the old "Modern Woman's Clinic" building in Chula Vista, he tapped a friend for a loan: Dr. W. Constantine Mitchell.</p> <p>According to records from the California Office of Administrative Hearings, where <a href="../../../../../../../../blogs/california-governor-and-medical-board-should-stand-accused-patient%E2%80%99s-death">Rutland's case</a> before the medical board is currently being heard, Mitchell loaned Rutland $50,000 to help him start his practice.</p>

<p>Valentine's Day should be a national holiday. Until it is, most of us have to work Feb. 14 every year and tango with our valentines at night.</p> <p>Pity poor <a href="http://licenselookup.mbc.ca.gov/licenselookup/lookup.php?LicenseType=A&…. Amanda Waugh</a> then.</p> <p>She couldn't even look forward to a nice dinner and a long conversation about the plays of Tony Kushner over chocolate soufflé, because on Valentine's Day in 2009, she was stuck with the night shift at the La Palma Intercommunity Hospital's emergency room south of Los Angeles.</p>