Reform of Health Care

As a woman physician, I was initially pleased to see Hillary Rodham Clinton in a substantive role in the White House.

Since Mrs. Clinton began applying herself to the task, I have been profoundly disappointed with her approach. On the issue of freedom of information, I am disappointed that a court order was required to open her sessions to the public. I also became aware that one of her key advisers was a medical school dropout who worked for Al Gore, and another the cousin of one of our esteemed senators.

Mrs. Clinton further distinguished herself by rejecting any advice from hands-on individuals, namely practitioners. She has given little more than lip service to the concept of tort reform, since the trial lawyers represented such a powerful constituency in her husband’s campaign.

Would you ask your plumber to write your estate plan or your lawyer to do heart surgery? Of course not. Yet, you applaud Mrs. Clinton for writing a health-care plan without doctors.

LESLEY Z. BLUMBERG MD

Los Angeles