WNEC Hosting Hearing on Physician Availability

I just received this from our Institute on Legislative and Governmental Affairs:

The Law School’s Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs
cordially invites you to attend a hearing of the Commission on Public Health
Access in Sleith Hall Auditorium on January 30, 2008, from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
The 14-member Commission is charged with the investigation and study of the
accessibility and quality of doctors who specialize in obstetric,
gynecological, and neurosurgical care of women in western Massachusetts.

“Western Massachusetts is losing physicians within these specialties
at an alarming rate. It is a public health nightmare waiting to happen if
women do not have access to quality doctors and specialists,” said Senator
Gale D. Candaras (L’82) (First Hampden and Hampshire District). 

Senator Candaras introduced the legislation that created the
Commission as part of the 2008 Fiscal Year budget.  “Establishing the
commission was at the top of my list of legislative priorities in
conversations with Senate President Therese Murray and Senator Steven
Panagiotakas, the Chair of Ways & Means.  I thank them both for being so
very receptive and willing to take action on this growing problem,” Senator
Candaras noted.

The Sleith Hall hearing is open to the public. Persons wishing to
testify are asked to provide ten copies of their testimony to the
Commission. Individuals or parties interested in offering testimony but
unable to attend may submit written testimony to the Commission for
consideration. For further information, please call the Department of Public
Health at 617-624-6000 or Senator Candaras’ Office at 413-599-4785.

The 14 Commission members are: John Auerbach, Commissioner, MA
Department of Public Health; Nancy Audesse, Executive Director of the Board
of Registration in Medicine; Nonnie Burnes, Commissioner, MA Department of
Insurance; Dr. Roger Snow (designee), Commissioner of MassHealth; Dr.
Herbert Kantor, physician, Dr. Stephen Metz, physician, and Dr. Sherry
Taylor, physican, appointed by the President of the Massachusetts Medical
Society; Senator Gale Candaras and Senator Benjamin Downing, appointed by
the President of the Senate; Dr. James Wang, appointed by the Minority
Leader of the Senate; Representative Stephen Kulik, Representative Daniel
Bosley, and Dr. Susan Yates,  appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives; and Representative Mary S. Rogeness, appointed by the
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

--BC