Virginia Physicians for a National Health Program
Formation of State Chapter
Virginia Physicians for a National Health Program (VA PNHP) is the Virginia chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), a non-profit organization of 16,000 American physicians, medical students, health professionals, and activists advocating for single-payer national health insurance. The chapter was formed in May 2009, when five members of PNHP from Virginia requested the recognition of an active state chapter. The five co-founders were Susan Miller MD, a family physician in Richmond, Jan Gable MD, an internist in northern Virginia, Ferguson Reid MD, a retired surgeon and ex-Delegate to the House in Virginia in Richmond, Keven Cooper MD, a pulmonologist in Richmond, and Charles Robideau, a non-MD activist for single-payer healthcare. An additional two hundred PNHP members in Virginia were invited to join the new chapter.
The first goal of VA PNHP was to establish a speakers bureau of members state-wide who would speak to interested groups throughout Virginia on subjects related to healthcare reform. The speakers bureau presently has eleven members and encourages additional chapter members to join. Besides speaking, VA PNHP members engage in various forms of activism in support of single-payer healthcare. Actions range from writing letters and emails, educating colleagues and patients, and attending rallies to acts of civil disobedience. Members undertake actions individually, with fellow members of VA PNHP and of other state chapters of PNHP, and with activists from other member organizations of the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care.
Members in the News
VA PNHP member and co-founder Dr. Janice Gable was profiled in the June 28, 2009 issue of The Roanoke Times. Dr. Gable is a member of our speakers bureau and our contact for the Virginia Coalition for Guaranteed Healthcare.
Read the story here.