Letter To Ken Raske

Richard F. Daines, M.D. Commissioner

Wendy E. Saunders Executive Deputy Commissioner

February 19, 2009 Kenneth E. Raske, President Greater New York Hospital Association 555 West 57th St. – 15th Floor New York, NY 10019 Dear Mr. Raske: We all seem to agree that the State of New York faces fiscal challenges of historic proportion. To address this, Governor Paterson has proposed a fiscally responsible budget that promises improved health care for New Yorkers while addressing the unprecedented budget deficit. The Governor’s health care proposals are based on principles of transparency, accessibility, efficiency, and affordability. While indisputably dramatic, the commercials that your association is currently running do not work to enhance the public’s understanding of these critical issues and difficult choices. Your campaign does not address the fiscal reality that New York State faces, and it ignores the disparity between the cost and the care delivered by our healthcare system. It is for this reason that an open discussion of the Governor’s proposed budget is in the public’s best interest. I invite you to engage with me in a public debate on the merits of the Governor’s proposed health care reforms and deficit reduction measures. This forum will give you ample opportunity to elaborate on the perspectives of GNYHA instead of relying on advertising. I am hoping for a positive response to this invitation and look forward to a spirited debate with you on the measures that will do the most to improve the health of New Yorkers for many years to come. Sincerely,

Richard F. Daines, M.D. Commissioner of Health