Letters from Washington

Dr Lesley Russell, the Menzies Foundation Fellow, is currently in Washington DC where she is part of the health team at the Center for American Progress, a Democrat think tank, and a Visiting Professor in the Department of Health Policy at George Washington University.

She is following closely progress in implementating President Barack Obama's health care reform commitments, and will report regularly on what is happening through her "Letters from Washington".

Please use the links below to view Dr Russell's letters.

Questions and comments about these letters and Washington issues should be referred to Dr Russell at lesleyr@med.usyd.edu.au

• Letter 30: A Christmas Present for Obama and All Americans, 24 December 2009
• Letter 29: Will Obama get health care for Christmas?, 18 December 2009
• Letter 28: A make or break week coming up, 8 December 2009
• Letter 27: The senate gets down to work, 1 December 2009
• Letter 26: Waiting for the Senate, 18 November 2009
• Letter 25: Veterans’ health care needs, 12 November 2009
• Letter 24: The Republicans’ last ditch stand on health care reform, 6 November 2009
• Letter 23: A Big Day in Washington for Health Care Reform, 29 October 2009
• Letter 22: Pink ribbons highlight US health care problems, 27 October 2009
• Letter 21: More Talk from Republicans While Democrats Advance the Ball on Health Care Reform, 21 October 2009
• Letter 20: Health insurers overplay their hand; Republicans on notice, 14 October 2009
• Letter 19: Health care reform will generate significant financial offsets, 9 October 2009.
• Letter 18: A tale of health care reform in two cities, 8 October 2009.
• Letter 17: Slow and steady is winning the health care reform race, 30 September 2009.
• Letter 16: Senate Finance Committee tackles 564 amendments to Chairman’s Mark, 21 September 2009.
• Letter 15: Keeping up with the information, 16 September 2009
• Letter 14: Now is the season for action, 10 September 2009
• Letter 13: Going to Jail is One Way to Ensure Free Access to Health Care, 8 September 2009
• Letter 12: The International Perspective on America’s Healthcare Reform Battles, 2 September 2009
• Letter 11: Death of a Lion, 28 August 2009
• Letter 10: Time for the truth-o-meter, 17 August 2009
• Letter 9: Lessons for health care reform, 10 August 2009
• Letter 8: Inoculation needed against health care myths, 31 July 2009
• Letter 7: Third World Health Service Delivery for America’s Poor, 29 July 2009
• Letter 6: The Battle to contain costs and improve health outcomes, 27 July 2009
• Letter 5: The Push is on, 23 July 2009
• Letter 4: Health care reform is not easy but miracles do happen, 18 July 2009
• Letter 3: Progress in health care reform, 16 July 2009
• Letter 2: Boogeymen and Furphys, 10 July 2009
• Letter 1: The Cost of Health Care Reforms, 7 July 2009

Opinion Pieces

• Russell L. Health reform on US Agenda, The Canberra Times, 26 October 2009
• Russell L. Healthy reform likely despite Republican ill will, The Canberra Times, 14 September 2009
• Russell L. Costly US scheme should be lesson: Medicare, The Australian, 12 September 2009
• Russell L. Tobacco developments in the US, Croakey, 2 September 2009
• Russell L. How the US has improved hospital care, saving thousands of lives, Croakey, 19 August 2009
• Russell L. Patient poorly, may improve, The Canberra Times, 15 August 2009
• Russell L. Putting health in recovery position, The Canberra Times, 14 August 2009
• Russell L. Obama era too good to pass up, The Australian, 11 July 2009
• Russell L. US Legislators move to rein in runaway health costs, The Canberra Times, 30 June 2009
• Russell L. Obesity - the big issue in US health, Menzies Centre for Health Policy, February 2009
• Russell L. Obama writes e-health script, The Canberra Times, 23 January 2009

Online

• Racial Health Disparities by the Numbers - We Still Have a Long Way to Go on Racial Equality, Center for American Progress, 15 January 2010.

MCHP/USSC Policy Papers

• See an overview of Dr Russell’s work with the United States Studies Centre at http://ussc.edu.au/news-room/keyword/lesley%20russell

2008 US Election Campaign

• Russell L. Health care reform in the 2008 US Presidential campaign, December 2008
• Russell L. Obama represents realisation of American Dream, The Canberra Times, 5 November 2008
• Russell L. Tide is running against McCain, The Canberra Times, 21 October 2008
• Russell L. The weight is behind McCain, but Obama has the votes, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 October 2008
• Russell L. Women hold the key to result in the US, The Canberra Times, 11 September 2008. Interview with radio 2SER on this paper 12 September 2008.
• Russell L. US senators have an energy fight on their hands, The Canberra Times, 2 September 2008
• Russell L. Joe may be man for all seasons, The Canberra Times, 26 August 2008
• Russell L. Running mates game will end political silly season, The Canberra Times, 15 August 2008