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Dr. Arthur Garson, Jr. introduces the debate

 

 

Mary Foley, Dean of the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene and Dr. Garson lead the post-debate discussion

College Hosts Discussion of PBS Universal Health Care Debate

On April 9, MCPHS-Boston hosted a listening party for a nationally televised debate on Americans’ fundamental right to health care. The debate was held in Boston’s Faneuil Hall, nationally televised on PBS and beamed to two Boston locations chosen by Mayor Thomas Menino. A post-debate discussion with more than 30 Colleges of the Fenway students was moderated by Mary Foley, Dean of the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene. Special guest Dr. Arthur Garson, Jr., Provost of the University of Virginia and author of the debate’s white paper, introduced the debate and also joined students in the discussion.

At Faneuil Hall, four participants examined the resolution: “Americans have a fundamental right to healthcare, and it is the obligation of government to secure that right.” Speaking in favor of the resolution was Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, secretary of Health and Human Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Regina Herzlinger, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Arguing against it was Richard Armey, chairman of Freedom Works and former House Majority Leader in the U.S. Congress, and Richard Epstein, professor of law at the University of Chicago. Susan Dentzer, health correspondent for PBS’s NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, moderated the debate. The April 9 event, the fourth in a series of five taking place during the 2007-08 academic year, is organized by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. An archived webcast of the event will be available at http://millercenter.org.

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