Who represented us in healthcare reform?

Hospitals had the American Hospital Association. Doctors had the American Medical Association. Big Pharma had the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America. More than 1,750 companies and organizations hired about 4,525 lobbyists — eight for each member of Congress — to influence health reform bills in 2009.

Who was the lobbying group representing us– the kids, the moms, the dads, the grandparents, the real working people of America and the actual recipients of healthcare– during the debate? Were we adequately represented? Did we have the organization and the money to lobby for our interests?

Isn’t it fascinating that there really is no group representing the patients in DC?