Question 5 on the statewide ballot will mandate the creation of a quality, patient-centered healthcare system accessible to all residents of the Commonwealth by July 2002. It will call for an immediate moratorium against for-profit corporate acquisition of not-for-profit hospitals and HMOs. More importantly, it will restore the patients right to choose his or her health and mental health professionals The initiative calls for at least 90 percent of all premiums to be used for patient care, public health, and training/research, and no more than 10 percent for administrative costs, with simpler paperwork and administration. These fundamental reforms of the system will hold down health care spending while improving the quality of care we all receive.

The voters in the Harvard community have a historic opportunity to lead the way out of this health care crisis by voting yes on Question 5 on Nov. 7.

Mandeep S. Jassal Nov. 1, 2000

The writer is a graduate student at the Harvard School of Public Health and is part of the schools Health and Human Rights Student Group.