Rep. Bill Pratt, MD
On Christmas day, our longtime supporter, former Executive Committee member, and dear friend, State Representative Bill Pratt, MD, passed away.
We will greatly miss Bill's thoughtful deliberation, his constant kindness, and his dedication to creating a better world in so many ways.
We first met Bill more than ten years ago, when he showed up at a statewide meeting we held in Socorro. A retired orthopedic surgeon, he had heard about us through another physician.
He soon became an active and highly capable supporter, sharing information about the Health Security Act with the many people he came across. We kept hearing from other sources about the numerous meetings he went to, talking about Health Security. (He never stopped; he made a point of coming to speak at a presentation we made to the NM Public Health Association earlier this month.)
Bill took over the leadership of the Physicians for the Health Security Act group, and he subsequently served on the Campaign's Executive Committee until his successful election as a state representative.
What is so amazing about this gentle, caring, and very politically active soul is that he regretted that he had not become politically active sooner in his life. Yet here was a man who dedicated years to helping others. He was an orthopedic surgeon with the Indian Health Service in Gallup. He worked for the VA as chief of orthopedic surgery and afterward at UNM Hospital. Even when retired, he provided care to those in need, volunteering many hours at clinics for the underserved and homeless.
How excited we were when he announced that he wanted to run for state representative. Even more impressive was that he won the seat in what was considered a conservative district.
During his first legislative session, Bill was instrumental in ensuring that funding would be available to the Legislative Finance Committee so it would have the resources to hire consultants to conduct the fiscal analysis of the Health Security Act. As a state representative, he used his influence to talk to diverse groups and lobbyists, and he spoke to other legislators, no matter their politics, about the Act.
He also wrote letters in response to articles on universal coverage, making sure that out-of-state health policy experts knew that New Mexico had a great proposal for controlling costs and ensuring comprehensive coverage. Bill was constantly evaluating where the Campaign needed to go, and he was always coming up with creative new ideas.
Philosopher William James once wrote, "The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it."
All of us at the Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign are committed to making sure we build on the rich legacy Bill has given to us. What a wonderful tribute it will be when we succeed in establishing the Health Security Plan.