dr. john garrett who is chairman of the board of directors and chief of cardiac surgery. host: dr. rrett, chairman of the board of directors at the virginia hospital center, can you remember the first moment you might want to read -- you might have wanted to be a doctor? guest: i think so. my stepfather was a surgeon. i want to copy him and it got more serious and high school when i injured my head and i had to be in the hospital for about seven weeks with a pin in my knee and traction. i have a lot of time to observe people working in the hospital in my mind, i really decided then that i was going to do it. host: where did you grow up? guest: montgomery, alabama host: where to go to college? guest: 20 emory university in -- i went to emory university in alabama and went to university of alabama in birmingham. host: when did the part part of this into your life? -- the heart guest: there is a strong cardiac program led by a man who was one of the world's greatest cardiac surgeons. cardia surgery is highly visible to medical students. that is where i got to see a heart surgery for th

dr. john garrett, president of the board of doctors. dr. rrett, you talked last night in the interview about the importance of having the latest medical technology. why is that so important, if it increases the cost? guest: well, it is better for patient care. as i said last night in the interview, every year things improve. you have companies that make devices, drugs that are better than what is currently available. there is lots in the pipeline. if you do not embrace those technologies, it does not take long before your are practicing medicine that is five years outdated. that is not good for patients. host: we want to get the callers involved. we have divided them differently than we usually do you can see them on the screen. if you are in short, 202-737- 0001. if you are not injured, 202-737- 002. and if you are in medical practitioner, 202-628-0205. how closely are you following the health-care debate in washington, and what concerns you the most? guest: i will speak to that first, if i may. from the hospital perspective, one of the pri

dr. john garrett, featured on q&a will be our guest on washington journal.will take your phone calls and questions starting at 8:30 a.m. eastern. we will look at the hospitals perspectives and its doctors. the top administrators will join us in the emergency room to take your phone calls and provide context to the health- care debate that is currently before congress. >> we will continue on the team of health care next weekend on "q&a." that is next sunday on "q&a." >> next, the scottish parliament debate on the lockerbie bomb release. after that, the biography of senator mitch mcconnell and then on "you and dave," a health-care discussion with dr. john ger arret. c-span is health care hub is a key resource on the health-care debate. follow the links. what's the latest events -- watch the latest events. including any town hall meetings. >> the british house of commons is in summer recess until october. prime minister's questions will return on wednesday, october 14. tonight, we will show you a debate from the scottish parliament. the scottish government rele

dr. john garrett. tuesday, we will speak with robin norman, senior vice president and chief financial officer and david crutchfield. on wednesday, we will speak with dr. j.j. chevera, of emergency medicine. will also dispute with the head of the ico and respiratory care department and the chief nursing officer. tomorrow, three doctors from britannia hospital center in arlington va. tell personal stories about treating patients. the lovers -- there will offer their views on health care legislation. >> the charges anywhere from $1,800 to $2,000. the payment is usually a medicare reimbursement for a mastectomy and is usually between $650.700 $50. >> we also hit -- is usually between usually650.700 $50. -- is usually between $650 and $750. >> is there anything i would say, patients should not be trying to make their diagnoses on the internet. >> join us tomorrow and see all three doctors. they will share their personal stories and their views on health care legislation. that is at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-spa

dr. john garrett on how the government and nongovernment p

dr. john garrett of the va hospital center. >> this is c-span's "america and the courts." veterans for common sense is asking the courts to order the department of veterans affairs to reform the way it deals with disability claims for foot -- for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. >> good morning, i represent the appellate nonprofit corporations dedicated to veterans' issues. i would like to reserve three minutes for rebuttal. what does it mean to be a veteran in america today? the essence of this appeal relates to the va's multiple failures to fulfill the statutory commands established by congress to provide veterans with timely medical care and disability compensation which have resulted in suicide and other tragic consequences for many of our veterans. we are struck at the outset by a fundamental disconnect between the district court's findings of fact and it's legal analysis. >> let me ask you this general question. if we were to rule in your favor, how will it keep the federal courts from taking over every federal agency in the federal governme

dr. garrett. >> on august 20, the only man convicted in the bombing of pan am 103 was convicted in a scottishrison. tonight watched the debate from the scottish parliament following this decision to release him to his home country of libya. >> go inside the supreme court to see the public places and of those really seen spaces. hear directly from the justices as they provide insight about the court and building. the supreme court, home to america's highest court. the first sunday in october, on c-span. >> this coming week, it in prime time, monday with dan balz and haynes johnson on the 2008 election. and, later, joe scarborough interviewed on the future of the conservative movement. but to become a prime time on c- span2. host: the book is called the "republican leader: a political biography of senator mitch mcconnell" and john david dyche is joining us. what did you learn about him in researching this book? guest: he has moved along the india logical spectrum from a more moderate to a more conservative position. he likes to use humor in his campaign ads even though he has a reputation as a

dr. john garrett about the health care system and provide some context. this segment is the first part in a three day series that will air live from the hospital's emergency room. also paul rainwater. washington journal, live at 7:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. coming up next, an fcc workshop on the expansion of high-speed internet. after that, a forum on the government's use of new technology and communications. and then, on "q&a," a discussion with dr. john garrett. >> as the debate over health care continues, c-span is health care of is a key resource. go on line and watched the latest events, including town hall meetings and share your thoughts on the issue. including video from any town halls to have gone too. there is more. that is that c- span.org/healthcare. now, a federal communications commission form on broadband. at the economic stimulus package calls on the fcc to develop a plan. as part of the process, the sec is holding a series of workshops on national broadband. -- the fcc is holding a series of workshops on national broadband. >> thank

dr. john garrett. also a discussion on recoovery efforts in louisiana four years after hurricane katrina with paul rainwater. washington journal live at 7:00 a.m. here on c-span. go inside the supreme court to see the public places and those rarely seen spaces. hear directly from the justices as they provide their insight about the court and the building. the supreme court, home to america's highest court. the first sunday in october on c-span. >> congressman john fleming and senator john brasso of wyoming, boats physicians, join john vitter. this lasts about an hour, 25 minutes. [applause] >> thank you all for being here. well, good afternoon and welcome to our health care reform forum. you know, nancy pelosi may consider you an un-american mob, but i'm delighted to see you here, each and every one of you. the more, the better. i'm also delighted to be joined by four other members of congress. one of my colleagues from the senate and three of our u.s. house members representing different parts of loui

dr. john garrett of the va hospital center. earlier today, the u.s.l business administration held a discussion on how minority small-business this can take advantage of opportunities available in the economic stimulus package. here to talk about is a special white house adviser responsible for its implementation. this is half an hour. [applause] >> the morning. how was breakfast? very good. we are at day 2. i want to thank you for coming to our 27 annual conference. i hope over the last day that everyone was able to meet somebody new and share business ideas, and hopefully get some good input on how you will grow your business. as i said yesterday, to reach economic parity we need to grow minority businesses larger and faster. to do this, we must think globally. we must develop strategic alliances, and we must think about mergers and acquisitions. today's opening session from the white house to main street will focus on the administration's commitment to ensuring the inclusion of minority businesses in the american recovery and reinvestment act. now t

dr. john garrett. the federal communications commission voted unanimously to launch three separate inquiries into the wireless industry. this portion of the hearing examiner's truth in billing rules, which require communications companies to clearly identify and describe charges on consumers' bills. we will hear first from the chairman of the fcc. this is about 20 minutes. >> madame secretary, if you could announce the next item on the agenda please. >> thank you for working on this important notice. but today the consumer and government affairs bureau presents to you a notice of inquiry on consumer information and disclosure in an effort to ensure that american consumers have access to information they need with our communication services. i want to thank step as well as all the bureau's and ochses to have collaborated with us on this item, including the wireline competition bureau, wireless telecommunications bureau, and others. with me are the chief of our policy division and an attorney and our pol

dr. john garrett. as the debate over health care continues, cspan's healthcare had is the key resource. watch the latest events, including town hall meetings and share your thoughts on the issue with your own citizen video, including video from any town halls you have gone too. there is more. >> year is one of the town hall meetings with virginia democrat, gerry connolly. this is just outside of washington, d.c. this runs about two hours. >> good afternoon, everyone. i cannot figure out how to get this many people to my meetings. [laughter] i do want to welcome everyone here today. certainly congressman, nearly -- certainly congressman connelly. we find ourselves as a community very often right in the middle of some of these discussions and debates and part of the political process. it is a very exciting place to be. i have no doubt that today will be a model for how to do one of these comet to have one of these discussions and a town hall meeting that others will try to duplicate. thank you for your stability in courtesy to each other as we do this today. we are going to have some real

dr. john garrett. now a health care town hall meeting with don edwards of maryland. she is a member of the congressional progressive caucus. many have said they will not vote for health care without a government-run insurance plan. this took place in germantown, maryland. it is about 1 hour 40 minutes. >> how is everyone this evening? [applause] excellent. well, ok, first of all, an introduction because i know some of you but i do not know all of you. i am congresswoman donna edwards. i represent maryland's fourth district. it is good to be able to read we did welcome you all this evening. i see a special crowd of people who are interested and excited to talk about health care reform. and i am glad to be here with you this evening. i am glad you chose to spend your evenings year as well some of you know that i have been having conversations about health care and health care reform for a couple of years across our congressional district. those have been very invigorating conversations and spirited conversations as well. we have had an opportunity over the course of th

dr. john garrett the chairman of the board of the directors of the chief of cardiac surgery. among the things he talked about, he said he will discuss what he wants people to know as they listen to the debate on health care. >> when you listen to the debate on health care, what's the worst thing you hear on a day-to-day basis? i hear people in these town hall meetings or in congress or where ever? >> i think the thing that scares me the most is just the thought of having the government having a massive medicare or medicaid and having all the inefficiencies that brings, but also ending up with a system that is poor, a hospital system that's poor, and having demo ability to -- having a -- having no ability to offer an alternative to our patients. >> why would that happen with an all-pair or single-pair system? >> right now we lose 20% on medicare admissions. so if we lost 20% on everybody that came in, we'd have to do something different. and as administrator, the first thing i would do is limit our capital budget. so the new stuff that we buy every year, every year we buy $30

dr. john garrett of the virginia hospital center. as the debate over health care continues, c-span's health-care hub is the key resources. go online, follow the latest tweets, video ads and links. watch the latest events including town hall meetings and share your thoughts with your own citizens video including video from any town halls you have gone to. and there's more at c-span.org/healthcare. >> since yesterday evening at the jfk library in boston, folks have in paying their final respects to senator ted knedy who diedate tuesday at his home in hyannis port, mass.. he will lie here in repose until 3:00 p.m. eastern or so today. a memorial service here at 7:00 p.m. eastern will be live on c-span, funeral services and burial saturday at arlington national cemetery. [silence] [silence] [silence] [silence] silence] [silence] [silence] [silence] [silence] [silence] [silence] [silence]