With the death of Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy (D-Mass.) late Tuesday night goes one of the staunchest allies of health reform.
Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, had suffered from brain cancer for more than a year. He served 46 years as a U.S. Senator. He died at home in Hyannis Port, Mass.
"For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts," said President Barack Obama upon hearing of Kennedy's death.
Most recently, Kennedy was a supporter of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which included billions to promote healthcare, medical research and the study of comparative effectiveness treatments. In July, he cast a deciding vote on a Medicare bill to prevent significant cuts to physician reimbursement.
Kennedy was a long-time advocate for health reform and continued to help with reform packages while undergoing treatment for his cancer. In March, he surprised his colleagues with an unexpected appearance at a White House summit on health reform, saying "this time we will not fail."
On July 15, the HELP committee passed a reform bill sponsored by Kennedy.
During the last days of his life, Kennedy was concerned that his death would leave Massachusetts without a replacement in time for a full Senate vote on a health reform package. He had been pushing for a change in the state's law to name a temporary successor upon his death.
Kennedy's loss is felt across the healthcare community.
"Today, the American Medical Association joins the nation in mourning the death of Senator Edward Kennedy," said J. James Rohack, MD, president of the American Medical Association. "During his many years in public service, Senator Kennedy was a champion for America's patients – working until the end to make improvements on their behalf. For example, Senator Kennedy was a leading voice in efforts to expand access to healthcare for children and to secure fair health coverage for the mentally ill."
"No doubt Senator Kennedy's legacy will be burnished by his many contributions to improving America's health system over the years – including his work that helped pave the way for this year's effort to provide affordable, quality health insurance coverage to all Americans," Rohack said.
John Halamka, MD, chairman of the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel, said Kennedy was an inspiration.
"He was a champion of healthcare IT and high quality coverage for all. His charisma and energy will be missed," Halamka said. ""I am confident that the momentum he created will be sustained ... The future, inspired by Ted Kennedy's vision, will be very bright."
Karen Ignagni, president and CEO America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), said, "Senator Edward Kennedy was America's healthcare champion. His contribution to healthcare policy is unmatched."
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, "Ensuring that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care was one of the causes of Senator Kennedy's life and we will carry his mission forward."