Peter Orszag is one of the key architects of the White House health care overhaul.

Orszag is the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Last week, the Associated Press reported that White House officials – including Orszag – met early and often with a long list of health care industry lobbyists as the White House was developing its health care overhaul earlier this year.

Not included on the list: doctors and nurses who favor a single payer national health insurance system.

Who were White House officials meeting with?

George Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Health Plans.

Scott Serota, president and CEO of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Kenneth Kies, a Washington lobbyist who represents Blue Cross/Blue Shield, among other clients.

Billy Tauzin, head of PhRMA, the drug industry lobby.

Richard Umbdenstock, chief of the American Hospital Association, and numerous lobbyists.

Orszag himself met in March with representatives for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, including chief executive Serota, in-house lobbyists Alissa Fox and Kris Haltmeyer, and Kies, one of its outside lobbyists and a former top GOP congressional tax aide.

We asked Orszag what he discussed with the Blue Cross/Blue Shield lobbyists.

He wouldn’t say.

But Orszag said that he met with “a whole variety of folks who know about the health care system – whether it’s union leaders, providers, insurers – what have you.”

“I’m not aware of meeting requests from your group or from other (single payer groups),” Orszag said.

You’re not?

Peter Orszag – meet Dr. Margaret Flowers.

Dr. Margaret Flowers is with Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP).

Dr. Flowers, PNHP and the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care – the lead single payer advocates in the country – have been trying for months to get a meeting with Orszag and other White House officials.

To no avail.

Let us count the ways.

One.

Obama’s March health care summit at the White House.

Single payer advocates were excluded.

When single payer docs threatened to picket the White House – the White House allowed a couple of single payer advocates to attend – but they did not get a chance to speak.

Two.

In August, Flowers, PNHP and the Leadership Conference wrote a letter to the White House asking for a meeting to discuss single payer.

The White House wrote back – we are not able to honor your request.

Three.

In September, a group of doctors calling themselves — Mad As Hell Doctors — travel cross country on a 22-day, 27-town whistle-stop tour for single payer that ended with a rally across from the White House.

They request a meeting with White House officials.

They are told flat out – no.

Four.

In October, Obama holds a meeting with doctors from all 50 states to promote his health care reform bill.

Not one single payer doc was invited to the meeting.

Not one.

This despite the fact that polls show that a majority of doctors now support a single payer system in the United States.

Instead, single payer docs were left outside the gate, protesting the White House refusal to meet.

Dr. Paul Hochfeld – one of the Mad as Hell Doctors – insisted on being admitted.

And he was.

But he didn’t get a chance to speak.

“It was a mere photoshoot,” Hochfeld said afterward.

Five.

And most amazingly – Dr. David Scheiner – Obama’s doctor for 22 years – was scheduled to attend a one hour ABC News health care forum in June.

Then the White House realized – uh, oh – can’t have Scheiner.

Why not?

Scheiner, it turns out, has been critical of Obama’s health care plan.

It won’t work, he says.

Scheiner says we need single payer health care instead.

So, Scheiner is disinvited.

“The key point is we are hearing from a whole variety of people and institutions that have interests in health care reform,” Orszag said today. “And that’s exactly how it should be – getting a broad view – a 360 degree perspective on health care reform.”

Don’t tell that to single payer docs like Dr. Flowers.

“It’s more like a 90 degree perspective,” Dr. Flowers says.

And so, Peter Orszag, why exactly was single payer taken off the table?

“There are some who would prefer not having a mixed public/private system as we have in the Untied States,” Orszag said. “The President was very clear that we have an American system. And we are going to have a mix of private and public insurance – just from a practical perspective.”

Get the hint?

Single payer is un-American.

Not only that, but Orszag let it be known that there’s been too much attention being paid to a public option.

Back to that March meeting with the Blue Cross/Blue Shield lobbyists, Peter.

What exactly did you discuss with them?