[Sosfbay-discuss] FW: Healthcare-NOW! Update to Activists

Fri Apr 24 09:17:42 PDT 2009

--- On Fri, 4/24/09, Lynn Huidekoper <lynn_huidekoper at hotmail.com> wrote:

From: Lynn Huidekoper <lynn_huidekoper at hotmail.com>
Subject: FW: Healthcare-NOW! Update to Activists
To: "Lynn Huidekoper" <lynn_huidekoper at hotmail.com>
Date: Friday, April 24, 2009, 2:23 AM

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Greetings Single-Payer Activists,

A lot has been happening in a short amount of time in health care reform.  We thank everyone for all the work you are doing!  Another cosponsor to HR 676 signed on this week, Rep Donna Christensen [VI], for a total of 75 cosponsors..

Here are a few articles of interest and updates that you might find useful in spreading the word for single-payer.  

Health & Justice,

Katie Robbins
Healthcare-NOW!

Single-Payer Expert Testifies in Congress

Dr. David Himmelstein, co-founder of PNHP, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a primary care doctor at Cambridge Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts tells the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions that only a major overhaul of the existing system, one which replaces the wasteful, for-profit, private insurance industry with a publicly financed, single-payer program similar to Medicare, can rein in costs while guaranteeing universal, comprehensive coverage.

http://edlabor. house.gov/ documents/ 111/pdf/testimon y/20090423DavidH immelsteinTestim ony.pdf

Mike Ferrell stars in single-payer PSA 

TV spots have been put together by Clark Newhall starring Mike Ferrell advocating for single-payer.  Help raise funds to get these on the air!  Also, consider using these on local public access stations that take submissions from local residents.  Thanks for getting the word out!
http://www.1payer.net/videos/medicare-for-all.html

Round Tables on health in Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus, Chair

The first Round Table discussion already occurred this week, and no single-payer experts were included.  Two more round tables are slated for May.: 

May 5: Roundtable Discussion #2 on expanding health care to  all Americans-focus on uninsured

 May 14: Roundtable Discussion #3 on financing health care reform

 June: Senate Finance Committee will begin to mark up legislation

The roundtable series will be open to the public and web cast on the Finance Committee website, www.finance.senate.gov. 
You can also see them on CSPAN who often repeats them at night

If you are a constituent in a state with a Senator who serves on the Finance Committee, consider calling and urging local coalition members to call and ask them to include Single-Payer experts in these Hearings.  

Here is a link to the Press Release from Senate Finance Committee with information on Hearings - http://finance.senate.gov/press/Gpress/2009/prg041509.pdf

Here is a list of Senate Finance Committee Members - http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/committee.htm

Elderly Used as Front in Letter Writing Scam - AHIP behind it. Background info: Obama is looking for ways to cut money from the budget. He has said that he wants to eliminate the fed. subsidy that the insurance companies' Medicare Advantage Plans currently get( Kaiser has it for seniors).  It was announced last week that AHIP(Ins. Plans) would be holding 90 meetings across the country in an attempt to block this effort(they have made bundles off of these). The problem is that seniors who have them have better benefits than traditional Medicare because the plans are subsidized so they can afford to offer these. This article shows fradulent activity by the insurance companies sending false letters with seniors names on them claiming they don't want their MA plan dropped. They are really desperate!

http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_103032149.html

Colorado State Bill short 1 vote on final House vote - 
report back from Michele Swenson 

Believing we have to work at both state and federal levels, Health Care for All Colorado wrote a single-payer bill this year, a year after the CO Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform buried the Single Payer proposal in its final report - even though the SP proposal evaluated by the Lewin Group was the only one demonstrating net savings for the state of $1.4 billion and comprehensive coverage for all. With support from one of our congressional reps, 2 previous federal bills introduced to support state pilot projects for reform, and even Pres. Obama's statement before the election endorsing state pilot health care reform projects, our CO Guaranteed Health Care Act (HB 1273) was guided by supportive legislators through 2 House commitees and a voice vote on the House floor. It was short 1 vote on final House vote, so was tabled.

We are planning to ask friendly legislators to introduce a joint Resolution in support of HR 676 like that recently passed by both houses of the Maine legislature - see http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/billtexts/HP100401.asp  Several of our counties have passed similar resolutions. What if a number of states and cities did so?  

Michele Swenson
Denver

Healthcare-NOW! and Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care Nationwide Day of Action being planned in over 20 cities around May 30th

Great events are being planned around the country!  Please submit logistics for your events so we can help promote them.  Check out the May 30th web page here: http://www.healthcare-now.org/campaigns/may-30th-day-of-action/

Note: Our local Santa Clara County Single Payer Coalition is planning an event. More info to follow

Direct Actions for Single Payer

Single-payer activists are planning more direct actions to bring the single-payer message to Members of Congress.   Check out these great ideas!

Belly Dance for Single Payer - http://www.singlepayeraction.org/index.php

We Aren't Covered!  - http://www.healthcare-now.org/2009/04/report-from-demo-at-rep-rangels-office/

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