Showing posts with label single payee insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label single payee insurance. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Why we risked arrest for single-payer health care
By Margaret Flowers, M.D.
May 8, 2009
On May 5, eight health care advocates, including myself and two other physicians, stood up to Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the Senate Finance Committee during a “public roundtable discussion” with a simple question: Will you allow an advocate for a single-payer national health plan to have a seat at the table?
The answer was a loud, “Get more police!” And we were arrested and hauled off to jail.
The fact that a national health insurance program is supported by the majority of the public, doctors and nurses apparently means nothing to Sen. Baucus. The fact that thousands of people in America are dying every year because they can’t get health care means nothing. The fact that over 1 million Americans go into bankruptcy every year due to medical debt — even though most of them had insurance when they got sick — means nothing.
And so, as the May 5 meeting approached, we prepared for another one of the highly scripted, well-protected events that are supposed to make up the “health care debate” using standard tools of advocacy. We organized call-in days and faxes to the members of the committee requesting the presence of one single-payer advocate at the table of 15. Despite thousands of calls and faxes, the only reply — received on the day before the event — was, “Sorry, but no more invitations will be issued.”
We knew that this couldn’t be correct. We had heard Sen. Baucus say on that very same day that “all options were on the table.” And so, the next day, we donned our suits and traveled to Washington. We had many knowledgeable single-payer advocates in our group. And as the meeting started, one of us, Mr. Russell Mokhiber, stood up to say that we were here and we were ready to take a seat. And he was promptly removed from the room.
In that moment, it all became so clear. We could write letters, phone staffers, and fax until the machines fell apart, but we would never get our seat at the table.
The senators understand that most people want a national health system and that an improved Medicare for All would include everybody and provide better health care at a lower cost. These facts mean nothing to most of them because they respond to only one standard tool of advocacy: money, and lots of it.
The people seated at the table represented the corporate interests: private health insurers and big business and those who support their agenda. The people whose voices were heard all represented organizations which pay huge sums of money to political campaigns. These interests profit greatly from the current health care industry and do not want changes that will hurt their large, personal pocketbooks.
And so, we have entered a new phase in the movement for health care as a human right: acts of civil disobedience. It is time to directly challenge corporate interests. History has shown that in order to gain human rights, we must be willing to speak out and risk arrest. We must engage in actions that expose corporate fraud and corruption. We must make our presence known.
And that is why the eight of us, knowledgeable health care advocates and providers, most of us parents, some of us grandparents, spoke out one-by-one at the Senate Finance Committee. And it is why we will continue to speak out and encourage others to do the same. Our voices must be strong enough to drown out the influence of corporate dollars.
Health care must become the civil rights movement of this decade. The opportunity is here. And we can create a single-payer national health care system.
Yes, we can.
Dr. Margaret Flowers is a pediatrician in Baltimore and co-chair of the Maryland chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). Her statement was co-signed by Mark Dudzic, Labor Campaign for Single Payer; Russell Mokhiber, Single Payer Action; Carol Paris, M.D., PNHP; Katie Robbins, Healthcare-NOW!; Pat Salomon, M.D., PNHP; Adam Schneider, B’more Housing for All; and Kevin Zeese, ProsperityAgenda.us.
Reprinted with permission from Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP)
Contact the Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee. Ask them why they are doing business like the Republicans majority used to do--pay to play. We want the change we voted for not business as usual.
Senate Finance Commitee: 202-224-4515
Senate Democrats on the Finance Committee:
MAX BAUCUS, MT: 202-224-2651
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV: 202-224-6472
KENT CONRAD, ND: 202-224-2043
JEFF BINGAMAN, NM: 202-224-5521
JOHN F. KERRY, MA: 202-224-2742
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR: 202-224-4843
RON WYDEN, OR : 202-224-5244
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, NY: 202-224-6542 *
DEBBIE STABENOW, MI: 202-224-4822 *
MARIA CANTWELL, WA: 202-224-3441 *
BILL NELSON, FL: 202-224-5274
ROBERT MENENDEZ, NJ: 202-224-4744
THOMAS CARPER, DE: 202-224-2441 *
H/T to the Daily Kos for this phone number list.
** I was not able to discuss the single payee issue with these Senators on Friday....no one was answering their phones when I tried to call.
NOTE: Senator Jeff Bingamon's office says that he is an advocate for single payee health insurance. You might want to ask Senator Bingamon to raise his voice louder in protest because I sure don't hear him raising much of a ruckus.
May 8, 2009
On May 5, eight health care advocates, including myself and two other physicians, stood up to Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the Senate Finance Committee during a “public roundtable discussion” with a simple question: Will you allow an advocate for a single-payer national health plan to have a seat at the table?
The answer was a loud, “Get more police!” And we were arrested and hauled off to jail.
The fact that a national health insurance program is supported by the majority of the public, doctors and nurses apparently means nothing to Sen. Baucus. The fact that thousands of people in America are dying every year because they can’t get health care means nothing. The fact that over 1 million Americans go into bankruptcy every year due to medical debt — even though most of them had insurance when they got sick — means nothing.
And so, as the May 5 meeting approached, we prepared for another one of the highly scripted, well-protected events that are supposed to make up the “health care debate” using standard tools of advocacy. We organized call-in days and faxes to the members of the committee requesting the presence of one single-payer advocate at the table of 15. Despite thousands of calls and faxes, the only reply — received on the day before the event — was, “Sorry, but no more invitations will be issued.”
We knew that this couldn’t be correct. We had heard Sen. Baucus say on that very same day that “all options were on the table.” And so, the next day, we donned our suits and traveled to Washington. We had many knowledgeable single-payer advocates in our group. And as the meeting started, one of us, Mr. Russell Mokhiber, stood up to say that we were here and we were ready to take a seat. And he was promptly removed from the room.
In that moment, it all became so clear. We could write letters, phone staffers, and fax until the machines fell apart, but we would never get our seat at the table.
The senators understand that most people want a national health system and that an improved Medicare for All would include everybody and provide better health care at a lower cost. These facts mean nothing to most of them because they respond to only one standard tool of advocacy: money, and lots of it.
The people seated at the table represented the corporate interests: private health insurers and big business and those who support their agenda. The people whose voices were heard all represented organizations which pay huge sums of money to political campaigns. These interests profit greatly from the current health care industry and do not want changes that will hurt their large, personal pocketbooks.
And so, we have entered a new phase in the movement for health care as a human right: acts of civil disobedience. It is time to directly challenge corporate interests. History has shown that in order to gain human rights, we must be willing to speak out and risk arrest. We must engage in actions that expose corporate fraud and corruption. We must make our presence known.
And that is why the eight of us, knowledgeable health care advocates and providers, most of us parents, some of us grandparents, spoke out one-by-one at the Senate Finance Committee. And it is why we will continue to speak out and encourage others to do the same. Our voices must be strong enough to drown out the influence of corporate dollars.
Health care must become the civil rights movement of this decade. The opportunity is here. And we can create a single-payer national health care system.
Yes, we can.
Dr. Margaret Flowers is a pediatrician in Baltimore and co-chair of the Maryland chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). Her statement was co-signed by Mark Dudzic, Labor Campaign for Single Payer; Russell Mokhiber, Single Payer Action; Carol Paris, M.D., PNHP; Katie Robbins, Healthcare-NOW!; Pat Salomon, M.D., PNHP; Adam Schneider, B’more Housing for All; and Kevin Zeese, ProsperityAgenda.us.
Reprinted with permission from Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP)
Contact the Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee. Ask them why they are doing business like the Republicans majority used to do--pay to play. We want the change we voted for not business as usual.
Senate Finance Commitee: 202-224-4515
Senate Democrats on the Finance Committee:
MAX BAUCUS, MT: 202-224-2651
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV: 202-224-6472
KENT CONRAD, ND: 202-224-2043
JEFF BINGAMAN, NM: 202-224-5521
JOHN F. KERRY, MA: 202-224-2742
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR: 202-224-4843
RON WYDEN, OR : 202-224-5244
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, NY: 202-224-6542 *
DEBBIE STABENOW, MI: 202-224-4822 *
MARIA CANTWELL, WA: 202-224-3441 *
BILL NELSON, FL: 202-224-5274
ROBERT MENENDEZ, NJ: 202-224-4744
THOMAS CARPER, DE: 202-224-2441 *
H/T to the Daily Kos for this phone number list.
** I was not able to discuss the single payee issue with these Senators on Friday....no one was answering their phones when I tried to call.
NOTE: Senator Jeff Bingamon's office says that he is an advocate for single payee health insurance. You might want to ask Senator Bingamon to raise his voice louder in protest because I sure don't hear him raising much of a ruckus.
Senator Bachus Needs to be Arrested!!
Senator Bachus has NO RESPECT for the majority of doctors, nurses, and the American people who support a single payee health insurance system. By not putting ALL options on the table the Senate Finance Committee hearings on health care show that the Democratic party is feeding at the same corporate trough that the Republicans used to feed from.
The Capital Police should be locking up the Senate Finance Committee Chair and the members who are paid to go along with blocking single payee health insurance advocates from a single seat at the table. IF we lived in a country that did adhere to representing the American people a MAJORITY of the seats at the discussion table would be single payee advocates.
President Obama and the Democratic party should be prepared for a major shock in the 2010 elections if they continue to sell out the American people for the corporate special interests.
Why isn't anyone in our Congress advocating Campaign Finance Reform. All of our legislation will be used against us as long as we have a pay to play Congress.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Stop Supporting the Fat Cats
It's Time for Us to Fight for Single Payee Health Insurance that covers EVERY American. Don't fall for the Fat Cats latest scheme--forcing us to pay private corporations to provide us health care IS INSANE and violates ANY sense of the "free market theory" that corporate Fat Cats use in their class war. We need to strive to become the healthcare system that is number one in QUALITY not COST.
Having worked in the medical field as a service provider AND also being a consumer of health care I want to be part of a single payee health insurance system because I want higher quality healthcar and a better price.
Contact your elected officials today and tell them to support HR 676
Buzz...Buzz...Buzz....
National Health Insurance Call-In is Today
GIVE AMERICA A GIFT.
NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY FOR HR 676, Single-Payer Healthcare
Monday, December 22, 2008
Go here to get info on this vital issue. Contact your elected officials AND Senator Edward Kennedy. Speak out....the time is now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
