February 2009 – Page 2 – Healthcare-NOW

An Uninsured Veteran

Besides opposing the war in Iraq, Iraq Veterans Against the War support full healthcare benefits (including mental health benefits) for veterans regardless of discharge status. The following video is an interview with Iraq veteran Nick Morgan who was trampled by police at a demonstration against the war at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, NY. Nick discusses…

Subsidizing COBRA Is Not Enough–We Need Single Payer

By Andrew Coates, MD– COBRA is a law that allows you to keep your employer-sponsored health insurance for 18 months if you lose or change jobs. To do so, you have to pay 102% of the cost (the full premium plus a 2% surcharge). The stimulus package just passed provides for laid off workers, who…

Nat. Lessons from State Health Reform: The Mass. Case

February 25, 2009, 2pm – 4pm, 2226 Rayburn House Office Building. Urge your Representative to attend a joint forum organized by the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care. In the last two decades over a dozen state health reform acts have attempted to provide universal health care coverage, and failed. Critical analysis of these models…

Conyers Statement on Phila. Endorsement of HR 676

Congressman John Conyers, Jr., today issued a statement expressing his appreciation for the actions of the Philadelphia City Council. On Thursday, January 29, 2009 the council voted to endorse Congressman Conyers’ single-payer universal health care bill H.R. 676, the “United States National Health Care Act.” “I am eternally grateful to the elected representatives of the…

Action Alert: Today is a National Call-In Day

The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Healthcare is encouraging everyone to participate in the next National Call-in Day for HR 676. February 12, 2009: Call Congress, and the President Congressional switchboard: 202-225-3121 (ask for your representative’s office). If your member is a current co-sponsor, thank your rep. and ask him or her to stand firm for…

Conference of Missouri Utility Unions Endorses HR 676

A statewide conference of all local unions, representing employees who work for all of Missouri’s utilities, has endorsed HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). The Missouri State Labor Utility Workers Conference represents more than 15,000 workers at every utility company in the state. It is comprised of local unions…

Americans Should Not Stand for Lock-down on Single-Payer Discussion

By Laura Bonham– As an ardent advocate of single-payer healthcare for many years, I am more than a little frustrated by Washington insiders—beholden to healthcare corporations—telling the American people that passing single-payer healthcare reform, specifically HR. 676, the United States National Health Care Act, can’t happen. The fact is they are standing in the way…

NEA Vermont and AFT in Oregon Endorse HR 676

Teacher unions in Vermont and Oregon have endorsed HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). In Vermont, the Board of Directors of the Vermont NEA voted unanimously to support HR 676. The Vermont NEA is the first state NEA to endorse HR 676. In Portland, Oregon, the Executive Board of…

Another Poll Shows Majority Support for Single-Payer

A New York Times/CBS News poll released last week shows, yet again, that the majority of Americans support national health insurance. The poll, which compares answers to the same questions from 30 years ago, finds that, “59% [of Americans] say the government should provide national health insurance, including 49% who say such insurance should cover…

National Campaign Launched in Partnership with Change.org

A few weeks back we asked you to vote for single-payer healthcare on Change.org. Well, it got enough votes to become one of their ten “Ideas for Change in America,” and we couldn’t be happier. Change.org presented these ideas two weeks ago at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Macon Phillips,…