May 2011 – Healthcare-NOW

Vermont governor signs universal healthcare bill

New law designed to lead the state toward the nation’s first single-payer system By Dave Gram for the AP – Vermont still has “a few challenges” ahead to meet its goal of a universal health care system this decade, Gov. Peter Shumlin said Thursday as he signed into law the bill designed to make the…

FDL and PNHP Join Forces to Petition Obama Administration

Give Vermont the Waivers it Needs to Build a Better Health Care System If McDonald’s receives health care waivers from HHS, Vermont should too Petition: http://action.firedoglake.com/VThealthcare Physicians for National Health Program (PNHP) and Firedoglake.com are joining forces to urge the Obama administration to grant Vermont the waivers it needs to implement its new health care…

Video: VT to Become 1st State to Enact Single-Payer

From Democracy Now! – Today Vermont is set to make history by becoming the first state in the nation to offer universal, single payer healthcare when Gov.Peter Shumlin signs its healthcare reform bill into law. The Vermont plan, called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will attempt to stem rising medical care prices and…

Celebrate Medicare’s 46th Anniversary! – Join Today

In this time of strong economic uncertainty, while Medicare and Medicaid are under attack and states across the country are balancing their budgets on the backs of the working class, you have remained committed to fighting for universal and equitable healthcare reform. We cannot thank you enough for your championing of Medicare for all, but…

Thursday: Live Streamed Signing of Vermont’s Universal Healthcare Bill

The Vermont Breakthrough: Live Streamed Press Conference on Signing of Vermont’s Universal Healthcare Bill H.202 When: 9:00 AM (Eastern Time) Thursday, May 26, 2011 Where: Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, Room 11 Live streamed online, tune in here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vermont-workers-center-press-conference The Vermont Workers’ Center invites you to tune into this special presentation on Vermont’s new universal health care…

GOP Pushes To Let States Reduce Medicaid Rolls

By Mary Agnes Carey and Phil Galewitz for KHN – With their proposal to turn Medicaid into block grants all but dead, Republicans now are pushing legislation to let states tighten eligibility rules for the health program for the poor and disabled. The move, which would affect Medicaid as well as the Children’s Health Insurance…

Single Payer in California?

By Truthout – The national debate over health care can be summed up in a bill being debated in Sacramento. Supporters of Senate Bill 810 say the legislation would be the only way to provide medical coverage for every Californian. Opponents deride the measure as socialized medicine. The California Universal Healthcare Act was introduced by…

Poll: Medicare doesn’t have to be cut

By the AP – WASHINGTON (AP) – They’re not buying it. Most Americans say they don’t believe Medicare has to be cut to balance the federal budget, and ditto for Social Security, a new poll shows. The Associated Press-GfK poll suggests that arguments for overhauling the massive benefit programs to pare government debt have failed…

A Doctor’s Push for Single-Payer Health Care for All Finds Traction in Vermont

By Amy Goodnough for the New York Times – Many people move to Vermont in search of a slower pace; Dr. Deb Richter came in 1999 to work obsessively toward a far-fetched goal. She wanted Vermont to become the first state to adopt a single-payer health care system, run and paid for by the government,…

GOP plan is a non-starter

By Rep. John Conyers, Jr. – Medicare is arguably one of the nation’s most successful and cherished public insurance programs. The program covers 47 million elderly and disabled Americans, and helps pay for hospital, physician visits and prescription drugs. It is truly hard to argue with success. The traditional Medicare program, coupled with a supplemental…