January 2012 – Healthcare-NOW

IUE-CWA Local 83761 Endorses HR 676, Improved Medicare for All

From UnionsforSinglePayer.org – The 2,000 member Local 83761, IUE-CWA, in Louisville, Kentucky, has endorsed HR 676, the national single payer legislation, Expanded and Improved Medicare for All, introduced into the House of Representatives by Democratic Congressman John Conyers of Michigan. Local 83761 members make General Electric refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and other major appliances. The…

Senator Leno’s Single-Payer Health Care Bill Clears Senate Appropriations

From PNHPCalifornia.org – SACRAMENTO – The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved the California Universal Health Care Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). Senate Bill 810 guarantees all Californians comprehensive, universal health care while reducing the state’s ballooning health care costs and improving the quality of care and delivery of health services statewide. The…

Single Payer System Continues to Draw Interest in Oregon

A grassroots campaign is forming to build public support for a ballot measure in 2013 By Amanda Waldroupe for TheLundReport.org – January 19, 2012—Healthcare advocates, medical professionals, and legislators are developing a state-wide grassroots campaign to start educating the public about a single payer health system to provide universal coverage for everyone. “It’s really the…

Since August, 88,000 Pennsylvania children have lost Medicaid benefits

By Don Sapatkin, The Philadelphia Inquirer – More children lost Medicaid coverage in Pennsylvania in December than in the previous three months combined, according to new Department of Public Welfare numbers that show a total of 88,000 cut since August. Advocates for the poor and disabled say orders to quickly process a backlog of eligibility…

In Dire Health

Despite the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. medical system is near collapse. What will save it is a single-payer system and physicians in group practice. By Arnold Relman for the American Prospect – Most people assume that insurance is an essential part of the health-care system. Some think it should be provided…

Calif. health professional students rally for single payer

Note: What follows is some of the media coverage given to parallel marches and rallies held on Monday, Jan. 9, in Sacramento and Los Angeles protesting the continuing injustices in U.S. health care and calling for a universal, single-payer health system. The protests were sponsored by the California Health Professional Student Alliance (CaHPSA), the Campaign…

Occupy US Health Care

By Mary O’Brien for Common Dreams – After wincing a bit from the free flu shot, my young patient turned to me and said, “What you’re doing here is awesome – it’s so hard get health care!” “Here” happened to be New York City’s Zuccotti Park in mid-November, the epicenter of Occupy Wall Street, just…

With single-payer reform, schools all over Ohio could save millions

From AthensNews.com – To the Editor: The Athens City Schools and many Ohio school districts are sorely in need of revenues. We see talented and dedicated teachers and teacher aides’ positions eliminated or threatened in Athens County. We read of the recommended closing a gem of a school and community, Chauncey Elementary. There is a…

Private insurers increasingly reliant on government business

From the Washington Post – Despite the sluggish economy, the nation’s major health insurers have prospered in large part by expanding their role in government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, according to a study released Thursday. The share of large insurers’ revenues contributed by their Medicare and Medicaid business has jumped from 36 to…

Healthcare-NOW! Strategy Conference Agenda

Don’t forget! Healthcare-NOW!’s Annual Strategy Conference in Houston, TX on January 28th and 29th is fast approaching, so register soon if you haven’t already. Go to our Strategy Conference page to register. You can download the agenda here (.pdf). Registration ends on January 21st and you must reserve your hotel room by January 13th to…