National Lobby Day and Rally for Single-Payer in DC

Wednesday, May 13th, is the National Lobby Day and Rally for Single-Payer in Washington DC. Leading the charge is the California Nurses Association 500 nurses strong to lobby and rally for single-payer in the nation’s capital. Joined by the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care, we want to use this opportunity to make the single-payer message loud and strong for our legislators to hear.

So mark your calendars and if at all possible, please join us! The rally is at noon, but if you would like to join a delegation to meet with your representative, please contact Katie Robbins asap – info@healthcare-now.org or 1-800-453-1305.

Relatively inexpensive bus fare is available from most major cities on the east coast. Please contact Katie for info on travel details info@healthcare-now.org / 1-800-453-1305.

When: Wednesday, May 13 at 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Where: Upper Senate Park, Washington DC (near Union Station Metro Stop)
Map: Here

22 Comments

  1. care4all on April 15, 2009 at 10:13 pm

    You can leave your thoughts on healthcare reform on the government website HealthReform.gov. Everyone should go to http://www.healthreform.gov/communityreports/comments.html and strongly support single-payer reform, HR 676, and S 703.



  2. care4all on April 17, 2009 at 1:33 am

    We cannot afford to be complacent for one second.

    Word is that the Senate healthcare reform legislation won’t even include a public health insurance option. Many are concerned that the insurance companies are running the show. Senator Baucus is blocking single-payer and a public option. We need to KEEP THE PRESSURE ON.

    We must all continue to speak out everywhere and to write / call / email our Senators and Representatives. Find them here: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

    An important strategy: Where does Senator Kennedy stand on single payer? on a public option? What is he supporting?



  3. Christina C. Campbell on April 21, 2009 at 7:00 pm

    I am trying to understand the health care issue and am thoroughly confused. Too many different opinions and no one seems to be coming together on this very important issue. I have signed many petitions and joined many groups on the web. Single-payer, HR676, Health care Now,and more. Some, I have found out are smokescreens put up by the insurance companies. I don’t know who to support. I write letters to people in office but I am starting to realize I might have been stabbing my self in the back unknowingly. I don’t know if your stance is my vision for health care either. Americans need socialized medicine. There,I’ve said it. The dreaded Socialist phrase. The idea of a public option is confusing. Do we pay out of pocket for this ,like buying private insurance. Is this the extended Medicare program? And what does that mean anyway as opposed to HR676 or other ideas floating out there? I am one of the many who fall between the cracks. I haven’t had health care for 6 yrs. now. Too poor for private insurance and believe it or not to rich for SSD or medicare or community programs. We had 7000 dollars in the bank to cover rent while my boyfriend goes back to school. It seems like you have to be close to homelessness to get the community funded program where I live. I don’t know what to do so I have just started writing to people like you. Please make this clear to me and I’m sure many Americans. We need to stand together on this issue or we all lose out as a society. It’s sad to think that The French take care of their citizens and America does not. Can’t these many groups ban together? United we stand , divided we fall.



    • Nancy Martin, RN, BSN on April 27, 2009 at 7:13 pm

      Dear Christina,
      There is a distinction between Socialized medicine and Single-Payer. Socialized medicine means the government owns the infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, etc.) and the doctors work for the government. It is paid for through taxes. Our Veterans Administration (VA) system is actually socialized medicine. In other words, publicly funded AND publicly delivered.

      In a Single-Payer system, the government does not own the infrastructure, and the doctors do not work directly for the government. It is also paid for through taxes. Our Medicare system is a type of Single-Payer system. It is publicly funded, BUT privately delivered. HR 676 would extend a better, more comprehensive Medicare to all residents of the U.S.

      HR 676 proposes to pay for this by adding a modest tax (3.3%) on to employers and employees — BUT — and this is important — the premiums for insurance that they both pay now would disappear, as would deductibles and copays. The top 5% of the wage earners would end up paying more than they do now, but the other 95% of Americans would pay less.

      Healthcare-Now is a grassroots organization that supports this kind of reform. People from diverse backgrounds have joined with Healthcare-Now to work for reform. It is truly a reform group — not a front for insurance companies. We believe that reform will elude us as long as the “for-profit” insurance companies are in the picture. Hope this helps.
      Nancy



  4. Carla Rautenberg on May 3, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    I urge Christina and in fact, everyone, to go to http://www.ourailinghealthcare.com where you can watch a video about the American crisis in health care.

    The video, entitled “Health, Money and Fear,” was produced by an emergency room doctor. It can be viewed in short chapters, and the content is absolutely excellent.

    I wish every American could see this film.

    Carla



  5. Tom on May 4, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    Why is it this healthcare reform movement is being run by people like Max Baucus who is nothing but a puppet for the for profit health insurance companies??? Every American should be outraged that something as important as healthcare is being reformed by the same industry that caused the problem in the first place,,.For profit health insurance companies… Dealing with them to solve our healthcare crisis is likeing dealing with Al Queda to solve our terrorism problem.. Only many more Americans have been harmed by health insurance companies than have been harmed by terrorist organizations… 20,000 Americans die every year because they don’t have or can’get or afford healthcare.. Over 700,000 are forced into bankruptcy.. Senator Baucus should return the $400,000 he received in his lat election, from health insurance companies.. He should also be removed from his position on healthcare reform and a non-biased person put in his place..Leaving single payer off the table is unacceptable..Max Baucus is unacceptable as a person of influence in this debate!!!!!



    • Sylvia on May 11, 2009 at 2:49 pm

      I agree. Who is questioning this? And to whom would we address the question? I wonder how he got appointed? And why this critical roundtable discussion on healthcare reform being moderated by the FINANCE committee of all committees? Shouldn’t possible financial scenarios be discussed last, or at least second? My fear is they are trying to position healthcare reform as simply ways to cut down on cost. It’s more easily achievable and less controversial than the idea of healthcare as a right and removing the insurance companies from the picture.



  6. Larry Segal on May 5, 2009 at 7:27 pm

    Dear Congressman:
    I think the Health Care bill that you came up with is fantastic. My concern is that Homeopathic and natural remedies are not going to be covered by this insurance as I understand. If you would include this into the Bill, I think you would get a groundswell of support from the “Normal” people who voted for Obama. Most of those people are for the Environment and Good Health people. They are against pollution, pharmaceuticals and the Big Oil Companies. You would get those “grass roots” people behind you. Years ago, they did not insure chiropractors or massage people, now the insurance companies cover these professionals. If you go natural to be covered also, I will do all I can to help bring the technologies to you and get your bill marketing to the “good” people in this world. Thank you for your bill and I will do all I can to help it.



    • Ron Morris on May 8, 2009 at 2:09 pm

      Under a single payer system, the elimination of the profit motive eliminates the cutthroat competition that excludes alternative medical methods from better funded commercial solutions. Because physicians are much more important as key decision makers in a single payer or socialized system, as opposed to people’s level of wealth being the decision maker in our system, doctors who believe in, and have good results with alternative methods, can prescribe alternative methods and still be paid adequately for their services. Because cure rate and patient satisfaction, rather than profits, are the criteria for physician pay increases or bonuses under many national health plans, alternative medicine definitely can and does provide a way for doctors to distinguish themselves and attract patients who desire these treatments. Because the physical items needed for many of these treatments are usually not expensive, it probably matters not whether the national plan actually covers some of these things. Remember that a doctor can simply give you something to help. That something can be covered by his salary, if he chooses. The system would require that the doctor have a medical degree. This guarantees a certain quality level. Now, if a doctor cares to practice other disciplines as well, he can. Paying him so everyone can partake of his talent does not seem like such a bad thing to me.



    • Teresa Renberg on May 9, 2009 at 4:32 pm

      Since its a National Health Insurance plan, Single Payer allows you to freely chose the doctor who is right for you. You do not have to ever worry that you will be denied coverage.

      In a single payer system Doctors are free from HMO restrictions. They are more apt to promote preventative care, and pursue drug free solutions for illness. A good example is my children who have ear problems were seen by a doctor in Scandinavia, he prescribed a fun balloon trick the kids do to open the eustation tube. It works better than all those drugs prescribed to us by doctors previously.

      Since the government will have the power of collective bargaining, the pharmacudical and medical device companies must compete for the government contracts. Prices are reduced in a way that makes capitalism works for us! Administrative costs are reduced significantly.



  7. Ian C.Cree,MB(Hons.),MS,FRCS(Eng.& C.),FACS,LRCP. on May 8, 2009 at 10:48 am

    HEALTH CARE REFORM

    Health Care Reform will ideally be fully funded by the Health Services Department and scrupulously avoid involvement of the Insurance Companies, which have only grossly inflated the costs of Healthcare for their own profit including obscene incomes and bonuses and numerous other rewards for the higher echelons of a massive and highly costly bureaucracy.

    Insurance Companies only act as Middlemen and contribute absolutely nothing to health care!

    They all exclude many from receiving health care for assorted reasons such as previous illnesses or accidents, loss of employment with loss of insurance, cancellation due inability to pay due to loss of jobs, foreclosures and many other reasons. Many plans exclude certain services and certain conditions, and many only offer partial service with deductibles, co payments and higher premiums for previous conditions.

    The health service will only succeed so long as it can be afforded. The economic collapse, which we are facing, clearly dictates that the above discussed luxuries not be allowed to scuttle what will very plausibly be a very successful health plan.

    Essential for radically cutting costs will be reform of the Malpractice Litigation Laws which have introduced a climate of fear and mistrust between doctors and their patients and which have exponentially increased the costs of every facet of medical care including Doctors, Nurses, Lab and X-ray technicians, Hospital Boards, Administrators, Suppliers of medications and equipment and many more. The detrimental effect of these factors is colossal in terms of the morale of Doctors, Nurses and Patients. It is even greater in terms of addition to the cost of EVERYTHING involved in medical care.

    The number one step to reduce these costs and the detrimental effects on morale, is to limit contingency fees to the average hourly attorney fee multiplied by the verified numbers of hours worked on any case. This would eliminate the obscene rewards reaped by Plaintiff’s attorneys and reduce the greed factor which so strongly promotes the free malpractice lottery. It is recognized by those in the know, that more than 80% of malpractice suits are either frivolous or not supported by evidence of true wrong doing. This is all just money down the drain!

    The other destructive effect of malpractice litigation is the damage or even destruction of a dedicated doctor’s career, which is damaged by the knowledge that the Doctor is being sued. (He/She is automatically deemed to be guilty until proven innocent, or even guilty in spite of being proven innocent). He/She may also be disciplined by the hospital where he/she works, by the Licensing Board, by his/her Specialty College or Society, and will certainly have the cost of his/her malpractice coverage increased drastically, or refused altogether.

    Any or all of these consequences will severely damage his/her practice and livelihood or eliminate it altogether.

    Malpractice suits are always dicey and depend heavily on medical witnesses, who are often less knowledgeable than the defendant. The appropriateness of care is usually highly debatable, and the verdicts unpredictable. If more than one entity is a party to the suit, the question as to who was responsible for an adverse outcome, becomes even more debatable, and usually both or all defendants will suffer in an adverse verdict.

    The true consequence of all of these factors is devastating to the doctors or other professionals involved, and will frequently end their career, wasting as much as 10 years of training and study and all the costs so involved. Disciplinary actions by Medical Boards impose varying levels of discipline varying from admonition to probation to revocation of their license. However, regardless of the degree of the penalty, and no matter how dedicated, skilled, well trained and blameless the doctor or professional may be, it will be a virtual death sentence to their career. and any subsequent malpractice insurance will skyrocket, if it can be obtained at all.

    All of this may seem blatantly unfair and it is.

    The other down side of this is that a highly capable and dedicated professional has been lost to the patient population, and the entire profession is intimidated . This results in professionals shirking taking on high risk patients, especially for life saving operations, and attempts to avoid such operations, or trying to pass the buck and transferring the patient to another institution.

    The latter may result in the patient losing their life in transit or even after arrival at the other institution.

    Thus there is a clear need for radical reform of the malpractice litigation system, of the licensing and disciplinary system which are producing havoc with the quality of medical care and overburdening the costs, perhaps amounting to an increase of as much as 30% to 50%.

    Control of the cost of drugs: The long standing system of patenting drugs has inflated the costs of drugs exponentially. The justification by pharmaceutical companies for the huge costs is that the new drugs incur heavy costs for research. This argument becomes a political one, since the vast majority of new drugs do not represent dramatic advances in treatment or earth shaking innovations. Rather are they small changes which justify a new patent – sometimes a change in route of administration or a different time frame of dosing.
    Most of the dramatic advances in new drugs emanate from Universities and are produced by researchers in those Universities, and tried and tested in those Universities. The costs are born by the researchers from grants given by private donors , by the government or by the University itself. Thus, the cost of these significant advances is not born by the Pharmaceutical companies, although Pharmaceutical companies do sometimes fund these researches, especially when one of their own products is being investigated. Such funding may be in relation to new genetic research agents.

    To reduce the costs of drugs, the removal of some, if not all patents, would produce a dramatic reduction in costs. The funding of research would continue without the drug companies being involved and the savings engendered by removing patents could be added in part to increase research grants.

    As one who has worked as a surgeon, emergency room physician and briefly in general practice in the USA, Canada and in the UK, I can categorically state that the standard of care in all 3 nations is equal.

    What differs is the availability and the cost. In Canada and the UK health care is universal and the cost is but a fraction of that in the USA and is highly affordable for everyone.

    The statement that bureaucrats will control health care can only be made by one who has consumed too much of that which the bull passeth as he strutteth along the road.

    Indeed the very reverse is true. Under the medical insurance system, Insurers control health care and preclude certain treatments, illnesses, drugs, and operative procedures, while inflating costs exponentially.

    How think you?

    Sincerely,

    Ian Campbell Cree, MB(Hons.), MS, FRCS(Eng. & C.), FACS, LRCP.



    • Ron Morris on May 8, 2009 at 2:18 pm

      Also, do not forget that under a single payer system, people would not be afraid to go to a doctor when they have a problem. Doctors would be faced less with huge problems when really sick people finally seek care, and people would be able to receive proper screening and primary care. Doctors will no longer be seen as villains because they won’t be seen as thieves, regardless of their performance. The current system sets the stage for hostilities, lying about pre-existing conditions, and resentment. What an unhealthy system. It truly deserves euthanasia.



  8. Chris on May 9, 2009 at 11:51 am

    Why does, France, England, Canada, and CUBA. All have universal healthcare, and live good. There taxes are not out of control.Our country is the most powerful, and we can’t seem to take care of our citizens, because insurance companies pharmicudical companies are so greedy. This makes me ashamed of being an American. SHAME ON OUR GOVERNMENT. I watched a movie called SICKO, ( and so should you, don’t be affraid of the truth! )and I plan on telling everyone I meet to watch it. It is time we as a people take our country back, and lead it in a standard of excellence. BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE. When people really see how we are played for as fouls, by our elected officials. I can only pray we all get together and stop this great country of ours to fall, while a very few, get wealthy beyond all comprehension. SHAME ON YOU.



  9. Blanca Gomez on May 10, 2009 at 7:34 am

    Being able to have affordable health care to all it is the most salient thing you can do for all citizen in America… To have health insurance is a right for us because families, grandparent, individual, single parent we have to have this gift to be access to healthcare…. And with that say our health facilities need to treat other with more respect. It does not matter the gender, color of our skin, our finacial status we have this priveligedto endure within ourselves and we need you guys to support this matter, because it is affecting everyone….We need to have quality healthcare for everyone not just for the rich everyone because everyone is equal….thank you



  10. Don Zwiers on May 10, 2009 at 8:48 pm

    I have been following health reform for over 2 years now and being a retired engineer, I connected with the problems happening in our present Health Care System. I have watched the discussions of the Health Care Forum our President put together and read the transcripts of all the sessions. I assume these are all qualified people to talk on health care. I agree with most of their views and especially President Obama’s outline of the 8 principles he would like to see happen.

    I am frustrated that no one is looking at a National Sales tax to fund the system. Mike Huckelby brought up a consumption tax during the primaries. When I looked up sales tax, it made sense that this is the type tax we need for health care. It brings in money daily and health care uses money daily. Everybody who spends money pays a tax, and everyone that uses health care spends money. It is the easiest to implement and the hardest to avoid. The tax itself is very small when paid, thereby doesn’t hurt people paying a tax in small increments. The only problem I found was it is disproportionate between the rich and poor, based on the available money to spend. I figured to make it fairer to everyone, 4 tax rates could be implemented on money used to fund the National Health care System. The lowest rate for what is necessary to life healthy, the second would for what makes life more enjoyable and easier, the third for what we would all like if we could afford it. Then there is a penalty tax above the other three tha would be for what makes health care more expensive, like some foods, tobacco, illegal drugs, etc. This sales tax would even cover all purchases over the internet. (Explained in my plan) With all the money going into the US Treasury, they can write the checks to pay for the health care when the hospitals and medical people send them the invoice. Also, since the government should never make a profit, but also, never take a loss, the tax rates can be adjusted like a spigot to bring in more money when we have an emergency like the H1N1 flu scare. Also as health care becomes more effective and the costs go down, the rates can be adjusted down at a moments notice. This would be a sustainable system forever.

    Now, if everyone is paying for their own health care, everyone will have the same health care our Presidential candidates were suggesting. The tax payer will be paying for everyone’s health care before they need it, but when they do need it, it’s is already paid for. Universal Health Care would then be achieved.

    The record system becomes very simple when only one data base is used. Everyone enters their data electronically as soon as the event happens, like many medical facilities do now. Just make sure everyone is on the same page, one system.

    All the problems the Health Care Forum participants were describing would be eliminated. Veterans would have the best care they need when they need it, the American Indian will be paying their fair share as they spend their money, the Auto Industry and every other business would be relieved of the burden on health care and use that money to reduce the cost of their products and hire more people. They can also reduce a lot of expensive contract labor. Our government spending would be reduced because health care insurance is not a liability to the schools, firemen, police, all government employees, etc.

    If we look at the scenarios of everyone paying for their own health insurance thru a sales tax, just the overhead reduction of all the employers, would help reduce the costs of business. The auto industry, for example, could reduce the price of their cars $1500 while not affecting their present wages.

    The plan I put together, puts all this together. All the Medicare and Medicaid debts can be eliminated forever. The overall health care system will save $600+ Billion/year. This means the American people, as a whole, will be paying $600+ Billion less for better service. This is a WIN/WIN situation. Employers can keep more workers, keeping more people spending money, increasing demand for more products, creating more jobs, reducing unemployment, etc. These are all positive directions without really spending money.

    Small businesses can operate more profitably without the uncontrollable health care costs. People can work closer to home, drive less, save energy. People can work at jobs they enjoy, not worrying about who is paying for their health insurance. These people will be better employees and more productive.

    The IT information system becomes less complicated because all the records are in one place. Privacy controls are much simpler with one system. Researchers in the health fields can tap into the record system and gain a wealth of information. Results from treatments can be evaluated much easier and will be more meaningful, because it removes the profit issue and only has health improvement and efficiency as the targets. Malpractice insurance will become a thing of the past, because doctors will be doing their best for the patient all the time.

    Our government can get back to governing and never worry about health care, unless asked.

    Without politicians and insurance people making health care decisions based on profit, the Medical Industry can now focus on good health practices and do what they were trained to do, take care of people’s health.

    Greed for money will have its price. You can’t take it with you, but you can lose a lot of friends over it.

    Those earning the most money are the ones that are the most wasteful of our natural resources. They should be the ones leading the quest for a better environment.

    AN OVERALL GOAL WE SHOULD SET: Without health care part of the employer’s responsibility, the new goal would be to reduce work hours, share the jobs we have, increase employment opportunities to earn more money to spend, leave more free time to spend money and enjoy life.
    Benefits:
    1. Provide jobs and opportunities for our youth, which may reduce Gang Activity.
    2. Eliminate the need for Overtime and provide more family time doing fun things together.
    3. Quality of life will improve with more travel and fun activities.
    4. Retirement becomes a thing to look forward to and enjoy.
    5. Retirees can volunteer more teaching what they have learned to help the next generation do better.
    6. Another big benefit would be the potential control of selling over the internet, drugs, sex, etc.

    Please contact me for my complete plan.

    Don Zwiers
    PS: Social Security could be handled the same as health care by making the trust fund sustainable forever and eliminating the SS debt forever.

    With health care and SS taken care of, the energy problem becomes the third biggest challenge. With the entrepreneurial spirit in America and not having to worry about health care for self and employees, we should really take off. I am hearing a lot of good ideas on energy and we just have to give them a chance. It doesn’t have to be just the big guys. We don’t even need the governments help.



    • M. Darnit on May 12, 2009 at 7:29 pm

      Interesting ideas Don Z. tell them about it at healthreform.gov



  11. Eliza Jane Dodd on May 12, 2009 at 2:42 pm

    Hey Health Care Friends , Cant we take this Petition to the President ? The one we had on the OLD Web site and this one ? Why cant we get a GOV. Online Petition ? Because on Pres.Obamas web site health care reform the insurance companies employees are working over time SPAMMING the Site I have called the White House and told them do something and Not a DAM thing is ever done …And when I call to tell my Health Care problems ….the woman I laways talk to tells me go to the Dept .Of Human Services …I am so PISSED because I have told her many times for over 100 days the story of how the Dept tells me I do Not Qualify ! And the woman has the nerve….I want to slap her ! I want to slap lots of people and Baucus is at the top of the list ! We Need American Indian Movement ! They get things done !



  12. Ila Jones on May 13, 2009 at 2:32 am

    If Obama REALLY wants health reform with a NATIONAL HEALTH OPTION like Medicare…WHY DOESN’T HE ‘TRUST’ US AND have a rally in front of the Jefferson Memorial?

    LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK.

    What happened to his promise of a policy for everyone which is the same as that which the congress has?

    Now that he got our votes, it seems he’s forgotten who gave him his job…AND WHY!

    Personally, our whole family voted for him due to his promise of national health insurance for all….and we all have insurance!

    In addition, WHERE ARE THE UNIONS? WHY ARE THE LEADERS AFRAID OF THE INSURANCE CARTEL?

    Other than the Nurses and Doctors, I haven’t seen a single person from AFL-CIO, SEIU OR UNITED AUTO WORKERS voicing support for HR 676 OR A NATIONAL OPTION PLAN from the audience!

    WHY ARE THE UNIONS SO SILENT ON THE HEALTHCARE ISSUE? All I’ve seen so far is ‘mincing politeness (fear)’ from union leaders!

    AFL-CIO IN NEW JERSEY HAS OVER 1,000,000 Members..and 1,000 locals!! SURELY THIS UNION COULD SEND IN A FEW ‘TROOPS’ TO FIGHT FOR AMERICANS. Have American Unions, like American citizens gotten so lazy and afraid that they won’t even speak up for themselves?

    Also, WHERE IS BUSINESS..naw…I don’t mean the Chamber of Commerce (which is simply another shill for the insurance cartel)…

    I MEAN ‘BUSINESS’…FROM EMPLOYERS SUCH AS, KMART, SHOPKO, COSTCO,JCPENNEYS, SEARS? Surely, they’d be more competitive if they didn’t have to be responsible for health insurance costs for employees. Why don’t they speak up?

    AS regards this two trillion ‘savings’ which the insurance criminals offered the racketeer Baucus on Monday—what are they going to ‘save’ this from? GEE, I BET IT’LL COME FROM CUTTING SERVICES!! WHAT DO YOU THINK?

    Or, it just could be that they’ve been overcharging ALL ALONG!

    1. CHARGE MAX BAUCUS WITH RACKETEERING (HE RECEIVED 500,000 DOLLARS FOR ‘CAMPAIGN’ FUNDS FROM THE INSURANCE CORPS)…Then refused to allow a single spokesperson for HR 676 to speak! If THAT’S not covered by RICO laws, I don’t know what is!

    2. HAVE A GIANT DEMONSTRATION (NOT ‘RALLY’-GOD, I HATE THAT WORD)…in JUNE … when school is out-in WASHINGTON, D.C. Invite some celebrities to speak. INVITE DENNIS KUCINICH. Invite Michael Moore. Invite Ezra Klein. Invite Ariana Huffington.

    These ‘teeny’ meetings around the U.S. in individual states are merely a divide and conquer-‘feel good’ thingy which makes us think someone is out there listening! I GUARANTEE THEY ARE NOT LISTENING. Baucus is LAUGHING!

    3. Send in Union Leaders to the Baucus fake hearings, have them accompany BRAVE CONGRESSMEN who have co-sponsored HR 676…to speak and have RACKETEER MAX BAUCUS call his police to arrest them!! See if we hear about that on CNN.



  13. Steve on May 13, 2009 at 10:24 am

    The scare advertisements have already begun. On CNN and FOX there have been commercials by opponents to any change in the health insurance system. It starts out with somber music and says “In (name of a country with universal health care) – this person was denied treatment that could have saved his life. Do you you want the government choosing which care you get?”

    Those groups go and search out the few cases that have slipped through the cracks, and make it sound like it is the norm.

    Regardless of what changes are going to be implemented, there had better be plan to fight these adverts, otherwise, the public will be scared into doing nothing.



  14. Greg DeGraf on May 13, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    1) When health care is tied to the job, people are stuck at that job. Employers can, and often do, use this as leverage. The boss knows you (and your family) would never risk living without insurance, so he/she can take advantage. You’re stuck. If health care is not tied to the employer, an employee is free to leave to pursue better opportunities elsewhere, across the state or across the country. As for me, I left an employer after 18 years (I’m 58) because I was being jerked around. I am now on COBRA. If I move out of the area to look for work, there’s every chance that the insurer will cancel my policy. So I am still stuck. The insurance companies know this. They keep us stuck, so they can feed off us. So the next time your boss humiliates you, or you don’t get that raise, or your fellow employees for whatever arbitrary reason might take a disliking to you—remember—next time you feel stuck—a single payer system would give you the freedom to leave the situation with dignity. And healthcare. Yes, folks, freedom. Freedom to ditch that surly boss and dead end job to pursue happiness elsewhere. How about a class action law suit? It’s “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, right? Can’t very well pursue happiness (a better job) if we’re shackled to the job by the insurance industry. Aren’t we being denied a right we are entitled to? The pursuit of happiness? 2) My rates just went up 20 per cent. No reason given. 3) Yesterday I had a colonoscopy on the recommendation of my doctor (I had cancer a while back) Before agreeing to the procedure, I called the insurance company to ask if the procedure would be covered. I was told that they would tell me the answer to this question only AFTER I HAD THE PROCEDURE. (Gee, that’s fair!)



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  16. Guest on June 9, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    If for one second our Government Leaders, Politicians, Teachers, State Workers, had to PAY FOR THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE on the private market ! SINGLE PAYER WOULD have been set up a long time ago!!!! I have NO HEALTH INSURANCE AND CANNOT SEE A DOCTOR! I CANNOT AFFORD TO GO BANKRUPT SO I DO NOT GO. WHY CAN I NOT GET THE SAME CARE OUR POLITICIANS RECEIVE??? But my TAX DOLLARS are paying for them to get it? Does that make sense??? It is wrong for tax dollars to pay for SOME to get healthcare but not for ALL. What a mess we have in this country!!! I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR POLITICIANS GO WITHOUT HEALTHCARE OR PAY OUTRAGOUS PRICES TO GET IT!! MABEY THINGS WOULD CHANGE A LITTLE QUICKER FOR EVERYONE ELSE LIVING THIS HEALTHCARE NIGHTMARE!