Healthcare-NOW

Building on the Hopeful Aspects of Obama’s Health Care Speech and Helping Him Get Beyond His Internal Contradictions

By Rabbi Michael Lerner for Tukkin Daily – Media analyses of President Obama’s health care speech were divided on whether he had indicated serious support for a public option or had, instead, cleverly tossed a bone of “recognition” to the progressives while simultaneously demanding that they drop their insistence that the health care reform undercut…

Uninsured figures show mandate-based health reforms don’t work

17,000-member organization of physicians says latest numbers show urgent need for single-payer health reform Official estimates released this morning by the Census Bureau showing a marginal increase in the number of Americans without health insurance in 2008 – now estimated at 46.3 million, up from 45.7 million in 2007 – masks the true dimensions of…

Action Alert: Call Congress to Support the 9/11 Responders

When the towers fell on September 11, 2001, more than 50,000 people responded to the call to action to help with recovery at the World Trade Center. 8 years later, these same heroes feel great betrayal as more are dying from 9/11 related injuries and illnesses without proper health care or financial security. A recent…

Two Harvard Medical professors critique our current system and offer a better vision

From PNHP – Universal Health Care Even with its dazzling technical advances and sophisticated medicines, health care increasingly frustrates Americans. Patients must contend with a system that won’t pay for some treatments, long waiting lists, rushed visits with doctors, copious paperwork and — of course — the ever-soaring cost of medical coverage and medications. Many…

Data Reveals California’s Private Insurers Deny 21% of Claims

From Democracy NOW! – President Obama begins his final drive for healthcare reform tonight with a nationally televised prime-time address to a joint session of Congress. His speech comes after an explosive August recess consumed by raucous town halls and talk of government-run “death panels.” We take a look at California’s “real death panels.” That’s…

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

By Helen Redmond for Counter Punch – Spoiler alert: this is not a fawning, gushing, lie-filled eulogy of Saint Edward Kennedy. Read no further if you believe the “Liberal Lion” or as I prefer to call him, the “Lion King,” actually made this country a healthier, more equitable place to live in. You have been…

Sick and Wrong

How Washington is screwing up health care reform – and why it may take a revolt to fix it By Matt Taibbi for Rolling Stone – Let’s start with the obvious: America has not only the worst but the dumbest health care system in the developed world. It’s become a black leprosy eating away at…

Bill Moyers on Obama’s Moment

From PBS.org – Video of Bill Moyers’ thoughts on President Obama and his plan for health reform.

Labor Councils in Tennessee, Texas and Minnesota Endorse HR 676

Four central labor councils in Tennessee, Texas and Minnesota have endorsed HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). One hundred and thirty four central labor councils and area labor federations have now endorsed HR 676. In Tennessee, the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee has endorsed HR 676,…

Giving Single-Payer a Second Look

By Rep. Anthony Weiner – As President Obama prepares to address the nation about his vision for health care reform, we should not overlook the last, best truly transformative change to our health care system: Medicare. We have been staring so intently at the lessons of 1993 that we may have forgotten the universal rule…