Healthcare-NOW

Medicare’s 45th Birthday News Roundup

Congratulations to all the groups and individuals who held rallies and parties for Medicare’s 45th Anniversary! There were over 20 held across the country. Here’s all the news and updates we’ve received about birthday parties/rallies for Medicare. Please let us know if your group has an update to submit. Albany, NY More Photos Atlanta, GA…

On Medicare anniversary, lawmakers tout inevitability of single payer

By Sahil Kapur for the Raw Story – A trio of progressives in Congress invoked the 45th birthday of Medicare Friday to call for a national single payer health insurance system, predicting it’s “inevitable” if Americans want lower costs. “It has never been more important to have a strong movement behind Medicare for All,” wrote…

Action Alert: Don’t let Healthcare Activists Go to Jail

New York City Assistant District Attorney Reopens Dismissed Cases of Healthcare Activists, Re-arrest Imminent What to Do: Call the office of Cy Vance, Manhattan District Attorney, to Demand “No new charges for healthcare activists.” Ask to speak with Erin Duggan, Communications Director, (212) 335-9400. What to Say: “I’m calling because I’m concerned about ADA Eric…

For-Profit Insurers Leaning on Regulators to “Reform” Health Reform

By Wendell Potter for Huffington Post – The nation’s biggest insurers — not happy with provisions of the four-month-old health care reform law that would force many of them to spend more of the money they collect in premiums for their policyholders’ medical care — are pressuring regulators to disregard what members of Congress intended…

Rx on Medicare’s Birthday: Expand it to All

By Dr. Quentin Young of PNHP – Medicare, one of our nation’s most cherished social programs, turns 45 on Friday. I was in active medical practice when, on July 30, 1965, Medicare was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. The law’s impact on older Americans and their families was swift and spectacular. I saw…

Happy 45th Birthday, Medicare

Join in actions across the country this Friday, July 30th in celebrating 45 Years of Medicare – and call for Medicare for All. Groups across the country are organizing events this Friday to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Medicare – and to continue to push for a single payer, improved and expanded Medicare for All…

NARH Nurses Vote to Authorize Strike

PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE AT STAKE The registered nurses of the North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH) voted overwhelmingly July 19 to authorize their union leadership to call a strike if necessary in their ongoing negotiations with hospital management. In a unified show of strength, 99% of the voting members voted in favor of…

Health Law May Cost Children Coverage as UnitedHealth Ends Plans

By Alex Nussbaum for Bloomberg – UnitedHealth Group Inc. and insurers in Florida and Oklahoma stopped offering children-only health coverage because of the potential added costs of sick youngsters under the new U.S. health-care law, state officials said today. UnitedHealth’s Golden Rule subsidiary won’t sell new policies that cover only children, foreclosing an option for…

Hands Off Our Medicare!

At a time when this nation faces the deepest recession in decades, skyrocketing unemployment, and fiscal crisis in our states, towns, and families, the nation’s safety net is threatened by a select group whose overwhelming majority have historically favoured cutting benefits or privatizing federal social programs in order to balance the budget and enriching the…

Report From the US Social Forum

Healthcare-NOW! had a tremendous presence at the US Social Forum, which converged over 20,000 activists for social change into Detroit for 5 days in June. We organized two major events at the forum. First, a workshop attended by about 50 folks from Detroit and elsewhere. Michael Lighty of the National Nurses United broke down the…