Healthcare-NOW

Report from Healthcare-NOW! 2009 National Strategy Conference

On November 14 and 15, 2009, 125 single-payer activists met in St. Louis, MO to hash out the strategy for building the Healthcare-NOW! (HCN) network. Despite the passing of the House bill with the Stupak amendment, and the bait and switch of the first vote in the House on single-payer, the energy for going forward…

Health Care, Essential to Democracy

by Katie Robbins & Andy Coates – Two weekends ago, after the bait and switch of a vote on single-payer for a vote on an anti-abortion amendment, we felt wizened to the possibility of unknown threats in the legislative churn on health reform. As insurance and pharmaceutical companies, Catholic bishops, and the right wing throw…

Sitting in for Healthcare

A new group takes the fight for a single-payer system directly to insurers—and politicians. By Diana Novak for In These Times – Since September 29, when Mobilization for Health Care for All organized its first sit-in at health insurer Aetna’s New York City offices (led by the Private Health Insurance Must Go Coalition), more than…

Healthcare-NOW!’s Response to Passage of House Health Bill

On Saturday, November 7, 2009, the House passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, to much celebration by the Democratic party. Healthcare-NOW!’s view, however, is that the House bill is a gift to the insurance industry at the further expense of the people of this nation. The bill’s advocates claim it will…

Statement on the Withdrawal of Rep. Weiner’s Single-Payer Amendment to House Bill

Dear Healthcare-NOW! Supporter: On the eve of what could have been the first vote on single-payer legislation in our nation’s history, we have just learned that because of last minute developments, the vote and debate on Congressman Weiner’s single-payer amendment will not happen. Speaker Pelosi received a statement from Rep. Kucinich and Rep. Conyers, the…

Call Now: Vote on Single-Payer Soon

We just got word from Congressman Weiner’s office that because of your phone calls, faxes, and demonstrations, Speaker Pelosi is keeping her promise to allow the Weiner single-payer amendment full debate and vote on the floor of the House. After nearly being shut out of the discussion completely, single-payer Medicare for All is being heard…

Our Last Chance on State Single Payer Option

This is a letter form Rep. Dennis Kucinich Dear Friends, Thank you for all of your efforts on behalf of the Kucinich Amendment for a state single payer option which would protect the right of states to pursue a single payer health care system. Unfortunately, the House Leadership has rejected the many appeals on behalf…

Action Alert: Make Pelosi Keep Her Promise on Single-Payer

Today, 12 brave activists were arrested because they entered Nancy Pelosi’s office in California to get some answers. They wanted to know why she broke her promise to hold votes on two single-payer amendments this fall. They weren’t leaving until the single-payer amendments were put back on the table. Pelosi refused to speak to them.…

Remember Medicare for All in the healthcare reform debate

By Kay Tillow for the Hill Blog – We are in danger of losing the opportunity to bring Improved Medicare for All, a single payer plan, before the Congress. Last July Congressman Anthony Weiner and six of his colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee attempted to substitute the real public option—HR 676, a single…

13 students and citizens arrested in sit-in at Independence Blue Cross offices

Philadelphia – 13 students and citizens angered by our broken healthcare system, which leaves 47 million uninsured, is part of 60% of all bankruptcies, and causes about 45,000 avoidable deaths each year, were arrested at the Independence Blue Cross offices in Philadelphia on October 30, 2009. The 13 participants approached one of the entrances to…