Healthcare-NOW

Legislation Introduced to Make Health Care a Right in New York State

Doctors, Nurses, Patients Advocates Applaud Updated Single Payer Medicare for All Legislation by Gottfried, Duane and 70 lawmakers Doctors, nurses, patients, senior citizens, anti-poverty advocates, faith leaders and medical administrators joined Assemblymember Richard Gottfried and Senator Thomas Duane in unveiling an updated and revised single payer legislative proposal for New York State. More than 70…

Missouri Single-Payer Bill Introduced

Ed Weisbart, MD, of PNHP-St. Louis, sends us this report about the introduction of Missouri’s state single-payer bill. On May 4, 2012, the Missouri Health Care Policy committee gave a formal hearing to MO HB1405, a bill that would establish a MO state-wide single payer health plan. Two Physicians for a National Health Program physicians…

Take Our Social Media Survey

We would like your help. Healthcare-NOW! wants to reach out to new single-payer supporters and strengthen ties with our current members, and to do this we need to make sure that our website and social media sites are as current and informative as possible. If you could take this brief 10-question survey, it would greatly…

May 1 – A Day Without the 99%

For more than 120 years, May 1 has been celebrated internationally as a day to honor workers and commemorate the suffering they have endured – and continue to endure – in their struggles for equity for all in the workplace. Building on the history of May Day, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement is calling…

How to Organize a Healthcare Teach-In or Speak Out

On March 14 we organized our first ever skill-building call for our members and activists on how to organize effective teach-ins and speak-outs. Listen to the call here: Organizing Teach-Ins and Speak Outs You can also download a simple two-sided handout (.doc) on how to hold a successful speak-out or teach-in that includes: An overview…

The Power of Universal Health Care

By Winthrop C. Dillaway III for NJ.com – In 2009, when President Obama began his term of office, the U.S. health care system was painfully dysfunctional. He announced an initiative for health care reform. Early on, “universal health care” garnered thought and attention. Unfortunately, with the ensuing debate and politics, the concept of universal health…

Knoxville-Oak Ridge CLC endorses HR 676, Improved Medicare for All

From Unions for Single Payer – President Suzanne Coile reports that the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Area Central Labor Council unanimously endorsed HR 676, national single payer health care legislation, at its April, 2012 meeting. “Everyone completely agreed on HR 676,” said Coile, “and all of us are totally opposed to any kind of voucher system.” Coile…

Fool’s Gold: US Healthcare System Cheats Patients

By Donna Smith – In case any one of us needs reminding, the profit-driven healthcare system in America is broken. Driven by its primary motivation to make money, there is little that compels those currently in control to care about patients like you and me. We are most assuredly a necessary component of the healthcare…

Funding a National Single-Payer System

By Gerald Friedman for Dollars and Sense – Download “Funding a National Single-Payer System” here (.pdf). Don’t like the Obamacare (or Romneycare) mandate? Single-payer is a viable—and more redistributive—alternative. “The Expanded & improved Medicare for all act” (hr 676) would establish a single authority responsible for paying for health care for all Americans. Providing universal…

Single-Payer Activists’ Views on the Individual Mandate

The Supreme Court’s Affordable Care Act hearings last month renewed debate over the individual mandate within the single-payer movement. As expected, there are a wide variety of views on this issue. It’s important to take some time to reflect on some of the arguments made about the mandate. This is by no means comprehensive, but…