Medicare: Made in America-DC Lobby Day and Rally
Sponsored by HEALTHCARE-NOW
July 30th 2009, Washington DC 1:00 p.m.
Celebrate Medicare's 44th Birthday by showing Congress and President Obama the people, unions, doctors, nurses, seniors, faith groups, and Americans of every stripe support a single-payer system.
As President Obama says, "We must build on what works and leave out what doesn't." Medicare has
successfully provided care to seniors and people with disabilities for almost half a century. Medicare is a truly American-made system that other health care systems around the world have since been modeled after. With little over 3% administrative overhead, we must look to this American solution to our health care crisis.
For more information including transportation
Download a flyer
If you can't attend make sure you lobby your member of congress on July 30th. Call, write or stop by the home office.
Find your Representative Here
Amnesty International: Single-Payer Best Meets Human Rights Criteria
Amnesty International Urges You to Take Action- Include Human Rights in Health Care Debate.
U.S. policymakers have a historic opportunity to reform our broken health care system. During the presidential debates, Barack Obama affirmed that health care should be a right, not a privilege...
...While the human right to health care does not mandate any particular type of health care system, of the reform proposals being discussed in the U.S. today, the single-payer plans are more universal, equitable and accountable - the three key principles of the human right to health care. Single-payer plans approach health care as an essential service and a public good...
Read the full post and Contact Senator Baucus, Chair of Senate Finance Committee
Top Health Care Companies Spent More than Half Million on Congressional Trips
Sam Stein, Huffington Post
June 26, 2009
Over the past eight years, some of the largest and most politically active pharmaceutical and health care companies have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on private trips for members of Congress and their staffs...
...The pharmaceutical and health products industry as a whole has, in 2009 alone, already spent more than $66.5 million lobbying Congress. PhRMA, in particular, has come out against plans for a public option for insurance coverage. And as these groups with a vested interest in the outcome of the debate gear up for a summer of legislative combat, groups who follow money in politics worry that sponsorship of congressional travel may give some a leg up on the competition.
Full House at Ellison Health Care Forum
Over 200 enthusiastic people attended Congressman Ellison's Health Care Forum on Wednesday July 1st to voice opinions and ask questions about the hotly debated federal health care reforms. Congressman Ellison opened with impassioned support for single-payer, but with the admonition that we can't "let perfect be the enemy of the good". 
He cautioned that single-payer was not going to be enacted but that a "robust public plan" could be a stepping stone. He encouraged the health reform movement to be unified because, he warned, the opposition is unified and they will win if we are fractured. Panelists included Julie Schnell, President SEIU Health Care MN; Eliot Seide, Executive Director AFSCME Council 5; Elizabeth Frost MD, Co-Chiar PNHP-MN and Steering Committee MUHCC; John Kolstad, Metropolitan Independent Business Alliance; Val Overton Nurse Practitioner; Michael Harristhal, Vice President, Public Policy and Strategy at HCHC. An entire hour was devoted to comments and questions from the audience. 
There was overwhelming support for single-payer and a public option. Both Elizabeth Frost and John Kolstad spoke about the Minnesota Health Plan and the need for federal reforms to allow for state single-payer plans. Many attendees stopped the MUHCC table to sign up and get materials on the MN Health Plan.
Krugman: Not Enough Audacity
Paul Krugman
New York Times
June 25, 2009
Paul Krugman, Nobel Laureate economist and single-payer supporter wrote this piece for the New York Times.
When it comes to domestic policy, there are two Barack Obamas....
...First, Mr. Obama offered a crystal-clear explanation of the case for health care reform, and especially of the case for a public option competing with private insurers. "If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care, if they tell us that they're offering a good deal," he asked, "then why is it that the government, which they say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That's not logical."...
...And that's why the public plan is an important part of reform: it would help keep costs down through a combination of low overhead and bargaining power. That's not an abstract hypothesis, it's a conclusion based on solid experience...
Editorial: A Public Health Plan
An Editorial in favor of a Public Health Plan appeared in the New York Times Sunday June 21, 2009
"A robust public health care plan that piggy-backs on the rate setting powers of Medicare would lower costs, save money, and extend health benefits to more Americans".
The editorial outlines the main proposals under consideration and the arguments currently raging in Congress.
Read the editorial here, and then TAKE ACTION: contact members of Congress!
New York Times/CBS Poll: Wide Support for Government-Run Health System
Americans overwhelmingly support substantial changes to the health care system and are strongly behind one of the most contentious proposals Congress is considering, a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
The poll found that most Americans would be willing to pay higher taxes so everyone could have health insurance and that they said the government could do a better job of holding down health-care costs than the private sector...
Other findings:
- 85% said the health care system needed to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt
- 72% supported a government administered insurance plan- something like Medicare for those under 65 - that would compete for customers with private insurers.
- 64% said they thought the federal government should guarantee coverage, a figure that has stayed steady all decade.
Physicians speak up for single-payer
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
May 7: MSNBC's Ed Schultz interviews Dr. Margaret Flowers, who was advocating for a single-payer system when she was escorted out of a Senate hearing and put into jail.
For more information about the Senate hearing, including video footage of the protestors, video footage of Senator Baucus's reaction to the protestors, and a press release from PNHP and other partners about the hearing, go to:
Doctors protest exclusion of single-payer at Senate Finance Committee
Volunteer for a Phone Bank to Mobilize Single-Payer Supporters
Phone banks are a very effective way to build political power. MUHCC hosts twice monthly phone banks to update and mobilize single-payer supporters in Minnesota. Phoning is a vital tool in our campaign; by reaching out to constituents we can influence legislators to support the Minnesota Health Act. Phone banks are FUN, people are happy to hear from us, and ready to take action on health care. Training is provided.
All phone banks take place at COACT - 2469 University Ave. West, Suite W150, St. Paul, MN 55114. COACT is in the Strommen Building; there is a free parking lot in back.
Wednesday July 1st, 6:00-8:00 pm
Sign up to participate.
Wednesday July 15th, 6:00-8:00 pm
Sign up to participate
More phone bank photos below.
