Opinion, Articles, Blogs, Broadcast
Lessons from Saskatchewan and the Greatest Canadian
A special thanks to Dane Smith and Politics in Minnesota for allowing us to use this piece.
When our unfailingly nice neighbors to the north were asked a few years ago in a national contest to choose the “Greatest Canadian’’ of all time, the inventor of the telephone (Alexander Graham Bell) and the sensational and beloved hockey player known as “The Great One” (Wayne Gretzky) finished far behind the top choice, Tommy Douglas.
You likely ask, Tommy who?
The story of Thomas Clement Douglas is amazing and inspirational enough, even if he had not become a political leader. Born in 1904 to parents of humble means, he was a scrappy and smart kid who overcame a serious injury to become a lightweight boxer. He learned the printing trade but also excelled as a scholar and academic, eventually earning a master’s degree in sociology and studying for a doctorate. He also served for a time as a Baptist minister, preaching a social gospel of justice and reform. And finally, Douglas excelled as a gifted and honest politician, an inspirational speaker, and one of Canada’s most beloved leaders over several decades. He was widely celebrated before his death in 1986.
Vermont Gov. Shumlin signs single-payer into State law!
It was an historic end to the Vermont legislative session that had Governor Peter Shumlin signing a single-payer system into state law. This positions Vermont to become the first state with a publicly funded health care law. The process involves a number of checkpoints that must be met over the next 5 years, but if all goes well and no court challenges prevent otherwise, Vermont will have a single-payer system called Green Mountain Care around 2017.
Read the article here.
And check out some of our own coverage.
Vermont House passes Single-Payer Legislation!
On March 24, the Vermont House voted 89-47 to pass their single-payer bill, “Road map to a universal and unified health system.” The bill now moves to the Senate for public hearings and a vote due in mid-April. Excellent updates on progress in Vermont posted here.
Senator Marty introduces bill (SF 1054) to simplify administration of State Health programs
Senator John Marty, Chief Senate Author of The Minnesota Health Plan, has introduced legislation requiring the state to contract directly with health care providers, rather than HMOs, in delivering health care for low income Minnesotans. MUHCC, long a proponent of “direct contracting” (bypassing the insurance middleman to pay providers directly for services) endorses this bill. The administrative savings of such an approach allows more money to be spent on health care, thereby increasing health care without increasing health care spending.
Sen. Marty Calls for Removal of HMOs from Minnesota's Public Health Programs
Watch Senator John Marty Speak to 5 Eyewitness News | March 6, 2011
State Senator, John Marty, (DFL) Roseville, told 5 Eyewitness News that he plans to introduce legislation this week that would eliminate seven HMOs from delivering public healthcare plans like Medicaid and Minn-Care.
Marty says HMOs spend three billion dollars of your tax dollars every year on public health care plans and do not open their books to state auditors.
Rationing is Not the Only Alternative
Our health care has been 'privatized' by profit-seekers.
By Dr. Ralph S. Bovard
Star Tribune
February 7, 2011
"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane." ~ THE REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
If HMOs Want in, Demand Transparency
Star Tribune editorial sees the folly of privatization of public health programs.
In 2005-2006, the Minnesota single-payer community supported legislation to remove the HMOs from the administration of our public programs. We offered testimony, supported by Kip Sullivan’s extensive research, that privatization of our public health care programs almost certainly increased costs, without any corresponding increase in quality of care or access to care. The legislation didn’t move.
Vermont Taking Single-Payer Matters into its Own Hands
via DemocracyNOW.org - "As the House votes to repeal President Obama’s healthcare reform bill, the state
Billions in MN Taxpayer $ Spent in a Shroud of Mystery
Watch KSTP Ten O'Clock News Clip December 14, 2010
State Senator John Marty told us he will fight to open HMO books in the next legislative session starting in January. Right now, the state pays 3-billion annually to nine HMOs to administer Minnesota's public health plans such as Medicaid, MinnCare and General Medical Assistance Care. But, Senator Marty says those HMOs get the check and are not scrutinized over how they spend the money.
Dave Feinwachs, the former lead attorney for the Minnesota Hospital Association, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that taxpayers have a right to see how much money is actually spent on health care and how much goes toward administrative costs at the HMOs. Feinwachs made a video outlining what he calls HMO secrets about public health programs and taxpayer money.
The Minnesota Council on Health Plans says HMOs are already scrutinized enough about where the money is spent and any further, more intrusive audits, would jeopardize trade secrets. Watch TV Clip Here
Watch the Full PMAP Report
PMAP Presentation (11.17.10) from PMAP Reform on Vimeo.
Listen on KFAI Radio: Truth to Tell- Single-Payer On Life Support
Senator John Marty, Chief Author of the MN Health Plan, Dr David Mair, Steering Committee of Physicians for a Naitonal Health Program-MN and Amy Lange, Executive Director of the MN Universal Health Care Coalition were guests on Truth to Tell November 29, 2010. Listen to the broadcast as they discuss the benefits of single-payer, the state based single-payer movement and the way forward in the new political lanscape.