At the National Governors Association, President Obama just threw his weight behind a bi-partisan effort in the US Senate to allow states to innovate with health reform, including adopting a public insurance system or single payer health care system by 2013 instead of 2017.
Once people understand Single Payer, they support it.
So how do we get the word out?
Our idea is to release a new 30 second TV spot every day for one year.
We have enlisted popular Hollywood stars, influential politicians, health care reform organizers and activists and we now want to enlist you.
The 6th one, released today, is this one by Alberto Saavedra a HCR activist;
The Latino vote in California is pivotal.
So please visit our web site, inform yourselves and help by volunteering, blogging or just donating so we can broadcast some of these spots on TV or support our effort by voting for our campaign at Change.org
Healthcare is a basic human right. The current healthcare system in America is dysfunctional and expensive. The bill that will pass in DC, eventually, will at best point in the direction of the need to make further changes, but most probably it will be the last time healthcare is tackled at the national level for quite a while.
We know that a Single Payer system is by far the best because it pays for itself by cutting down administrative costs to about 3%. And we understand that by allowing a government run insurance company to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies the cost of medicines will be reduced dramatically. In California these two items account for about 50% of all costs.
Single Payer Senate Bill 810 has a chance of becoming a reality in the most populous State. It is being discussed in the California Assembly as we speak.
When this happens other states may follow. And then we will all have healthcare at reasonable costs while maintaining the same quality of a privately run healthcare provider system paid by health insurance managed by the government.
Most Americans support this once they understand how it works.
Below I explain how you can help make SB 810 a reality and prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths.
Dear California Democrats - please see my following response to President Barack Obama. I'd love to hear what you think. Imagine having a governor who fights to put in single-payer healthcare! Imagine the example that Minnesota could provide for California and the other 48 states? In my 23 years in the state senate, I've fought for healthcare for all. As the prime sponsor of the Minnesota Health Plan, I've organized over 1/3rd of the legislature to co-sponsor the bill.
You'll hear lost of crowing about how health care is dead or how health care should be handled in DC, or what not. But with DC foundering, and the status quo completely untenable for millions of Californians, Sen. Mark Leno has continued to press for single payer health care here in California. Sure, we all know that the bill will be vetoed by the Governor, but there is a point besides just that.
We simply cannot assume that Massachusetts means something it doesn't. Or that there is just one story to be told. Barbara O'Connor makes this point:
"They shouldn't overblow the vote of Massachusetts because there were lots of variables there," she said. "It wasn't just health care that drove that election."
Instead, she said, it was disaffection from the left, which wanted President Barack Obama to seek a more aggressive public option to his health care reform, combined with the anger from independents, who wanted Obama to focus on jobs, that allowed Republicans to capture that seat.(CoCoTimes)
As we water down health care reform in DC, somebody has to carry the torch forward for real reform. This is the point of SB 810, to show that there is another choice, another system that we could build. If we completely drop single payer from our platform of ideas, we'll simply see the Republicans calling some more centrist idea crazy and unamerican.
We just can't win by giving in to the Republicans over and over and over again. Heck, as it is, it is increasingly hard to differentiate the Senate bill from McCain's health care plan from 2008. We need voices to press for the left, and if that means passing a bill that will be vetoed, then so be it.
At the (CYD Caucus) CDP poolside shindig last night, the big news was that I missed the tamales on the buffet. I was enraged! I was more enraged by the fact that Jerry Brown took the last one.
Ok, Ok, I kid. The real big news was the converstaion between Brown and CDP Chair John Burton. As Brown and Burton were engaged in small talk, Calitics reader lindasutton came up and brought up the question of single payer.
Brown responded by saying it was never going to happen. That it wasn't going to happen at the federal level, and that he wasn't sure about it at the state level. Burton then interjected saying that it would, and should, happen. After Brown hemmed and hawed for a while, saying that it wouldn't happen, Burton responded with this remark: "I thought you were supposed to reach beyond the stars."
I'm not quite sure what Brown's response was, as it was a bit mumbled. I think it was something to the effect of it's not going to happen. A remarkable evening, all in all.
UPDATE by Robert: I too was standing there, tamale-less, watching this fascinating exchange between two of the leading California politicians of the 1960s and 1970s. It was an interesting contrast in basic political approaches. Burton emphasizes progressive principles - his older brother Phil created the Medi-Cal program in the early 1960s and he believes that single-payer is the right solution to the health care crisis. Brown emphasizes a pragmatic approach, one that will never embrace a progressive solution on its merits unless it is already popular with voters.
Interestingly, Brown's statement on single-payer - "it'll never happen" - is the same position President Barack Obama has. The difference of course is that Obama was able to create a campaign based on a clear message of hope and change that was able to generate high levels of enthusiasm among progressives to help him win. Brown, on the other hand, hasn't yet offered any larger vision for progressives to embrace, so his dismissal of single-payer is going to be more of an obstacle.
Marcy Winograd, who is again challenging Jane Harman for the Democratic nomination in CA-36, suggested an interesting approach to this: progressives should tell Brown if/when he wins that "we celebrate your victory and look forward to you singing the single-payer bill."
I have had one of those weeks that you remember for the rest of your life. On Tuesday, I won a congressional election. On Thursday, I was sworn in by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and got to cast the first vote of my congressional career: a resolution honoring female veterans and military personnel. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to cast the most important vote of my 34 years in public service.
The health care reform bill that cleared the House yesterday, if approved by the Senate, will transform this country's health care delivery system. Denial of treatment for pre-existing conditions will be a thing of the past. None of us will have to worry that if we fail to report the chicken pox, we'll be denied treatment from our insurers for cancer. Out-of-pocket expenses will be capped and subsidies and tax breaks will be made available to consumers and small businesses. This combined with the reduction in administrative overhead costs, the savings associated with an emphasis on preventative medicine, and other measures will provide us as individual consumers and as a nation with substantial long term cost savings. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the health care reform bill will cut the deficit by over $30 billion over the next decade and will continue to create a surplus over the next 20 years.
Yesterday's plan also includes a public option that, while not as expansive I would have liked, is still very worthy of support. And as most of you are well aware, we had an unfortunate setback for women's health in yesterday's voting. But on the whole, this is change we can believe in.
When I was California's Insurance Commissioner, my staff fielded thousands of calls from California residents who fell victim to the insurance industry shenanigans. When large fires hit San Diego, Oakland, and elsewhere, hundreds of consumers were victimized a second time by their insurance companies. My capable staff was successful at coming to a consumer-friendly resolution for almost all cases, but at times, I had to personally ring up high ranking industry executives to use all forms of persuasion available to my office to make sure my constituents were treated fairly.
When one's business model depends on collecting monthly payments from people in the hope that you'll never have to provide them with the services they are paying you for, it's disappointing but not shocking that the insurance industry looks for loopholes to maximize its profits.
(I meant to promote this yesterday, but still, go get 'em Congressman! - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
On Tuesday, communities across America voted in hundreds of local and state elections. In Northern California's 10th Congressional District, voters saw fit to send me to Congress. To all my supporters who voted, volunteered, donated, and spread the good word about our campaign, you have my sincere gratitude.
Today I was sworn in by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to represent the people of the 10th Congressional District (video here, about 1:35:00 in). It is an honor to serve my constituents and my country at such an important moment in U.S. history.
When we started our campaign for Congress this spring, we knew we would run a forward-thinking campaign with unwavering support for comprehensive health care reform that includes the public option. With a team of hundreds of volunteers and the support of more than 66,000 voters, we won our special election with a double digit lead. I look forward to voting for a House health care bill worthy of support as early as this Saturday - a bill that includes a robust public option, ends the denial of coverage for so-called pre-existing conditions, creates cost-savings, and protects Medicare for our seniors.
(They certainly are circling. I'm quite confident that John Garamendi, if elected before the health care vote, will stand up for Americans, not the insurance companies. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
I was asked to come on to talk about my past experience with the health insurance sharks who are long on making a profit and short on consumer protection. I said what needs to be said about health care reform: it is irresponsible to force people to pay for insurance if we cannot control the cost of their premiums. As I explained to the Los Angeles Times in a story printed today, this is akin to forcing millions of Americans into an insurance market with sharks circling. They have sharp teeth, and they smell blood. It brings a new perspective on who the "consumers" are in health insurance.
Without effective protections - most importantly a robust public option allowing competition - we will continue to allow administrative and advertising overhead to skyrocket. Otherwise, the insurance companies will be able to charge a captive audience whatever they want for insurance.
Some in Washington are seriously considering penalizing Americans for being unable to afford care in a marketplace that doesn't control costs. If voters in the 10th Congressional District choose me to be their representative in Congress, let me be clear. I will not vote for any bill that includes the individual mandate unless I am confident that bill offers generous subsidies for Americans struggling to make ends meet and unless that bill includes the public option to provide real competition in the health care marketplace. I regulated the insurance companies for eight years as California's State insurance Commissioner, and I know those companies well enough to know that we can trust them to put profits before people. They aren't friends to consumers.
Among Democrats, my lead is even starker: 37 percent favor me, 23 percent favor DeSaulnier, 18 percent favor Buchanan, 13 percent favor Woods, and only 2 percent are undecided. Most importantly, our great team of volunteers is effectively converting the support identified in the Survey USA and other polls into actual votes cast. Among those who have already voted, our considerable lead holds: 27 percent voted for me, 18 percent for DeSaulnier, 13 percent for Buchanan, and 10 percent for Woods.
Our lead holds among all demographic groups, including Obama voters, men, women, all age groups, all races, all levels of educational achievement, and all income levels. Our support is broad based and diverse. As the only candidate who has represented all corners of the 10th Congressional District, the voters know where I stand. As CBS 5 explained, "DeSaulnier and Buchanan have failed to make inroads since CBS 5's last poll 16 days ago."
Clearly, with Election Day fast approaching this Tuesday, we like where we stand.
The poll explains the what, but it fails to explain the why. I'm proud of the campaign we've run. We're convinced the polls are a reflection of voter support for a positive issues-based campaign that has emphasized solid Democratic principles and experience that can deliver results.
Last night, our country lost one of the most important public servants in U.S. history, Senator Ted Kennedy. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Vickie, his children, First Lady Maria Shriver, the Governor and the entire Kennedy family. The nation and the world have lost a leader with unparalleled passion for social justice and equality, and his legacy will live on in the many lives and hearts he touched. They will carry the flame of justice and service forward.
Senator Kennedy fought for health care access for every American. In the 1990s, he was one of the lead architects of S-CHIP, which has provided millions of low-income children with the health care they deserve, and he tirelessly promoted universal coverage throughout his career. As Kennedy said during his riveting address at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last year:
"This is the cause of my life - new hope, that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American - north, south, east, west, young, old - will have decent quality health care as a fundamental right and not as a privilege."
Thousands of people are lined up in front of a sports arena waiting to receive the health care they desperately need from a nonprofit that specializes in treating patients from the developing world. Some of their grateful patients stand outside hours past sunset waiting to be treated. Basic dental work for working mothers, glasses for young children, infections left to linger, procedures delayed because the cost of treatment is too great.
No, I'm not recalling an incident from the years I volunteered for the Peace Corps in rural Ethiopia treating small pox. I'm talking about the Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corp's weeklong clinic in Inglewood, a community near Los Angeles. For the first time in their 25 year history, they are offering their worthy service in a major metropolitan U.S. city. Where did we go wrong?
House HELP Passes Amendment to Allow State Single-Payer Experimentation
America's registered nurses and other guaranteed healthcare activists are hailing the vote last night by House Education and Labor Committee to amend the national healthcare reform bill and give individual states the freedom to adopt single-payer, Medicare-for-All style reforms.
This bi-partisan vote affirms the best of American democracy. The exemptions would life federal mandates on healthcare money and free states to act as the laboratories of democracy they are supposed to. The vote is also an encouragement to progressives who are looking for paths to improve the parameters of the healthcare debate.
Yesterday I was excited to announce that the SEIU California State Council has endorsed me in my race to represent California's 10th Congressional District, a Northern California district encompassing parts of Contra Costa, Solano, Alameda, and Sacramento counties. With 700,000 members, SEIU is the largest labor union in California, and their ranks include a broad cross-section of working Californians, including social workers, nurses, classroom aides, security officers, college professors, homecare workers, janitors, and more.
Why I'm motivated to lead on single-payer health care, the Employee Free Choice Act, and green-collar jobs over the flip...
Contact: Linda Sutton, PDLA Co-Chair, 818-992-5187 lindasutton.ca@gmail.com
6/27/09 Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles Healthcare Forum Co-sponsored by PDA-SMM, Valley Democrats United, SoCal Grassroots,
North Valley Democratic Club, SCV Democrats, and DPSFV Van Nuys State Building, Van Nuys, CA (Over 100 attending).
HEALTH CARE SURVEY of 88 returned forms:
78 favor SINGLE PAYER. 7 checked "public option" (but 5 were double votes with SP) and 5 gave PO as a 2nd choice.
83 said that "insurance, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries exercise TOO MUCH influence over Congress. 71 said this of the president.
81 said "healthcare is a right"
82 agreed with "our healthcare system in broken"
79 have insurance; 45 are happy with it; 24 pay for it themselves, 15 paid by employer,20 are a combination, 17 others were Medicare.
67 "agree with President Obama's three principles of reform" but many said they needed more details.
We will gather at the corner of Topanga Canyon Blvd. and Califa at the Warner Center Park at 5PM.
By we I mean Pris from LA and I and a handful of other Kossacks who indicated they will be there.
This is a strategic location near the HQs for many HMOS (the Blues, HealthNet, Wellpoint and others). And we will hold this Single Payer Happy Hour every last Friday.
It would be nice if this diary, however unimpressive, would be Recommended and/or Rescued so that this Kossack organized demonstration gets more visibility.
Bring signs and flags. We'll have fliers to pass around.
The tradition of brave and proud nurse activism for guaranteed healthcare on the single-payer model continued today thanks to Janice Webb, RN, and her nurse intervention at the convention of the health insurance industry in San Diego, AHIP. They're the lobbyists for the insurance giants who make money by denying care to the very patients that Janice cares for at UC-San Diego Medical Center.
Today's meeting of the nation's leading single payer activists with Sen. Max Baucus was historic, and a recognition of the power of the tens of thousands of nurses, doctors, and grassroots activists across the country who have been turning up the heat on the policy makers in Washington.
Make no mistake - your voices are being heard. And, the protests and pressure will continue.
As Rose Ann DeMoro, executive director of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, told Baucus, "there is a groundswell" across the country that will continue to press for single payer reform, and Baucus and other policy makers in Washington "are going to get to know us very well." In a later press conference, DeMoro blasted the conventional wisdom that single payer is not politically viable. "Is it politically viable to let people die and suffer from a lack of political will?" Noting the fight for women's suffrage and the civil rights movement, she emphasized, "we're going to have to turn up the heat. Women did not get the right to vote by voting on it."
In Canada, it took the dogged determination of one province, Saskatchewan, and a visionary leader Tommy Douglas, to pave the path to a national health care system, which they call Medicare.
For all the detractors of the Canadian system in the studios of Fox News and the board rooms of rightwing think tanks, consider this one note: In 2004, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation conducted a national poll to select the greatest Canadian of all time. The winner in a landslide -- Tommy Douglas.
The Senate Health Committee held its first hearing on SB810 (Leno), the single-payer health bill. While I've made my belief in the inevitable problems of states trying to fund health care when they cannot deficit spend well-known, if I was on that committee I'd go ahead and vote for it. But I recognize the need to strengthen the broken health care system on all fronts, given the political realities that the Governor has vetoed single-payer multiple times in the past, and that the Republicans will never sign off on the funding, and so even if by some miracle the Governor put pen to paper we would have to wait until 2010 for full passage, and another year for implementation. In the interim, a number of very interesting health care reforms have cleared the Assembly Health Committee already, and progressives should take notice of them. Anthony Wright has some of the details.
The Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday approved a number of key health consumer protections. The measures would expand guarantees of coverage to Californians who are underinsured, uninsured or, in some cases, just plain inadequately served by their health care providers.
One of the bills would sharply increase civil fines in response to the insurer practice of retroactively canceling policies after patients become sick and need expensive treatments. Another would address a vast, and quickly expanding, demographic of the uninsured--young adults transitioning between school and careers that offer financial stability and benefits.
Yet another would require insurance brokers and employees to reveal their financial interests-such as paid commissions - in selling certain health care policies. One measure would require private providers to cover more of the costs of doctor-ordered medical equipment, something Medicaid and MediCal already do.
See the post for the full details on AB1521 (insurers revealing their commissions), AB730 (big fines for rescissions), AB29 (raising the age limit for dependent coverage from 19 to 26) and AB214 (requiring health plans to cover durable medical equipment). All 4 would have an immediate and tangible benefit for Californians, and all are common-sense reforms. Fining rescissions would attack the inequities in the system and prevent fraud, as would the agent commission rule. Raising the age limit would provide stability for those young people transitioning from college to starting a career, and adding protections for what is insured also adds stability (the fact that people can be made to pay for their own wheelchair is kind of nuts). None of these deal with the long-term cost drivers that bust state and federal budgets, and none deal comprehensively with the crisis of the uninsured. But all of them help, and we need to press forward on all fronts right now.
