Organizing for Single-Payer Health Care in the Philadelphia Region
Health Care for All Philadelphia is a coalition of health professionals and activists dedicated to achieving a publicly financed, single payer health plan that provides one standard of cost-effective, high quality care for all people.
Updates
Philadelphia City Council Votes to Support Single-Payer Healthcare
Philadelphia City Council Votes to Support Single-Payer Healthcare
January 29, 2009 by HC-N!
Today, groups representing doctors, nurses, healthcare advocates and labor unions are applauding the Philadelphia City Council for passing a resolution in support of national, single payer health care (HR 676) and two state single payer bills.
The resolution, sponsored by Councilman Greenlee and Councilwoman Tasco, makes Philadelphia the 28th city and 46th local government to pass a resolution in favor of HR 676, the National Health Insurance Act, sponsored by John Conyers (D-Mich.). The resolution also calls for the enactment of the two single-payer state bills, SB 300 and HB 1660.
Nearly 40 people watched the city council pass the resolution. One audience member, Walter Tsou, MD, MPH, former Health Commissioner of Philadelphia, said of the resolution, “Single payer is a win win for Philadelphia. It not only would give 160,000 uninsured Philadelphians health insurance, but it would redirect hundreds of millions of city dollars toward other important priorities, like libraries and fire stations.”
Jed Dodd, a Teamster Union official who represents railroad construction workers in the Northeast stated, “Single payer health plans ensure all people living in the United States access to quality health at a fair cost. Ninety-seven percent of the resources allocated to support these plans are spent on health care. All other plans waste 30% of these resources on insurance companies who provide no health care to anyone and ironically make more by limiting access to health care instead of making people well. We are heartened that the Philadelphia City Council has endorsed a health care plan for the people of America.”
A fact sheet circulated to Council members demonstrates that if HR 676 were enacted, the city would save $539 million a year, enough to cover its budget shortfall of $2 billion over 5 years. In addition, the bills would guarantee access to comprehensive healthcare at less cost than what average families currently pay for care.
Sabrina Nixon, a medical technologist at Temple University Hospital, and a member of PASNAP, said, “As a healthcare professional of 20 years and a parent, I see that HR 676 would not only fix the current healthcare crisis, but eliminate every parent’s worry that their child will not have access to quality healthcare once they turn 18 or as they move between jobs. If HR 676 were passed, the dream of universal healthcare will become reality.”
Groups that have signed on to a letter asking the Council to sign the resolution, many of which were present at the vote, include: Healthcare-NOW; Healthcare for All – Philadelphia; Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals; United Steelworkers Local 10-1; International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees Local 3; Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia, AFT 2026; Pennsylvania Federation of the Brotherhood of Maintenance and Way Employees – IBT; American Medical Students Association; Physicians for a National Health Program; Philadelphia Chapter Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; Citizen Access; and Leadership of Neighborhood Networks.
March 19 Public Hearings on Pennsylvania HB 1660
Here is the agenda for public hearings on HB 1660, the Family and Business Health Security Act which will create a single payer health plan for Pennsylvania. Please come if able to the hearings on Wed, March 19, 2008, Majority Caucus Room 140, State Capitol, Harrisburg PA.
PUBLIC HEARING ON HOUSE BILL 1660
PROVIDING FOR STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
MARCH 19, 2008 – WEDNESDAY – 10:00 A.M.
ROOM 140, MAIN CAPITOL BUILDING, HARRISBURG, PA
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Hon. Frank L. Oliver, Chariman (D) Hon. George Kenney, Chairman (R)
AGENDA
10:00 A.M. – 10:05 A.M. Hon. Kathy Manderino
Prime Sponsor of House Bill 1660
10:05 A.M. – 10:35 A.M. Chuck Pennacchio, ED – HealthCare4ALLPA
Walter Tsou, MD, MPH – University of PA
10:40 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. William George, President
AFL-CIO
11:05 A.M. – 11:20 A.M. Stewart Anmuth, President
Ray Doreian, Member
PA Association of Health Underwriters
11:25 A.M. – 11:45 A.M. Michelle Griffin Young, Vice President
Public Policy Greater Lehigh
Chamber of Commerce
11:50 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. Dr. Davidson –
Sean Flaherty PhD. – Franklin & Marshall College
Marty Schorr – Health Care for All Pennsylvanians
Kate Loving Shenk, CRNP, RN – Entrepreneur
12:20 P.M. to 12:35 P.M. Susan M. Lowenberg
Christian Science Committee of Publication for PA
The Rev. Sandra L. Strauss,Director
Pennsylvania Council of Churches
12:40 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. Janice Horn
League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania
The Single-Payer Solution: The Real Way to Universal Health Care”
Progressives for Pennsylvania is pleased to host:
Healthcare for ALLPA.org’s first statewide conference:
“The Single-Payer Solution: The Real Way to Universal Health Care”
Agenda:: “The Single Payer Solution: The Real Way to Universal Health Care”; 3 Panels: Business Leaders, Healthcare Leaders, Legislative Leaders; Multiple Break-Out Sessions for Citizen Leaders (that’s you!)
Registration: 12n-1 PM with food and beverages provided
· Introduction: “How We Got Here”; Policy Overview Chuck Pennacchio (5 minutes)
· Keynote: Dr. Walter Tsou (30 minutes, including Q&A)
3 Panels:
· Business Leaders: Charlie Crystle (CEO Mission Research – 20 employees; Allan Jacobs (President of Isaac’s Restaurants – 700 employees); Mike Stout (President of Steel Valley Printers – 7 employees)
Moderator: Dr. Scott Tyson (Pittsburgh-based pediatrician, business owner)
· Healthcare Leaders: Gale Thomason (Water Street Clinic); Dr. Bill Davidson (Physicians for a National Healthcare Plan; Kate Loving Shenk (Nurse)
Moderator: Linda Beckman (Educator, Journalist, Activist)
· Legislative Leadership: Rep. Kathy Manderino (Prime Sponsor of HB 1660, Philadelphia); Rep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith (First Co-Sponsor of HB 1660, Chester); Candidate for State Senate, Cindy Purvis (Speaking on SB 300, Erie)
Moderator: Bob Mason (Lobbying Coordinator, Southwest Pennsylvania, Social Workers)
· Breakouts Sessions: Citizen Leadership (That’s You!) – topics will include: Organizing Grassroots & Democrats to influence Legislators; Organizing Business and Labor to influence Legislators; Organizing Medical Providers to influence Legislators. We will also touch on some combination of organizing tools, using the Internet and Email, SiCKO House Parties, petitioning, canvassing, fund raising, research, communications, and more.
· Closing Statement: Chuck Pennacchio: “How We Win This Year” (5 minutes)
NOTE: While the conference is free and open to all (including multi-milllion dollar health insurance and pharmaceutical CEOs), we do ask you to consider making a donation of any amount to help offset the cost of the event ( www.healthcare4allpa.org).
If you would like to attend, please RSVP (RSVP requested, but not required) by replying to this e-mail. See you in Lancaster!
The Single Payer Solution: The Real Way to Universal Health Care
When: Saturday, January 12, 1:00-4:15 pm
What: Statewide Single-Payer Universal Healthcare Convention (in support of HB 1660 and SB 300)
Where: Lancaster Host Resort & Conference Center, 2300 Lincoln Hwy E., Lancaster, PA 17602
www.lancasterhost.com
717-299-5500
Participant Bios:
Linda Beckman: a writer on healthcare and a professor of English Literature [at Arcadia University]
Charlie Crystle: CEO of Mission Research (20 employees)
Dr. William R. Davidson Jr. M.D: ; Cardiologist; President of the Good Samaritan Medical Staff; Lebanon, Pa.; member of Physicians for a National Healthcare Plan (PNHP)
Allan Jacobs: President of Issac’s Restaurants (700 employees)
Kathy Manderino: Democratic Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for parts of Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. Member of the Appropriations, Health & Human Services, Insurance, Judiciary, and Urban Affairs Committees. Ms. Manderino is the Prime Sponsor of HB 1660.
Bob Mason: a clinical social worker for 30 years, for the past 15 employed by a very successful psychological services practice that still can’t afford to provide health care coverage because of the insurance industry. As Director of Employee Assistance Program services he works with many small and medium size businesses and social service organizations.
Chuck Pennacchio: Chuck is history program director at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, founder of Citizen Solutions for Pennsylvania, and recent United States Senate candidate (2006). A longtime advocate of publicly-financed, privately-provided universal healthcare, and organizing veteran of 34 years, Chuck lead-negotiated comprehensive health benefits for thousands of working graduate students while at the University of Colorado. A native of Delaware County, resident of Bucks County, husband of 16 years and father of two school-age children, Chuck sees the state-level, single-payer healthcare question as the “tipping point” opportunity capable of triggering dramatic turnarounds on numerous fronts (social, economic, legal) and at all levels (local, national, and international).
Cindy Purvis: A founding member of the Lake Erie Alliance for Democracy, which has the adoption of a single-payer health care system as one of its primary goals. She is a 2007 Fellow with the Center for Progressive Leadership. Ms. Purvis is a candidate for the Pennsylvania Senate in the 49th District.
Kate Loving Shenk: A Nurse and Nurse practitioner for 24 years. Currently a Labor and Delivery Nurse. Also an active blogger and writer of 3-books dealing with healthcare reform distributed globally via the internet.
Barbara McIlvaine Smith: Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for part of Chester County. Member of Aging & Older Adult Services, Children & Youth, Education, Health & Human Services, and Local Government Committees. Ms. McIlvaine Smith is a co-sponsor of HB 1660.
Mike Stout: President of Steel Valley Printers (7 employees)
Gale Thomason: Executive Director of the Water Street Clinic which provides free medical and dental care to more than 2,000 uninsured homeless and formerly homeless residents of Lancaster, Pa. Gale is also a nurse of 32 years
Dr. Scott Tyson: Dr. Tyson is a Pittsburgh area pediatrician and a strong advocate for a single-payer healthcare system.
Walter Tsou, MD, MPH: was appointed Health Commissioner of Philadelphia in April 2000. Prior to his appointment, he was Deputy Director for Personal Health Services and Medical Director of the Montgomery County Health Department from 1991-2000. He was formally Clinical Director in the Division of Ambulatory Health Services for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. He has extensive experience in public health and currently serves on the Executive Board of the American Public Health Association and the National Board of Physicians for a National Health Program. In Philadelphia he has served on the boards and committees of the Maternity Care Coalition, the Philadelphia HIV Commission, Bridging the Gaps, the Asian American Health Care Network, and the United Way of SE Penna. Currently, Dr. Tsou teaches healthcare policy as several universities in Pennysylvania and he is now the go-to guy for Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), author of single-payer-based HR 676 (“The National Health Insurance Bill”) who endorsed our own HB 1660/SB 300 (“Family and Business Healthcare Security Act”) in April, 2007, as the “single best means to achieving a national solution to our healthcare crisis.”
Single payer health reform conference, Lancaster, PA
I’d like to make every one aware of Lancaster-based Progressives4Pennsylvania’s plans to host a healthcare conference On Saturday, January 12, 2007 at approximately 1pm at the Lancaster Host Resort & Conference Center. The conference itself will be presented by Health Care for All PA, the group sponsoring The Pennsylvania Family and Business Healthcare Security Act (HB 1660 and SB 300), the single-payer bill that, when passed, will bring comprehensive universal health care coverage to every man, woman and child in Pennsylvania. First of all, allow me to apologize if you receive this message more than once as I am sending it to multiple lists that may overlap.
There will be a lot going on at the Host on January 11th and 12th. The Democratic State Committee will be holding its State Committee Meeting there on those dates along with a series of workshops and panel discussions. Health Care for All PA was already planning to hold a statewide conference of its own in January, so it seems only natural to hold it at the Host in order to take advantage of the other gathering of many like-minded activists in the hopes of enticing them to attend our gathering, (which will commence at about the time the Democratic State Party meetings conclude) as well.
Our conference is tentatively scheduled to take place in Ballroom B at the Host. We will open the doors at approximately 12 noon and will be serving snacks and beverages at that time. The State Committee Meeting begins at noon as well, but we are told it will likely be a relatively brief meeting. We will likely begin our conference when the Committee Meeting ends or at 1pm, whichever comes first.
Progressives4Pennsylvania will have a table set up at the Host on both Friday, January 11th and Saturday January 12th in order to provide information about the conference to all thinking about attending or for the benefit of those just seeking more information.
The agenda for Health Care for All Pa’s conference is still being put together, and we will make the details known as they develop. We’ll post regular updates on our P4P web site (www.progressives4pennsylvania.com), and they’ll also be posted at Health Care for All PA’s site: http://www.healthcare4allpa.org/home.php
I wish I could tell you more about the conference now, but we are still in the preliminary planning stages. On the other hand, we want to alert you early so you can make plans to attend and to tell your friends.
If you do plan to attend we’d appreciate an RSVP so we will have a general idea how many people to expect and can make sure we prepare accordingly. You can RSVP at: info@progressives4pennsylvania.com
Thank you, and see you in Lancaster on January 12th.
Sincerely.
Jerry Policoff
Progressives4Pennsylvania
717-295-0237
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