• Home
• About Us
• Media
• Events
  • Past Events
• Action Center
• Single-Payer Legislation

Subscribe

Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Healthcare–Update

From our friends in Western PA. A wonderfui accout of their efforts. If you want more information about what they are doing, please contact Sandy Fox at sm2fox@yahoo.com (412) 421-8233

I want to update you on a couple of recent events.

First, on Thursday October 26th the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN) had it’s annual Public Action, which was held at Petra International Ministries in the East Hills. An estimated 700 people attended. Issues presented included single-payer universal healthcare, dedicated funding for mass transit, local workforce development, safe and affordable housing, and civil rights for immigrants. The single-payer issue was presented first. I discussed the problem of the uninsured and underinsured, the solution of single-payer, and barriers to this solution (influence of insurance and pharmaceutical industries; ideological differences, i.e. those who believe healthcare is a privilege, not a right; and fear of change). State Senator Jim Ferlo, who had originally planned to attend and give brief comments in support, was unable to attend due to an unexpected call back to Harrisburg for a vote on lobbying legislation (which passed–yea!). Chad Kluko (Democratic candidate, US House of Reps, 18th Congressional District), Titus North (Green Party candidate, US House of Reps, 14th C.D.), and a representative from Mike Doyle’s office (Democratic incumbent, US House of Reps, 14th C.D.) responded to the question “Are you willing to support a single-payer model of healthcare reform?” Each was given 30 seconds to elaborate and gave strong statements of support for federal single-payer legislation, referring to HR 676, the US National Health Insurance Act introduced by Rep. John Conyers. I noted to the audience that Melissa Hart, Tim Murphy, and Jason Altimire had declined the invitation to attend. The Governor arrived later and was asked the same question by Rev. Welch, the President of PIIN, along with questions on two other issues. Rev. Welch preceded the question with a statement to the Governor that “The answer to all three questions is ‘yes.’ The Governor said he supports national single-payer healthcare reform. He expressed doubt that the state legislature would pass single-payer legislation, but indicated that if they did, he would sign it. He also said that in the meantime, he would recommend alternative healthcare reform measures, which he did not elaborate upon.

Second, on Tuesday October 31st, the Pennsylvania Commission for Women sponsored a presentation at Magee Women’s Hospital called “WOMEN OF THE CABINET SPEAK OUT: The Status of Women’s Health in Pennsylvania–Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going.” The moderator was Leslie Stiles, Executive Director of the PA Commission for Women. The panelists were all from the Governor’s cabinet, as follows: Nora Dowd Eisenhower, Secretary of the Dept. of Aging; Rosemarie Greco, Director of the Office of Health Care Reform; Diane Koken, Insurance Commissioner; and Estelle Richman, Secretary of the Dept. of Public Welfare.

I was pleased by the turnout from our group (about 10 -12), the Western PA Coalition on Single-Payer Healthcare. Thank you to all who came. We strategically scattered ourselves throughout the audience. Estimates vary of how many were in the audience, from 100 – 140, almost all women. Our presence was especially important given the message of the panelists and moderator, which said to me that this group is very much out of touch with the struggles of many families and individuals trying to get the healthcare they need. A few highlights:

Leslie Stiles, the moderator, paid homage to Highmark with her remarks “We are grateful to Highmark… wonderful corporation…”, applauding their work on the Education Kiosk for healthcare prevention that Ms. Stiles was touting, noting “Education is the key to healthcare prosperity.” A corporate representative from Highmark, who was in the audience, was identified for special recognition.

Diane Koken, the Insurance Commissioner, presented lower figures for the number of uninsured in PA (900,000 or 8% of the state pop. vs the almost 1, 400,000 or 11% of the state pop. that the Kaiser Family Foundation reports from the latest Census Report). Ms. Koken did note their numbers differ from other statistics, and while she did not elaborate on how her figures were arrived at, she expressed pride at the lower rate of uninsurance in PA relative to other states, stating “We are moving in the right direction.” She also expressed satisfaction at the passage of the “Cover all Kids” legislation and the lower waiting list for Adult Basic (now 60,000). She noted that one of the functions of her job is to evaluate what level of insurance company surplus is acceptable and to approve increases in health care premiums. She spoke at length about the increase in healthcare costs, which she attributed to a “number of interactive factors.” To reduce costs, Ms. Koken focused primarily on reducing medical errors, improving quality of care to save money, making information on healthcare prevention more available ( e.g., smoking cessation; diet, exercise, and nutrition), and shopping for healthcare and health insurance.

Rosemary Greco, Director of the Office of Health Care Reform, stated “We cannot have accessible, affordable, quality health care unless…” we make people accountable for their healthcare. She indicated that they recently completed their work with four advisory panels of 101 Pennsylvanians who looked at the healthcare problem and recommended to her Office that “we start with kids;” help small businesses; reduce hospital errors; “in our schools… healthy children initiative;” and consider utilization of advanced nurse practitioners in underserved areas to improve access to healthcare.

After about an hour and a half of listening to the moderator and panelists, the audience was allowed to respond. Ginny Eskridge, from our group, was the first one called on and quickly indicated her displeasure with the message and endorsed single-payer universal healthcare as the solution we need. In response, a signifcant amount of loud clapping erupted from around the room–a gratifying moment! The panelists seemed surprised and continued to be as the comments continued. I believe they expected affirmation, not disagreement, with their plans to address the healthcare problems. I was called upon next, and also expressed my distress with a number of their remarks, noting the lack of medication and mental health coverage with Adult Basic, and the Insurance Commissioners’ comments encouraging people to shop for insurance. I disclosed my own difficulty obtaining any other insurance than the Highmark plan I have due to preexisting conditions and cost, noting that 60% of my salary already goes to paying for insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. I further noted that Highmark had cut all of my family’s medication coverage and first added, then increased, our deductibles. The Insurance Commissioner later responded back that she did not mean to shop for health insurance, that she meant other type of insurance (not true, given her statements about making sure you have coverage for long-term care, etc.). I also expressed my opinion that Highmark’s 2.8 billion dollar surplus exceeded reasonable limits and that the best way to reduce cost was to institute a single-payer system. I stated that at the PIIN event the week before, in front of 700 people, the Governor said he supported a national single-payer system and that he further said he would sign legislation for a state single payer bill if it came to him. I imagine this was news to his staff, though Rosemarie Greco commented that yes, she knows the Governor is supportive of this. Estelle Richman said it would take 7,000, not 700, to push this and that healthcare is not near the top of the list of priorities for the American people. To my shock, she said terrorism is the number one concern of people today, and listed the economy, and other factors before healthcare (which, if my memory serves me correctly, she put at 5th or lower). (Frankly, she sounded an awful like Senator Santorum at this point.) Ginny and I both spoke of our disagreement with this from the audience, but Secretary Richman was adamant. (In my opinion, the War in Iraq is at the top of the list for many, followed by domestic concerns, with healthcare at or near the top of this list). After I spoke, Allen Kukovich, Director of the Governor’s Southwest Regional Office, who had been sitting in the front row center of the auditorium, got up, came over to me, gave me his card, and told me to call him so we could meet and talk. (I plan to.) Meanwhile, another person was called upon to speak, and the moderator expressed gratitude for her remark to “change the tone” of the conversation. Rosemary Prostko, also with our group, was called upon towards the end, and commented on the difficulty for consumers in getting information on healthcare costs.

When the event ended and we left the auditorium, the panelists gathered near a small group of us and Rosemarie Greco approached. I spoke with her and recommended they have an advocate for single-payer on their advisory panel. She said that part of the process is over, at which point I asked her if they would continue to have consumer involvement as their shaped their plans. She responded with some hesitation but said yes. I gave her my card, though I don’t expect her to contact me.

I have to say that the encounter with these members of the Governor’s cabinet was a learning experience. Regardless of whether we have a Democrat or Republican in office, we need to continue to advocate and press for single-payer reform. Currently, the only party that has adopted single-payer reform as part of its platform is the Green Party. So we have our work cut out for us. In many ways, Estelle Richman is right–the more people that come out for single-payer, the more likely we are to get it, and we need to continue to build our numbers. In the meantime, our 300+ people at the Hearing in May, the 700 at PIIN’s Public Action this October, and the hard work we have done in between, HAS made a difference. The difference in US Rep. Mike Doyle’s statements before the Hearing, at the Hearing, and at the Public Action (as read by his representative), is testimony to that, as well as the growing support from other elected officials and candidates.

My best to you all. Thanks for your patience if you have read this far. Let’s hope for good news with this election and continued growth in our movement as we work for single-payer universal healthcare reform!

We deserve U.S. health care

We deserve U.S. health care
Most citizens back national insurance. A bill in Congress would provide this.
By Adam Gilden Tsai

Imagine if Congress passed a bill requiring national public discussions regarding the state of health care in America. Then imagine that these discussions actually happened across our country, and that across the country there was actually a consensus that we need national health insurance to ensure that everyone has access to care. Finally, imagine that when the final report, to be presented to the President and Congress, is drafted, the report makes no mention of this consensus.

There is no need to imagine these things because they have actually happened. The same act that created the Medicare prescription-drug plan mandated the Citizens’ Health Care Working Group (www.citizenshealthcare.gov). The group, which included people from medical and public-health backgrounds, held meetings in cities across the country this year. The questions asked (and voted on) at each meeting were the same, and fell into several categories: what health-care services are important; how health care should be delivered; how best to pay for care; and what trade-offs Americans are willing to make to ensure access to quality affordable health care.

I attended the Philadelphia meeting in April, and there was a range of opinions on some of the topics discussed. Some people voiced a need for better coverage of services such as eye and dental care; others wanted more comprehensive end-of-life care; and still others felt we needed a more rigorous system of health education. There also were differences of opinion on financing issues. For example, some people believe that only the most basic level of benefits should be covered and that everything else should be paid for out-of-pocket, while others felt that anything deemed effective by providers and patients should be covered.

One thing, however, on which there was strong consensus at the Philadelphia meeting, and across the country, was that we need a national health-care system to ensure that everyone has access to care. In fact, when given a choice of 10 reform options, participants in most cities clearly favored a national health program by a ratio of at least 3-1. At meetings where participants were asked to rank the 10 options, national health insurance was ranked first 16 of 19 times (Billings, Mont.; Denver; Des Moines, Iowa; Detroit; Eugene, Ore.; Indianapolis; Jackson, Miss.; Kansas City, Mo.; Memphis, Tenn.; Miami; New York; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Providence, R.I.; Sacramento, Calif.; and Seattle). At two meetings, participants were not polled and options were not ranked.

Despite the clear public mandate, the Citizens’ Health Care Working Group’s report makes no mention of the vast support for a national health program. Instead, the group’s official recommendations include only generic suggestions such as promoting “efforts to improve quality of care and efficiency” and finding a way to protect “against very high health costs.”

From my experience, most supporters of a national health program favor a single-payer system, which retains the private delivery of health care by physicians and hospitals, but organizes payment under a single public agency. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a single-payer national health-insurance program would save enough on administrative costs – more than $300 billion per year – to cover all of the uninsured and provide full benefits for everyone else.

Public opinion polls show that Americans favor a system of tax-financed health insurance by a 2-1 ratio, as opposed to our current system linking coverage to employment. A May 2006 Keystone poll found that 66 percent of Pennsylvanians favor the U.S. government guaranteeing health insurance to its citizens even if it means raising taxes. The main obstacle to universal health care is the health-insurance industry, which has made a mint covering healthy people who don’t use very much care while avoiding the sick patients who need coverage the most.

If our politicians are listening, they’ll realize we don’t need Wall Street-controlled health-insurance plans to provide us with health care. We need a streamlined system that can provide quality affordable health care for all. U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan has introduced such a bill, the U.S. National Health Insurance Act, also known as House Resolution 676. We should all be pressuring our senators and representatives to support it.
Adam Gilden Tsai, MD, of Philadelphia, is a member of Physicians for a National Health Program (www.pnhp.org), a not-for-profit group that advocates for a tax-funded, privately delivered system of national health insurance.

Cover All Kids passes, but only a band aid

Press release: Gov. Rendell pleased his Cover All Kids program gets
overwhelming vote in both Chambers.

HARRISBURG — Governor Edward G. Rendell cheered the House of
Representatives’ overwhelming passage of House Bill 2699, his Cover All
Kids initiative, which will enable Pennsylvania’s hard working families
to purchase affordable health insurance for their children. The
Pennsylvania Senate also unanimously supported the bill early Tuesday
morning. Currently, 133,000 of Pennsylvania’s children are uninsured.

“Under my Cover All Kids program, parents will be able to afford to
insure their children families because the monthly cost will be based on
how much they can afford to pay,” said Governor Rendell.

Currently, CHIP is free for children from families with incomes under
$40,000 (family of four – 200 percent of the federal poverty level) and
available at a reduced cost for children with family incomes of $47,000
(family of four – 200 percent – 235 percent of FPL).

Under Cover All Kids 100 percent of the parents who currently cannot
afford to ensure their children will get assistance from the state to
ensure that the cost of health insurance for their children is
reasonable.

Under House Bill 2699 the monthly cost for parents is based on a sliding
scale:

* $36 a month per child for a family earning 200 percent – 250 percent
of FPL (under $50,000 for a family of four)

* $50 a month per child for a family earning 250 percent -275 percent of
FPL ($50,000- $55,000 for a family of four)

* $57 a month per child for a family earning 275 percent – 300 percent
of FPL ($55,000-$60,000 for a family of four)

Families that cannot find or afford private health insurance for their
children who are earning above 300 percent of the FPL ($60,000 a month
for a family of four) can purchase the coverage at the state cost based
on certain eligibility requirements. These families must show that
coverage was denied due to a pre-existing condition, or the cost of
private coverage totals more than 10 percent of the family’s annual
income, or cost of private insurance one and a half times (150 percent)
more than the state monthly per child cost for Cover All Kids.

If parents can purchase coverage for their children through their
employer but are unable to afford the full premium, the state will
provide assistance to the family to pay the premiums for private
insurance, rather than enrolling the child in CHIP – if the cost of the
private premium is less than the monthly cost to the state of the Cover
All Kids premium.

To discourage parents from dropping private coverage to take advantage
of the state subsidy, Cover All Kids a “go bare period” that requires
families show that their child has not had coverage for the last six
months, unless the child is two years of age or less. The “go bare
period” is not required for infants, or for children who have lost
coverage because a parent lost their job or they are moving from another
public insurance program.

The 2006-07 state budget includes $4.5 million for Cover All Kids, which
will be used to draw down additional federal funds This bill allows the
state to step up our outreach for existing programs for children, such
as CHIP and Medicaid (MA) to ensure every kid who qualifies is signed up
and covered.

Contact: Kate Philips, 717-783-1116

Langfitt Memorial Lecture Debate on Universal Health Care

12th Annual Thomas Langfitt Jr. Memorial Symposium

Innovative Approaches to Universal Health Coverage:

Massachusetts and Beyond

Wednesday, November 8th
6:00 PM
BRB II/III Auditorium (421 Curie Blvd.)
(Reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres to follow)

~~ RSVP by November 3rd~~

Stuart H. Altman, PhD, Dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and central architect of the new Massachusetts universal coverage legislation. One of the nation’s leading experts on health care policy and economics, Professor Altman is a member of The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, Chair of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored Council on the Economic Impact of Health System Change, and was a senior member of the Clinton-Gore Health Policy Transition Team. In August 2003 Modern Healthcare named him among the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare.

Steffie Woolhandler, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Harvard General Internal Medicine Fellowship Program. Dr. Woolhandler has been one of the most passionate advocates for single-payer universal coverage since co-founding Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) in 1987. She has also been one of the most outspoken critics of the new Massachusetts universal coverage legislation.

Patricia Danzon, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Health Care Systems Department at Wharton. Professor Danzon is a renowned health care economist whose major research interests include the international pharmaceutical industry, health care economics and policy, managed care, and medical liability systems. She is also an associate editor of the Journal of Health Economics and an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

Moderated by Sandford Schwartz, MD, Professor of Medicine, Health Care Management, and Economics, and Nicholas Stine, 2nd-year Penn medical student.

The Langfitt Memorial Symposium is named for the son of the late Dr. Thomas W. Langfitt, a longtime and cherished chairman of neurosurgery at Penn and former president ofthe Pew Charitable Trusts. Sponsored by The Langfitt Family, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics

Citizens Working Group Final Recommendations fails

The federally mandated Citizens Working Group released its final recommendationsin August 2006. Their recommendations do not support the overwhelming sentiment given at the Philadelphia Town Meeting for single payer, national health insurance. We have written our objections and if you want to read our letter to the CWG, you can go to this web address.

http://www.citizenshealthcare.gov/recommendations/orgs/pacdhc.pdf

Town Meeting – the Crisis in Health Care

Saturday, May 6, 2006
10 AM – 1 PM

Church of the Advocate
18th and Diamond Sts.
Philadelphia, PA 19121-1509
Donations accepted
Continental breakfast included

Voice your opinions and concerns!
Present your ideas for solutions to the crisis in health care!
Elected officials and candidates invited

Get updates on current legislation:

• The United States National Health Insurance Act – House Resolution 676
• The Balanced and Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act of Pennsylvania (PA Senate Bill 1085), which would provide health coverage for all Pennsylvanians
• The plan to create a Health Leadership Partnership for Philadelphia

For more information call (215) 280-3776

Citizens Health Care Working Group

The Citizens Health Care Working Group hearing will be held in Philadelphia on Monday, April 10, 2006 from 4 – 8 PM at the Philadelphia College of Physicians, 19 S. 22nd Street.

The Citizens Health Care Working Group is a national panel created by the U.S. Congress as part of the 2003 Medicare drug law. The panel is organizing a two-year series of public hearings to find out how to get “health care that works for all Americans.” The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has been successful in getting the Working Group to hold one of its hearings in Philadelphia on April 10. This is not a “hearing” in the usual sense of the word. Up to 300 people will be sitting at tables of 10 with a facilitator. People will discuss a set of questions about health care, and they will punch in their answers with an electronic hand held device. (We are looking for facilitators too) We know that many Philadelphians have a lot to say about the kind of health care we need. We want to work to make sure that Philadelphians’ ideas about health care are heard loud and clear!

We know that all Philadelphians need access to high quality health care, not just legal citizens. We encourage those of you who represent those who are not legal citizens to participate as well.

Since space is limited, please register on line at www.citizenshealthcare.gov.

It’s a Bill! S.B. 1085 – Pennsylvania Balanced and Comprehensive Health Reform Act

Pennsylvania is a giant step closer to sweeping health care reforms thanks to the courage and leadership of Senator Jim Ferlo of Pittsburgh who this past week introduced Senate S.B. 1085 – the Pennsylvania Balanced and Comprehensive Health Reform Act.

This means we need 26 votes to pass the Bill through the Senate and move it over to the House during the Spring and Summer. Please help by writing to your senator and asking them to co-sponsor S.B. 1085.

For more information, please see the PHSC Blog and web site.

6th Annual Soul of Medicine Brunch

Physicians for Social Responsibility invites you to participate in the following upcoming events:
6th Annual Soul of Medicine Brunch
Sunday October 23rd
11:00 am – 1:30 pm

Featured speaker, Kevin Fosnocht, MD – University of Pennsylvania Program: “Responding to the Emotionally Charged/Difficult Situations Encountered with patients, attending staff and fellow students. How does one, as a student, cope with feelings of ‘powerless’ for perhaps the first time in one’s life?”
Informal discussions will follow. There is no charge for the brunch.

College of Physicians
19 South 22nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Pulitizer Prize Winner James B. Steele Speaks on Health Care!

James B. Steele, pulitizer prize winning author will be in Philadelphia on Monday, November 7, 6:30 PM at the Penn Newman Center, 3720 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA on Penn campus. He will be speaking about his new paperback, Critical Condition: How Health Care in America Became Big Business and Bad Medicine.

Don’t miss this amazing event and booksigning! Sponsored by the Philadelphia Area Committee to Defend Health Care and Physicians for a National Health Program. Free to the public. Parking in the lot behind the building on Sansom Street.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Copyright © 2011 Health Care for All Philadelphia · Site built by Healthcare-NOW!