National Day of Protest Against Health Insurance Companies
May 23, 2008
National Day of Protest Against Health Insurance Companies
In “honor” of the meeting of America’s Health insurance Plans in San Francisco on June 18-20, a large protest is scheduled on June 19. Locally, we will be supporting a protest on June 19 at 12 noon, in front of CIGNA, Two Liberty Place, 16th and Chestnut Sts, Philadelphia. Don’t miss this event!
The Single-Payer Solution: The Real Way to Universal Health Care”
January 10, 2008
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.”
National mobilization for Healthcare not Warfare
October 5, 2007
National mobilization for Healthcare not Warfare. There will be a march from the VA Hospital (39th and Woodland) to Independence Hall on Sat., October 27. Each group will be asked to fill a block on the parade route. Our health care group has chosen 19th and Market, Independence Blue Cross as a gathering place. There is a wide sidewalk in front or across the street from the building. SO, we can take the 19th & Market block for Philadelphia Area Committee To Defend Health Care. Please plan to participate on Saturday, October 27th, 12:30 to 1:00pm. After that we wait for the March from the VA hospital to reach us and join behind them (or take the bus) to Independance Square for a Rally Celebration(if so inclined.) More updates will come.
Make a movie, support single payer
October 5, 2007
OK, this is a chance to support national health insurance and put our money where our mouths are. We should send it out widely. I think Mark Webber’s mom is Cheri Honkala, KWRU. There is a little blurb on Explicit Ills here. and the Inky below.
Inqlings | Indie role for Rosario Dawson
By Michael Klein
Inquirer Columnist
Rosario Dawson should be in town soon to join the cast of explicit ills., an independent film exploring the effects of drugs and poverty and the choices that people make.
A month of filming starts this week in North Philly under the eye of actor/first-time director Mark Webber (Broken Flowers), who in April won the Philadelphia Film Festival’s Rising Star Award; his mother, Cheri Honkala, is an activist with the Kensington Welfare Rights Union.
Dawson, who grew up poor herself in New York, plays a woman with an asthmatic son and no insurance.
Sound like a downer? “It’s uplifting,” says Mike Lemon, who is handling the casting.
Also cast are Paul Franklin Dano (Dwayne in Little Miss Sunshine); Naomie Harris (the voodoo princess in Pirates of the Caribbean); Lou Taylor Pucci (Thumbsucker); and Tariq Trotter (a.k.a. Black Thought of The Roots).
Walter
————————–
Dear Healthcare Organizers: We have an extraordinary opportunity to make a great impact in Philadelphia this coming Sunday, October 7th. A Hollywood film crew is going to be filming “Explicit Ills,” a new film about a child who is sick, cannot get healthcare coverage and dies. The stars are big, and the media is going to be there. Mark Weber who is a young star in several new films wrote the script.
Mark is asking that we be at Constitution Center at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday to be a part of a demonstration there for H.R. 676, national guaranteed healthcare for all carrying banners, signs, getting petition signatures – and all those things we do.
Mark’s mom will be leading a year-long effort in Minneapolis to create the atmosphere at the Republican Convention that makes clear that we must have a national healthcare system run by us, the people, not the corporate healthcare industrial complex. We’ll be able to use his film for openings and fund-raisers everywhere with all of our people featured in the campaign to get healthcare for everybody.
Please be there if you can. I cannot be there because of a family obligation, but I’ll be there in spirit. We need to do this, folks.
Marilyn Clement,
National Coordinator
Healthcare-NOW
www.healthcare-now.org
Forum on Single Payer Delco
September 8, 2007
Green Solutions presents a Forum on
Universal Single-Payer Health Insurance for PA
Which do you prefer?
The way it
is now?
Or the way it
could be?
Join us Saturday, September 29th, 6-8:30 PM, at the Peace Center of Delaware
County (1001 Old Sproul Rd in Springfield, behind Sproul Lanes Bowling Alley) to learn:
-What is Universal Single-Payer Health Insurance & what would it mean for me?
-What is in the PA Family & Business Health Security Act (SB 300 / HB 1660) & how
does it compare with Rendell’s Prescription for PA?
-What is in the US National Health Insurance Act (HR 676)?
Featured Speakers:
Walter Tsou, MD, a physician specializing in public health who has worked persistently to obtain
adequate health benefits for everyone. Recently he has presented his popular power point
program on universal, single-payer health care to Congress.
Chuck Pennachio, a history professor at The University of the Arts. He has been traveling
around Pennsylvania in a tireless effort to promote health care legislation in Pennsylvania. He ran
against Senator Casey in the Democratic ‘07 primary.
Following the presentation will be a question and answer session. Refreshments will be served. More
information can be obtained at www.DelCoGreens.org or by calling 610-543-8427.
Co-sponsored by the Green Party of Delaware County & Citizen Access
Public Forum on Health Care Reform
September 8, 2007
While the following is directly oriented toward Bucks County residents, it would be quite applicable and relevant to all:
Public Forum on Health Care Reform
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Bucks County Community College
Library Auditorium
275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, PA
9:30am to 12:30pm.
Free and open to the public.
The purpose of the forum is (1) to establish basic principles that Bucks County residents want to see incorporated in any health care reform developed at the state or national level, (2) and to inaugurate a network of Bucks County residents ready to respond and work for those principles.
Dr. Walter Tsou, past President of the American Public Health Association and Former Philadelphia Commissioner of Public Health, will speak about the problems with our current health care system. Congressman Patrick Murphy and State Representative David Steil will talk about the process of how legislation becomes law, and how citizens can be effective in their advocacy.
The participants of the forum will decide what basic principles need to be included in any current or future health care reform legislation.
Sponsored by Bucks County League of Women Voters and many others.
The upcoming edition of democratic Left will feature more information and background on the event.
For information, contact Dr. Henry D’Silva at 215-860-7442 or Greater Philadelphia DSA at PhilaDSA@gmail.com. For directions, visit www.bucks.edu.
Spread the word!
Brilliant essay on private health care
July 14, 2007
BARBARA EHRENREICH|
Health Care vs. the Profit Principle
Posted July 12, 2007 | 12:35 PM (EST)
Read More: Breaking Politics News, Barbara Ehrenreich, George W. Bush, U.S. Congress, Aetna Inc., U.S. Republican Party
It’s always nice to see the President take a principled stand on something. The man formerly known as “43,” and now perhaps better named “29” for his record-breaking approval rating, is promising to battle any expansion of government health insurance for children — and not because he hates children or refuses to cough up the funds. No, this is a battle over principle: private health care vs. government-provided health care. Speaking in Cleveland this week, Bush boldly asserted:
I strongly object to the government providing incentives for people to leave private medicine, private health care to the public sector. And I think it’s wrong and I think it’s a mistake. And therefore, I will resist Congress’s attempt … to federalize medicine…In my judgment that would be — it would lead to not better medicine, but worse medicine. It would lead to not more innovation, but less innovation.
Now you don’t have to have seen SiCKO to know that if there is one area of human endeavor where private enterprise doesn’t work, it’s health care. Consider the private, profit-making, insurance industry that Bush is so determined to defend. What “innovations” has it produced? The deductible, the co-pay, and the pre-existing condition are the only ones that leap to mind. In general, the great accomplishment of the private health insurance industry has been to overturn the very meaning of “insurance,” which is risk-sharing: We all put in some money, though only some of us will need to draw on the common pool by using expensive health care. And the insurance companies have overturned it by refusing to insure the people who need care the most — those who are already, or are likely to become, sick.
I once tried to explain to a Norwegian woman why it was so hard for me to find health insurance. I’d had breast cancer, I told her, and she looked at me blankly. “But then you really need insurance, right?” Of course, and that’s why I couldn’t have it.
This is not because health insurance executives are meaner than other people, although I do not rule that out. It’s just that they’re running a business, the purpose of which is not to make people healthy, but to make money, and they do very well at that. Once, many years ago, I complained to the left-wing economist Paul Sweezey that America had no real health system. “We have a system all right,” he responded, “it’s just a system for doing something else.” A system, as he might have put it today, for extracting money from the vulnerable and putting it into the pockets of the rich.
But let’s not just pick on the insurance companies, though I wouldn’t mind doing that — with a specially designed sharp instrument, over a period of years. Sunday’s Los Angeles Times featured a particularly lurid case of medical profiteering in the form of one Dr. Prem Reddy, who owns eight hospitals in Southern California. I do not begrudge any physician a comfortable lifestyle — good doctoring is hard work — but Dr. Reddy dwells in a 15,000 square foot mansion featuring gold-plated toilets and keeps a second home, valued at more than $9 million, in Beverly Hills, as well as a $1.4 million helicopter for commuting.
The secret behind his $300 million fortune? For one thing, he rejects the standard hospital practice of making contracts with insurance companies because he feels that these contracts unduly limit his reimbursements. (In a battle between Aetna and Reddy, it would be hard to know which side to cheer for.) In addition, he’s suspended much-needed services such as chemotherapy, a birthing center and mental health care as insufficiently profitable. And his hospitals are infamous for refusing to treat uninsured patients, like a patient with kidney failure and a 16-month-old baby with a burn.
But Dr. Reddy — who is, incidentally a high-powered Republican donor — has a principled reason for his piratical practices. “Patients,” the Los Angeles Times reports him saying, “may simply deserve only the amount of care they can afford.” He dismisses as “an entitlement mentality” the idea that everyone should be getting the same high quality health care. This is Bush’s vaunted principle of “private medicine” at its nastiest: You don’t get what you need, only what you can pay for.
If government insurance for children (S-CHIP) isn’t expanded to all the families that need it, there is no question but that some children will die — painfully perhaps and certainly unnecessarily. But at least they will have died for a principle.
Sicko Town Meeting
June 24, 2007
On Tuesday, July 10, 2007 at 7 PM, there will be a Town Meeting at the Penn Newman Center, 3720 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia to discuss Sicko, single payer health care, and what WE can do to help advance national health insurance in America. Everyone is invited. Donations to support this effort would be appreciated.
Here are some web sites to read more about helping in these efforts:
HR 676 – the US National Health Insurance Act of 2007
http://www.sickocure.org
http://www.healthcare-now.org
http://www.pnhp.org
SB 300 – the Pennsylvania Family and Business Health Security Act (state single payer plan)
http://www.helpfundpa.org
Change in General Meeting Start Time-6:30 PM
May 6, 2007
Please note an error in the time. This special general meeting will start at 6:30 PM and will be a joint meeting with the local National Assoc. of Health Care Executives. The presenters will be Drs. Walter Tsou and Chuck Pennachio who will discuss single payer health care at the national and local level. Please come out for this information session. After the meeting, we will be having a business meeting of the PACDHC.
The location is the same: Penn Newman Center, 3720 Chestnut St, parking in the lot behind the center on Sansom Street.
Bipartisan PA Single Payer Bill Introduced in House
April 12, 2007
Dear Healthcare Leaders:
Please extend your heartiest thanks right away to Reps. Tony Payton (tpayton@pahouse.net) and Dave Steil (dsteil@pahousegop.com ) for co-introducing the Family and Business Healthcare Security Act into the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. This is a huge step for our single-payer movement, and its significance should not be lost on anyone — especially when you realize the degree to which certain individuals have tried to forestall our legislation while paying lip service to single-payer and our citizen lobbying efforts.
On the lobbying front, social workers on Tuesday, and medical students and medical providers on Wednesday pitched more than 100 legislators and legislative aides on the remarkable attributes of the Family and Business Healthcare Security Act. Not one approach was rebuffed; members and staff wanted to learn more; common ground was discovered even with the most conservative legislators — all of whom recognize the same fault lines in the medical industrial complex. As always, follow up is the key to securing commitments.
Keep on organizing, speaking, writing, contributing, blogging, and educating! Now is another very good time to remind your state representative and state senator to co-sponsor (or thank them for co-sponsoring) the Family and Business Healthcare Security Act.
Also, please go check out our improved web site, where you will find new and valuable resources available to all… Plus we have upcoming meetings in Pittsburgh (this good-luck Friday the 13th) and in State College (Saturday the 21st). Details are at www.helpfundpa.org.
Yours in solidarity,
Chuck
Chuck Pennacchio
Executive Director, Health Education & Legislative Progress (HELP) Fund of PA www.helpfundpa.org
chuck@helpfundpa.org
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