February 14, 2009
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
TOWN HALL MEETING
WITH REPRESENTATIVE JOHN CONYERS, JR. (D MI)
Saturday, March 7, 1 PM – 3 PM
Penn Newman Center
3720 Chestnut St.
(Enter from Sansom St.)
All are welcome, don’t stay away if you can’t pay! Donations appreciated to defray expenses.
Join Representative Conyers, author of
The United States National Health Care Act, HR 676(“Expanded & Improved Medicare for ALL”)
and other speakers
Sponsored by Physicians for a National Health Program, Health Care for All Philadelphia, Healthcare Now!
Labor donated
PA Healthcare: The Goose That Lays The Golden Egg?
February 7, 2009
PA Healthcare: The Goose That Lays The Golden Egg?
Harrisburg, PA – A group working for publicly-funded, privately-provided health care believes abandoning the employer-based health care system in Pennsylvania would be one of the solutions to the state’s economic troubles.
Health Care for All Pennsylvania predicts the Family and Business Health Care Security Act – also known as the “single payer” solution – would cover all Pennsylvania residents, save $15 billion over the current “multi-payer” system, and create over 100,000 medical delivery jobs, according to executive director Chuck Pennacchio.
“This legislation would be the greatest jobs creation program since the late 19th century when the steel industry took off like a rocket in Pennsylvania.”
The plan has gained wide appeal and a has good chance of passage this year, says Pennacchio.
“We’ve been able to pick up Republican support, which makes us the only legislative campaign for universal health care that has been able to attract Republican support.”
The plan would be funded using existing state and federal funds, along with a three-percent personal income tax and 10-percent business payroll tax. Supporters include labor, business, the governor, the Allegheny County Council, and the city councils in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Erie. While supporters say most Pennsylvanians would save money under the plan, opponents say it would create another large taxpayer-funded bureaucracy.
Copyright © 2008 Public News Service
Philadelphia City Council Votes to Support Single-Payer Healthcare
February 7, 2009
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.
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