Physicians for a National Health Program - Western Washington

Coming Events:

* PNHPWW September Monthly Meeting
7pm, Wed, September 15th, Swed/Cherry Hill Campus- Directions
September Calendar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organizations advocating for single payer, Expanded and Improved Medicare for All in Western Washington

Health Care for All -WA

WA Single Payer Action


WA - Progressive Democrats of America

Wash State Progressive Caucus

Wa State Jobs with Justice

Island County Activists for Single Payer

Vancouver HealthCare Now

Socialist Alternative

Olympia Single Payer Action

Healthy Washington Coalition

Washington Community Action Network

Washington Health Security Coalition

 

It’s Time to Add Your Voice

Since 1987, Physicians for a National Health Program has advocated for reform in the U.S. health care system. A large part of our work involves educating health professionals about the benefits of a single-payer system--including fewer administrative costs and affording health insurance for the 46 million Americans who have none.



 

Latest News


For the latest news, analysis and opinion on health reform legislation, check the PNHP national web site at www.pnhp.org


PNHPWW August 18th Meeting


We were fortunate to have Hank Abrons, MD, Chair of Executive Committee PNHP California and member of the PNHP National Board as our speaker who will appear on the big screen via Skype. Hank’s talk, “Single Payer Strategy – the PNHP - California Chapter Moves Forward” Hank bought us up to date about the reorganization of the California chapter and its preliminary work plan for 2010, and beyond, that offers us lots of useful ideas. He also described the current status or state single payer legislation in California and provided insights into our organization.

You will also find descriptions of and links to recent PNHPWW activities in the:


PNHPWW August Meeting/Monthly Report


PNHPWW September 15th Meeting
Deborah Senn Guest Speaker


Deborah Senn was the Washington State Insurance Commissioner from 1993–2001. As commissioner, she took an unyielding consumer advocate's approach to the insurance companies she regulated, which earned her praise from Ralph Nader, who called her "the best insurance commissioner in the United States."

Senn fought for tougher industry regulations that prohibited insurance companies from screening out new customers because of pre-existing conditions and from canceling coverage when customers changed jobs or got sick, increasing access to health insurance. The number of people covered by health insurance increased every year she was in office.

Because of her effectiveness, the insurance industry struck back with a lobbying campaign such that the governor and the Legislature agreed to strip the Washington State insurance commissioner of the right to regulate rates in the individual market. That right has recently been restored to Ins. Commissioner Mike Kreidler.

We have asked Ms Senn to discuss her take on what state insurance commissioners are likely to do regarding P-PACA. Is there enough power there to really take on the insurance industry and make a difference? Of course, as PNHP is committed to single payer, Medicare for All, we'd like to hear if she thinks there is a way the commissioners could help us move down the road to single payer at the state level.

Next meeting - Wednesday, September 15th, 7PM in the Swedish/Cherry Hill Campus Conference Center Auditorium


Demonstration in front of the Sheraton Hotel
Monday, August 16th at 12:00 noon

The occasion was the quarterly meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, converging on Seattle from all across the country.  A most important agenda item was how the Commissioners will interpret and enforce the regulations of the new health care legislation. 1400 lobbyists representing the medical industrial complex were also there to make sure their interests were strongly represented. Our message asked the Commissioners “Which Side are You On?” - The Corporations or We the People? Single payer activists from PNHPWW, HCFA-Wa, United for Single Payer, Single Payer Vashon and the Backbone Campaign carried signs, leafleted, and did media-friendly street theater with giant puppets. Singing was led by Bob Wickline.

US ELAM Delegation Dinner
Bob leads "Which Side are You On?" Outside the Sheraton Hotel
Click Here for video






Wendell Potter stops by

MM pulls Commissioner Myers to The People's side


Bob Wickline's Medicare for All Media Campaign

Bob Wickline has produced a great 60 second musical media ad that he has placed on talk radio AM 1090. This ad can be varied to support publicity for local activities in the future - click here





Opinion and Information on New Health Care Legislation

Hijacked, Stolen Health Care Reform by Dr. John Geyman - 7-29-10
Single Payer Isn't Dead - How States Are Keeping the Movement Alive
Michael Corcoran - TruthOut - 8-3-10
On the Anniversary of Medicare Comes a Renewed Call for 'Medicare for All"
John Nichols - The Nation - 8-1-10

A False Promise of Reform - PNHP Press Release 3-21-10
If This Bill were a Step Forward - Margaret Flowers, PNHP
Single Payer versus Reconciliation Bill - PNHP
The Health Care Hindenburg has Landed - Charles Dharapak

Myths and Facts about Health Care Reform - FireDogLake
Politicians didn't get it right - Linda Jansen, PNHPWW

Going Forward

PNHP Chapter Organizing Considerations - William Bronston

10 Things You Can Do for Healthcare Reform - Woolhandler and Himmelstein
Where do we go from here? - Jon Walker
How to get to State Single payer Opt Out - Jon Walker


 



HealthCare-Now's
2009 SP Year in Review Video


Click on photo



Here are lobbying materials you can use to support single payer:
www.pnhp.org/change



Click below to watch the single payer video montage put together and sung by BobWickline and family:

"We're Being Scrooged"
"Medicare for All"


United for Single Payer

United for Single is a coalition of individuals committed to continuing to advocate for single payer as the gold standard and to work together to build and amplify our strength and impact. The focus of activities is on our representatives and building grassroots support for the only real hope for achieving health care justice.

The USP Web Site is www.unitedforsinglepayer.org


More than $6000 has been raised for ads, events, signs, rallies or other actions.


Click to




New "What is Single-Payer?" video by Med Student Graham


Click here for > John Geyman's Weekly Blog

John Geyman, MD, is Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has spent 25 years in academic family medicine. He is Past President of Physicians for National Health Program (PNHP) and a PNHPWW Board member. John has written several books that are indespensible for understanding the roots of our health care crisis, its current condition, and what must be done to achieve a just and sustainable replacement. You can find information about his books and ordering information by following these links - Do Not Resuscitate: Why the Health Insurance Industry is Dying, and How We Must Replace It, The Corrosion of Medicine: Can the Profession Reclaim its Moral Legacy?, Shredding the Social Contract: The Privatization of Medicare and Falling Through the Safety Net: Americans Without Health Insurance

John's Web Site


Top of Page

The information You Need to Remain Up-To-Date on Health Care Reform:

Quote of the Day

For invaluable daily current health care reform information and analysis read PNHP Senior Staff Policy Analyst Don McCanne's Quote of the Day

Listserve free subscription http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/quote-of-the-day

 


Noteworthy Literature


Frontline “Sick Around the World” This PBS program by TR Reid looks at other HC systems in 5 countries and the different ways they guarantee coverage, finance HC and control costs. The obvious contrasts with the US are pointed out. It’s low-key, more of a “here’s the information & draw your own conclusions” rather than pushing a solution for the US. It’s well worth watching – you can stream the whole thing to your computer at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/view/main.html


“Support for National Health Insurance among American Physicians: Five Years Later,” - Aaron E. Carroll and Ronald T. Ackermann, Annals of Internal Medicine, April 2008. A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine reports that a survey conducted last year of 2,193 physicians across the United States showed 59 percent of them “support government legislation to establish national health insurance,” while 32 percent oppose it and 9 percent are neutral. The findings reflect a leap of 10 percentage points in physician support for national health insurance (NHI) since 2002


The prestigious American College of Physicians (ACP), the nation's second largest medical association (124,000 members), endorsed single payer national health insurance as "one pathway" to universal coverage.  This is the first time the group has endorsed single payer and represents a huge step forward in the movement for fundamental health care reform.

The ACP position paper “Achieving a High-Performance Health Care System with Universal Access: What the United States Can Learn from Other Countries” notes that single payer systems have the advantage of being "more equitable, have lower administrative costs, have lower per capita health care expenditures, have higher levels of patient satisfaction, and have higher performance on measures of quality and access than systems using private health insurance."  .

Quentin Young on the significance of this endorsement

 


Ramon Bernal, Seattle's first student at the Latin American School of Medicine

Cuba trains physicians from the Carribean, Central and South America, Africa, and the United States at the free Latin American School of Medicine in Havana (ELAM), the largest medical school in the world. Students make a commitment to return to their underserved communities after graduation. There are now 110 US student studying at ELAM.

Ramon Alejandro Bernal in now in Havana, the first student from Seattle to receive the opportunity for a free medical education at ELAM. PNHPWW has committed to support this outstanding individual as he persues his MD degree.

Ramon is in his third year at ELAM, now acquiring clinical skills and taking care of patients.

Click for info about Ramon and his monthly reports from Havana as he progresses (now 26 reports with photos)


   
 
 



What You Can Do To Help:

*Join the Campaign to Pass HR 676 and HR 1200
by sending an email to pnhp.westernwashington@comcast.net. We'll keep you posted with important updates and actions

*Lobby your members of Congress
Tell your representatives that you support HR 676 and HR 1200 and they should too. You can use this email form or - better yet - call their office

*Write an Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor
You can find tips, templates and examples by clicking here

*Speak out about the single-payer solution
Educate yourself about single-payer using the resources & materials -here and here. Bring materials and talk to your church, labor, community or other group about the singlepayer solution.


 
 

 Top of Page

 



PNHP WW Home Page | Contact Us | Join PNHP | Site Credits
Email: pnhp.westernwashington@comcast.net
Oli speaking Robby Speaking Jim speaking Oli's Slides on Reform Options Bernia Sanders and Ed Shultz play May 30th March Video