Let's start with these principles and have a proposal for five requirements for health care reform by the next meeting.

 

• Universal - everybody included, no exceptions
• Publicly financed - delivered through existing delivery systems and with sustainable cost controls
• Comprehensive - all necessary medical care with one level of benefits
• Portable - independent of employment status, place of residence, health status or age
• Accessible - free choice of  any qualified practitioner or hospital
• Affordable

Don't forget the public sector.

Let's start with these and have a proposal for five requirements for health care reform by the next meeting.

Comment from Martha.  I think we should avoid "affordable" like the plague.  I just figured out what bothers me about the word.  It is a word that is usually used about consumer goods (NOT public goods - have you ever heard of an "affordable" fire department)), and health care as a consumer good is exactly what we are trying to get away from.  For me it is linked to the absolutely appalling notion of "choosing the plan that is best for your family."  This is nothing but a euphemism for asserting the right of your family to designate other families as disposable human garbage not deserving of good health.  If all you can "afford" is a cheap garbage plan that puts you thousands of dollars in the hole before you ever see a dime of reimbursement, you have no access to actual care at all.

Also, we should not be messing around with wonky details about financing and delivery here, so bringing in the role of the public sector is a distraction.

What kind of messaging material do we need?
Bumperstickers and yard signs tailored to different communities.  Buttons.  Talking point sheets and flyers.

Bumpersticker suggestion from Larry Kalb--Insuring Health or Ensuring Profit?

Re soundbites, slogans and other talking points.  We could pass out a list (no more than two sides of one sheet) and ask people to rate the items that they have the strongest positive response to.  Rate five items by marking them 5 for highest to 1 for the fifth favorite.  Just adding the numbers for each item will give us a good ranked order. 

Martha - I'm thinking that we need something NOT in a pdf format, so that people can cut and paste talking points for letters to the editor and to their representatives.

From Edyth Koch -

The principles adopted by the Washington Health Security Coalition provides a base from which to extrapolate.  Should we then work on the details of how to "implement" these principles?  Bumper stickers are a good idea if we can find the bodies to hand them out.  Sending a 10-point message on how to achieve healthcare reform could be used to email to family members and friends - even blogs.  Sending a form, as suggested by Chuck,  to all our Washington State elected officials asking two poignant questions - the third is the kicker.  Just a few suggestions.   Ediekoch@msn.com

 

!.     Do you support single payer?            Yes  /   /       No  /   /

2.    Do you support a public plan?           Yes  /   /       No  /   /

3.    Are you running for office in 2010?     Yes  /   /       No  /   /

• * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

From Martha - I think that our representatives would die before putting anything like this in writing.  However, I think they are good questions for formal group meetings with our legislators.

Five Requirements for Healthcare Reform

1.     Real reform means everyone will be covered.

2.     Funding will come from individual taxpayers based on income level.
 
3.     Free Choice of any qualified practitioner giving necessary medical care. 

4.     Quality care not based on ability to pay.

• Financial incentives to increase number of family practitioners.  End Medicare Advantage Plans to raise funds.

Martha comment - I think that 2 and 5 are more how than what.