at least. Maybe closer to 90%. There were three people who were they bcz they wanted to support Obama in whatever he does. A couple said they wanted to learn about the issues. The rest were asking what Obama wants to do, what his plan IS that we're asked to support and how can we call, ask other people to support the "plan" if we don't know what it is, etc. We couldn't hear the Obama video on the adjunct laptop speakers; we agreed we knew what he was going to say already.

The 2/3rds said they were there to push for single payer, to try to make Obama do it. (Leader of the meeting at end told me 100% were for single payer at the weekend meeting. Whoohoo!)

We did warrant two BHIP* representatives, one of whom told us she worked for the Nat'l Association of Health Underwriters and that we were terribly misinformed. When asked about what, she said Medicare is subsidized. A chorus of "We know that, so what" went up, so she then said the insurance companies have to spend 85% of their revenues on patient care; we said the industry average is closer to 71% -- and that Medicare pays out 96-97% on patient care. She left early, after handing out a screed on the scariness of single payer (not enough copies to go around, so I didn't get one).

The Man in the Suit, who didn't indicate his affiliation, tried to tell us that NJ state law requires insurance companies to pay 100% of outpatient procedures. Medical people said that was simply untrue. His example was that a dr. sent a patient to a clinic (in which the doc had part ownership) for a bursitis treatment, which the insurer had to pay for to the tune o $8000. An office manager for a urologist said that was flat out wrong. Nobody believed him. He had begun by seeming to say single payer was the best way to manage the broken healthcare system, but then went into how much taxes would have to go up. He left with the Underwriters rep.

The other leader gave us an example of how to negotiate, drawing a line with three points on it: Left (later labeled single payer), Middle (aka Public Plan), and Right (aka Consevative). He said, before revealing the alternative labels, that the best way to get what you want legislatively is to start asking for the extreme of what you want, used the right/Conservative end as an example. Then he said Obama is at Middle/Public Plan, and I said that means Obama has given up ground before he's begun and we'll end up, per his example, much closer to the Consevative/right approach, that the right has won already. He said that's why we need to make Obama think about single payer.

Huh?

Almost everyone at the meeting was above the age of 50, except for the two leaders and a young man from the county Dems. Many already were on Medicare. About 5 people were very involved in PNHP, other single payer groups. A woman pointed out to the BHIPpers, who had said many jobs would be lost with single payer, that when healthcare is said to be 1/6th or our economy the workers range from janitors in hospitals to nurses and doctors to lab techs, nursing homes, etc. Big Insurerance has many jobs, but not all that many.

*BHIP--Big Health Industry Playahs

infiltrating.

into single payer lovefest (sorta--except for the OFA adviser...who said million person march for single payer wouldn't work).

dbhelix--I actually was nervous it was going to be a roomful of true believers; those attacks from the lefties on the lefty blogs do leave their mark. But it was no way true believers. And I was not the most outspoken single payer advocate.

But the leaders did try to push the single payer advocates to agree to make calls for Obama's plan, whic lead to a new round of "Just what IS that plan?" These old farts didn't just fall off the turnip truck....

Oh, and service of some sort was pushed. One guy said now is the time to concentrate on changing the minds of Congress Critters and Obama, get real change. Hee.

calling chairpersons is considered well within the rights of citizens and, by most, is not resented. Their own constituents have more impact, but numbers are noted, definitely get attention when a certain critical mass is achieved on a topic. Those number may not change the rep's mind, but are noted.

His recommendation was to call both the local office (for own reps) and the DC office, realizing one would speak to staffers manning the phones. Letters take a month or so to get to the pols' offices due to the anthrax terror attacks* (my wording on that) and increased security; emails essentially get counted aa pro-con. Brevity is the soul of wit.

He based his comments on years of working on the Hill, both as a staffer and as lobbyist.

The young man working for the county Dem organization said we could call our Repub rep, but the guy is basically moved only by Repub leadership and his Uberwealthy friends. He felt that Specter could be impacted on healthcare legislation by PA residents since he may well be primaried and he's up for reelection. He said the NJ senators, Lautenberg and Menendez, would most likely back healthcare legislation as far left as could be attained, but to keep up presure on them.

The OFA leaders had an petition for us to sign, but it was only for a "public plan," details unknown.

*Hhhhmm, perhaps that was yet another benefit of those never solved anthrax letters: Cut down on ways for the public to try to influence their representatives.