audio by title hoosiers for a commonsense health plan single payer now

Senator Bernie Sanders:

In my view, the real solution to the problem of how to reform health care in this country is a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system. We are going to try to at least give states the option to go forward and move toward a single-payer system. Whether it’s Vermont or somewhere else, if one state pulls it off it will spread around the country.

Three cheers for Al Ormsby

Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee member Al Ormsby confronted Murphy directly on his no vote. "You talk costs as the main reason you voted "no" but why did you vote to take the best solution to lower those costs, the single payer option, off the table right at the start?" Ormsby asked, standing toe to toe with the legislator.

"Because people in our district do not want a single payer option," Murphy answered. "I don’t think single payer is the best solution. When I see the Senate bill I hope there are things in there that I can support."

What next for the single payer movement?

Does passage of a bill that funnels millions of additional Americans into the private insurance system, and the decision of House leaders to shut down debate on one single payer amendment and scuttle another, mean the end of the years of efforts by single payer activists to win the most comprehensive reform of all?

In discussions and organizing, now occurring coast to coast, including a strategy conference this weekend in St. Louis hosted by Healthcare-NOW, many are charting a new course that turns next to the U.S. Senate, to the Senate-House Conference Committee, and then to state capitols from Sacramento to Harrisburg where vibrant single payer movements and campaigns continue to grow.

Most single payer advocates acknowledge some important reforms in the House bill, especially the expansion of Medicaid to millions of low income adults, increased regulation of the insurance industry, expanded public health funding for community programs for low income families, and a more progressive tax plan than the onerous tax on middle income health benefits proposed in the Senate.

I just want to know, for how long will high traffic lefty bloggers based in California and Pennsylvania hold their hands over their ears and say "la la la la I can't hear you" to the single payer movements that are building right under their nose?

Dept of easy answers to easy questions
YES

Bailout under a blue cross

Regardless of the legislation Congress passes, the health insurance industry is primed to expand its consumption of U.S. health care dollars by selling more insurance policies to people who are currently uninsured. And American taxpayers are going to subsidize many of these policies, a windfall profit for private insurance companies.

In a statement about why he voted against the House Bill (H.R. 3962) passed this weekend, Rep. Dennis Kucinich said, "In H.R. 3962, the government is requiring at least 21 million Americans to buy private health insurance from the very industry that causes costs to be so high, which will result in at least $70 billion in new annual revenue, much of which is coming from taxpayers. This inevitably will lead to even more costs, more subsidies and higher profits for insurance companies -- a bailout under a blue cross."

Healthcare-NOW!’s Response to Passage of House Health Bill

Healthcare-NOW!’s view, however, is that the House bill is a gift to the insurance industry at the further expense of the people of this nation.