Spring 2009 issue of "CommonHealth," the biannual newsletter of the Universal Health Care Education Fund (UHCEF) and Mass-Care.

1. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2 ~ SPRING 2009
CommonHealth
Mass-Care & UHCEF's Challenges for 2009 What We Can Do Now to Achieve
National health reform is back on the table for the first time in almost a Single-Payer Health Care
generation, and the Massachusetts reform law of 2006 is already 1. Volunteer for Mass-Care!
beginning to buckle under the financial pressures of a terrible recession
• We need office volunteers to make phone calls,
as state legislators have now proposed to make documented immigrants
write letters, stuff envelopes for special mailings
ineligible for the state's subsidy program to save money. Mass-Care and
• We need volunteers who will work on the
UHCEF, along with our grassroots activists and coalition partners, have
Legislative Committee of Mass-Care to support
our work cut out for us in the coming year! Here are some upcoming and
the bills we have helped sponsor, organize the
ongoing campaigns that we hope you will get involved with:
districts of key legislators to support our bills, go
to the legislature and lobby legislators, develop
• Mass-Care has joined a national movement to have the single-payer
perspective heard during national deliberations on health reform, legislative strategy with the committee
including at President Obama's public forums and Congressional • We need volunteers to work on fundraising: grant
briefings. Here in Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy is leading health writers, event planners, single payer signs,
reform deliberations in the Senate, while Senator Kerry is a senior stickers and posters, house parties for “SiCKO”,
member of the Finance Committee that will vote on health reform. and any new ideas.
Additionally, three of our Representatives - Markey, Neal and Tierney • We need volunteers to help on broadening our
- sit on committees of jurisdiction in the House, which will also vote on access to the media; new contacts with
health reform. We need to ensure that Congress hears the full range newspapers, TV and radio stations, local access
of health reform options available to residents of the US, and bases TV, press releases
its deliberations on what will provide the most equitable and • We need volunteers to be speakers for Single
comprehensive access to care in an affordable and sustainable manner. Payer when groups ask us to come and give a
• Mass-Care is attempting to build a network of business people presentation. We are going to have a speaker’s
representing small- and medium-sized firms. We know from surveys training session soon.
that a large portion of the business community supports 2. Go speak to your legislators and be sure they
comprehensive reform of the health care system, including single understand what single payer can do for health care
payer, but they are not represented by the dominant business in Massachusetts. Keep them informed about new
associations. We will be launching a pilot project in Cambridge. developments on single payer and cost control bills
• Mass-Care hopes to develop an online tool allowing Massachusetts that need their support.
residents to publicly tell their stories of being denied care, struggling 3. Work on the political campaigns of candidates
to access or afford the care they need, fighting through health that support single payer
bureaucracies, and facing the high costs of the care we do receive. We 4. Host a house party and show “SiCKO” or “Sick
hope to make this web-site a powerful tool for collecting, in a single Around the World” on DVD. Mass-Care will provide
place, the testimony that virtually all of us hear from our families, our speakers to discuss the movie
neighbors, our co-workers and others, and to translate this testimony
5. Work with your local Town Democratic
into an effective voice for patients in the health reform process.
Committee to support single payer
• Mass-Care will continue its close collaboration with Physicians for a
6. Give generously to support Mass-Care financially
National Health Program, organizing medical professionals for a
because this is a crucial year to elect progressive
national health program, and with the Cape Care Coalition, working
candidates who will support single payer when
towards community-run public health care for all on the Cape. We look
Chapter 58 unravels. to volunteer!
forward to building our coalition with every year, and keeping up our
education and mobilization-oriented campaign work.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing
over and over again and expecting different results.
- Albert Einstein
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2. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2 ~ SPRING 2009
Massachusetts Single Payer Health Care Trust Bill Business for Single Payer
Revised, Refiled as HB 2127 with 49 Co-sponsors! Mass-Care has started an outreach project to
engage the business community in a Business for
Thanks to the hard work of many Mass-Care volunteers before and after Single Payer group. Businesses that have in the
the January filing date, 49 legislators became co-sponsors of HB 2127, the past been reluctant to support Single Payer are
Single Payer Massachusetts Health Care Trust bill. The bill, when enacted finding that the high cost of providing health
and implemented, will provide all Massachusetts residents with quality, insurance for their employees has left them
affordable and accessible health care, end insurance premiums, deductibles with the nasty choice of dropping healthcare
and co-pays, and save the Commonwealth about $9 billion per year! coverage altogether or losing the business.
To help guarantee health coverage as a right for all Massachusetts Single Payer should appeal to businesses
residents, please check our website (www.masscare.org) to see if your because all employees will have guaranteed
State Senator and State Representative have signed on as co-sponsors. If health care coverage through the Health Care
your Representative and/or State Senator is missing from the list, please Trust and won’t need coverage through their
explain that while the deadline has passed to sign on as co-sponsors they employer. Under Single Payer, employers will no
can still sign on as supporters by calling Peggy Connor in Representative longer have to spend money and time selecting
Patrick’s office. If your Representative or Senator is on our list, please and managing health plans for their employees,
thank them and ask them to please talk to their colleagues about and health care costs will no longer cause a
supporting HB 2127. competitive disadvantage with other companies
or countries.
If you feel you need more information to convince your legislators, please
look at our website for supporting facts and excellent articles or contact Mass-Care’s new project, Business for Single
Mass-Care and one of our volunteers will be glad to go with you to talk to Payer seeks to engage and organize businesses
your legislator. Common reasons that legislators have used for not interested in supporting Single Payer in order to
supporting the Health Care Trust bill include “it’s not politically possible”, develop an activist business lobby to work with
“we need to continue to support the reform law of 2006”, “it will cost too the legislature, the Governor, and other
much”. The answer is that we are the grassroots political force that will coalition members to adopt a Single Payer
make it possible by making our voices heard. We can convince the system. The first phase of this project will be
legislature that it is time to dump the 2006 reform law and support Single carried out this spring and involves conducting a
Payer which costs less than what we have now, is sustainable for the long survey to assess the views of local small
term, and guarantees coverage for everyone. business owners on health care and health
insurance as well as to identify businesses we
HB 2127 was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Health. Co-
can partner with in the future. Mass-Care is
sponsors of our bill who are on that
currently in the process of testing and
committee are Senator Susan Fargo
implementing this survey, targeting members of
(chair) and Representatives Balser,
the Cambridge Local First (CLF) business
Toomey and Lewis. Other members
organization. In the future, we will be
of the Joint Committee on Public
expanding this network to include other
Health are: Senators Montigney,
communities around Massachusetts.
Buoniconti, Chandler, Flanagan,
Hedlund and Representatives If any business owner is interested in joining
Sanchez (Chair), Quinn, Murphy, this project we welcome you! If there are
Turner, Aguiar, Brady, Evangelido. It volunteers who would like to help by
is really important to organize visits participating in focus group discussions or doing
to these legislators now and in the some on the ground interviewing of selected
coming weeks! businesses, please contact Ben Day, Director of
Mass-Care via email at director@masscare.org.
The date of the hearing on HB
We need to build support from the business
2127 will be October 20 at
community in order to broaden our grassroots
10:00. Save the date to support
effort for Single Payer! - Brett Schmitz
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3. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2 ~ SPRING 2009
Real Health Care Reform ... Single Payer HR.676
Among the many issues President Obama has pledged to
address in his first 100 days in office is the battle to
reform healthcare. The question is: What defines reform?
Over a warm weekend back in January, I traveled to Saint
Louis, courtesy of SEIU 509’s COPE Committee, as one of
150 delegates from 31 states to participate in the “Labor
for Single Payer Health Care” conference. I was greeted by
Spring Fundraiser at Ryles a Huge Success! brothers and sisters from every labor union imaginable
The Spring Gala/Ben Gill Memorial Event was a rollicking success! representing a true grassroots gathering of labor activists.
First of all $13,200 was added to MassCare/UHEF coffers, the The group discussed strategy regarding coordination of
most money raised at the annual event in recent memory. The efforts across our country to bring the issue of single
vibrant atmosphere at Ryles was enhanced by the presence of payer to the table of every working man and woman, to our
President Obama (life-size cutout), balloons and a raffle table. neighbors, and also to our elected officials, both in
Approximately 100 attendees, including state Senators Eldridge government and in our unions.
and Galluccio and Representatives Toomey and Wolf, munched on a
variety of tasty snacks catered by S&S Deli while they listened Dues-paying union members are only too familiar with our
and danced to the music of the Joe Lillyman Band. constant struggle regarding the cost of our health
insurance. The price of health insurance begins to soar and
Our keynote speaker, Dr. Gordon Schiff, Past President of we hear from our union leadership to “lace up your sneakers
Physicians for a National Health Program, gave a riveting ‘cause we’re going to Beacon Hill to beat back the attempts
presentation, explaining some of the “dirty words” of the health to shift the cost increases to the workers!” We have had
care industry including “pre-existing condition”, “rescinded tremendous success lobbying our state reps and senators in
policies”, and “cherry picking”. He urged us to make our voices this area, but the real issue - why costs continue to soar -
heard now to support Single Payer in Massachusetts and in never really gets addressed. We need real Health Care
Congress. Reform!!
Honorees this year were three of Mass-Care’s chapters. Cape Care Representative John Conyer’s HR.676 represents real
has designed a “first in the nation” regional Single Payer model to reform. The bill focuses on a single payer health care
be run by county government. Legislation to establish a Barnstable system through the expansion of our current Medicare
County Single Payer plan was filed in January to provide system. HR.676 ends deductibles and co-payments while
comprehensive, affordable care for all county residents. Cape providing necessary medical care for everything from
Care has built an unprecedented Single Payer grassroots network. primary care to prescription drugs, vision care, dental, and
Berkshire Mass-Care/PNHP has been an incredibly successful local long term care, to name a few.
chapter by getting all but one of the state legislators in Berkshire
county to support Single Payer reform through an active and Don’t just take my word - please do your own research.
persistent grassroots campaign. Franklin Hampshire is the oldest Websites where you can read for yourself and decide
chapter of Mass-Care, providing consistent support through include www.unionsforsinglepayerhr676.org and
organized community events, public forums, lobbying efforts and www.masscare.org, a Massachusetts organization.
coalitions. It has organized several non-binding ballot initiatives
for Single Payer all of which have passed overwhelmingly. Mass-
Care salutes the dedicated volunteers in each of the chapter s
who have made such a difference in educating the public and
getting Massachusetts closer to true health care reform!
To top off the afternoon, comedian Jimmy Tingle provided
everyone with laughs galore. His good-hearted humor ranged from
Single Payer reform to the Pilgrims on Cape Cod and proved that a
good laugh is the best antidote to insurance industry outrages.
PAGE 3

4. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2 ~ SPRING 2009
How to help Mass-Care!
Mass-Care and UHCEF need your financial support
now to make our voices heard in this extremely
important year – the year of healthcare reform!
We want true Single Payer reform, not just more
incrementalism. We don’t want our present
Massachusetts health reform law to become the
“model” for the nation because it doesn’t cover
everybody; it isn’t continuous; it is not affordable
National Focus for individuals, families, municipalities, businesses or
Both anticipation and anxiety are running high as Congressional leaders the state; it is not sustainable over time; and it is
confer with industry “stakeholders” on national health reform, declaring not patient-centered. It is outrageous that there
single payer off the table and barring advocates from any meaningful are 50 million uninsured in the US, 22,000 people die
presence within the Beltway. Yet pressure for real healthcare reform each year only because they have no health
intensifies, reflected in civil disobedience in the Senate Finance insurance, and the quality of care is the lowest in the
Committee chambers and increasingly militant demonstrations. Here are OECD nations. Your financial support is crucial to
a few of the actions Mass-Care has been involved in: achieve Single Payer reform here in Massachusetts
and nationally.
• January 10-11: Labor for Single Payer formed, with Massachusetts
represented by a diverse fifteen-member delegation. Marianne Kiely’s We are very fortunate that we have matching funds
write-up for 509 News is reprinted here on Page 3. for the first $7000 contributed in this fundraising
campaign. Please be as generous as possible and
• February 7: Teach-In on Single Payer & Chapter 58 at Harvard
Medical School sponsored by PNHP & Mass-Care. every dollar given up to $7000 will be doubled. Your
gifts will save lives and help build a healthier and
• February 25: Congressional briefing on Chapter 58, organized by Ben
more humane America! Thank you so much for your
Day, hosted by Donna Smith, chaired by Representative Eric Massa
support!
(D-NY); panelists: David Himmelstein, Sandy Eaton, Senator Jamie
Eldridge, Mary Ford, Peter Knowlton & Arthur MacEwan;
Representatives John Conyers & Dennis Kucinich came to testify as
well. (See photo above.)
• March 17: White House Regional Forum on Health Reform in
Burlington, Vermont, co-hosted by Governors Jim Douglas & Deval
Patrick; vigorous single-payer rally outside, highly structured format
inside; Ben Day, Sandy Eaton, Peter Knowlton & Bill Walczak allowed
in, never called upon to present their views.
• March 20: Representative John Conyers visited Northampton, CommonHealth, Volume 3, Number 2:
speaking to packed auditorium on prospects for HR.676, Medicare for Director: Benjamin Day
All. (Photo at right, compliments of Andrea Burns, PDA) Editor: Sandy Eaton
Production: Erin Servaes
• April 19: Senator John Kerry hosted “stakeholders” forum on
Copy: Pat Berger, Ben Day, Sandy Eaton, Marianne Kiely,
healthcare reform at BC Law School; Pat Berger, Benjamin Day, Sandy
Bea Mikulecky, Brett Schmitz
Eaton and Julie Pinkham raise problems with individual mandate.
Photos: Andrea Burns, Ben Day, Sandy Eaton, Rand Wilson
• May 20: Fifteen-person delegation met with Representative Ed Printing compliments of Massachusetts Nurses Association
Markey’s staff at his Medford office, pressing him to endorse HR.
676; follow-up demonstrative actions planned at Markey’s Framingham
and Medford offices, and at Representative Richard Neal’s
Universal Health Care Education Fund c/o Mass-Care
Springfield office, if endorsements not forthcoming.
33 Harrison Avenue, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02111
• May 30: Health reform teach-in at Harvard Medical School, P: 617-723-7001, F: 617-723-7002
cosponsored by Mass-Care, Jobs with Justice and Health Care for info@masscare.org http://www.masscare.org
America Now.
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