Guaranteed Healthcare

In Canada, it took the dogged determination of one province, Saskatchewan, and a visionary leader Tommy Douglas, to pave the path to a national health care system, which they call Medicare.

For all the detractors of the Canadian system in the studios of Fox News and the board rooms of rightwing think tanks, consider this one note: In 2004, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation conducted a national poll to select the greatest Canadian of all time. The winner in a landslide -- Tommy Douglas. 

Hundreds of people, nurses, doctors, medical students, grassroots activists, and California School Employees Association members gathered in downtown Los Angeles Monday to deliver an unequivocal message about the nature of the healthcare reform Americans so desperately need.

For those inside the tightly scripted White House Forum or anyone watching the live feed on line, that message was blacked out. Inside the pre-selected speakers kept within the accepted framework: we need reform, costs are out of control, Americans are hurting, and preventive care will solve all our problems ('fraid not). Unfortunately nothing proposed in the forum is likely to cure this crisis.

Hours after President Obama's speech to Congress in which he laid down a marker for achieving "comprehensive" healthcare reform, and getting it done this year, top administration aides have outlined the goals of what they want to achieve.

What Politico called "the 8 keys to his health plan,"  certainly reflect a bold determination for action and a grand vision.

There's only one problem. Virtually all the proposals being bandied about in various Congressional committees -- and the administration made it clear this week they will let Congress figure out the details -- fail to meet the test of those "8 keys."

In a season of wild stories, here’s the next one: Governor Arnold is facing a recall, just as his state is falling apart and some crucial healthcare bills are waiting to be signed.  This new threat to his term opens a window of opportunity to push some of those bills through.

He's got no one to blame but himself.  There’s a ridiculous case of budget gridlock hitting California right now…the budget is historically late, key bills are stalled, the most vulnerable among us are threatened, and there is not a single Republican willing to support the budget proposed by either Republican Governor Schwarzenegger or the legislative Dems. 

Into this tinderbox, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA) has just thrown a match.  They’ve started the process to recall Arnold Schwarzenegger, an accidental governor who assumed office when his processor was recalled.

Seattle PI & John Conyers Rock the Healthcare Boat!
John Conyers yesterday...and the Seattle PI today...ask us the same question: are you ready to rock the boat on healthcare and fight for genuine reform?

The answer is yes from a growing number of people....editorial boards across the country, 450+ labor organizations, 59% of physicians, the national nurses movement, and—I suspect—a majority of delegates to the Dem convention.

As we go into Denver, here’s a look at where we are in the fight for Guaranteed Healthcare, courtesy of America’s RN Union—the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee—which is working closely with the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) to unify party support for HR 676, the bill to end our healthcare crisis through an expanded and improved “Medicare for All.”

I’ll sum it up: among Democrats at least, there now seems to be a common vision of guaranteed healthcare, thanks to progressive influence over the party platform. 

At the same time, the movement has to deal with lobbyist-driven fake reform groups undermining the national desire for genuine reform, and with a healthcare crisis that is worse than ever.  On a national stage, Conyers’ bill HR 676 continues to gather support, while Obama repeats that he would support single-payer, if he were starting from scratch.

What do you think about the landscape?  PDA and CNA/NNOC will be in Denver all week advocating for better healthcare--come say hi, or, heck, contact your member of Congress and tell them to get onboard with HR 676!

Well I guess the healthcare apolcalypse is upon us:

Infomercial king Billy Mays, known for screaming about the wonders of cleaning solutions Kaboom!, OxiClean, and other household products, is now starring in a commercial for what he calls "the most important product I've ever endorsed:" health insurance.

That’s right.  The man who brought you the Bloomin’ Onion Maker and the Samurai Shark is now selling health insurance.  

Maybe I’m seeing things too optimistic, but stepping back from the details of the healthcare reform movement, and looking at the big national trends, there is reason to hope that the movement in California for guaranteed healthcare will lead the nation along a path to progress.

Obviously in many ways the situation is different…labor unions are stronger in California than they are nationally, (and led the way in defeating the insurance industry-backed fake healthcare reform bill offered last year by Arnold Schwarzenneger and former Speaker Fabian Nunez), and the healthcare grassroots might be more developed as well.

But the underlying economics are the same…workers, families, employers and the state budget alike are all being crushed by out-of-control costs for insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays, all for a service that places us last in the industrialized world, and to subsidize a health insurance industry that plays no role in the delivery of patient care.

So let’s just take a look at the evidence that suggests California is leading the nation:

The U.S. Conference of Mayors has just endorsed HR 676, "Medicare For All" as the best antidote to the  health care crisis facing U.S. cities across the country. At their annual meeting, 8 mayors,  started the ball rolling toward a full endorsement and have now joined San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom, with their support for truly universal health care.  From New York, Florida to California, the growing list of cities with the problems of the un-insured and under-insured,  is placing a heavy burden on their public health hospitals and clinics.  HR 676 is the answer to keeping our public health system alive and well. 

I'll never forget the story of Nataline Sarkisyan, a young 17 year-old, LA youth who had a real chance at surviving her leukemia diagnosis.  Having started my professional nursing career on a hematology/oncology floor at UCSF, leukemia patients are the most challenging, yet rewarding patients to take care of.  One mistake, one delay, even as much as an hour, can mean the difference between life and death.  These patients and their families are true champions and heros in my book.  Nothing got me more angry than the story of this young teen and her un-necessary fight with her insurance company, CIGNA.  She and her family would eventually win their battle, but in the end it was too late.