for Single Payer Health Care. A side note to that point is
that Roseanne Barr has invited Richard Montoya to be on
her weekly 5-6 pm show next Wednesday, May 14, on kpfk.
We're proud of our effort, but I have to say that the dramatic
presentation of the issue by the MDs in DC deserves paeans.
That story is the third and final item in this email.
Here's the promo and do come party with us on May 17.
Ed
Hi. This is Ed Pearl of the Ash Grove and Beyond November
inviting you to Party with a Purpose, Sunday afternoon, May 17th,
at Tropico de Nopal Gallery Patio, 1665 Beverly Blvd., across
from Belmont Hi, just East of Alvarado.
On Stage, legendary singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked, brilliant
comedy with Richard Montoya and members of Culture Clash,
cutting-edge Norteno by Conjunto Los Pochos and teen-agers on
poetry's top-ten, the Get Lit Players with Classics from Shakespeare
to hip-hop's Talib Kwali and their own works. We pre-show at 2,
with a slide show by the Center for the Study of Political Graphics
Beyond November parties with a purpose, using culture to organize and a
traveling road show to entertain, inform and inspire people to action.
And all of it is free.
So join us Sunday, May 17th, 2-5 pm and party with a purpose.
Call 213-481-8112 for location information.
***
TNRtv: The Case for Single-Payer Health Care
By Jonathan Cohn
The New Republic:: April 17, 2009
The Treatment (TNR's health care blog)
At the 2009 World Health Care Congress, TNR senior editor Jonathan Cohn sat
down with Dr. Michael Chen, Vice President and CFO of Taiwan's National
Health Insurance Bureau, to discuss the results of Taiwan's switch to a
universal health care system.
Jonathan Cohn (JC): You have what most people refer to as single payer
health insurance - the government is the main insurer for everybody.
Dr. Michael Chen (MC): Yes.
JC: How did you decide on that model - the single payer? Why did you go in
that direction?
MC: Well, we sent our people around the world to learn their programs,
including the United States. Actually, the program is modeled after
Medicare. And there are so many similarities - other than that our program
JC: Now, one issue that comes up in the United States when people talk about
a single payer system, or even any kind of a system where the government is
defining the benefits, there's a big concern that there's not enough choice.
People in America... we want to know that you can choose the kind of
insurance you want - how much coverage, what services. Is that an issue you
dealt with in Taiwan? Was that a concern?
MC: Not at all, because in Taiwan the benefit package is rather
comprehensive... We maintain a very long list for prescription drugs - more
than twenty thousand items. And the benefit package includes inpatient,
outpatient, and dental service which is usually not
covered in this country.
JC: Now the flip side is that if you are offering such a generous package,
that's very expensive, is it not? I mean, how do you pay for it?
MC: Not the case.
JC: Not the case. What percentage of GDP?
MC: Six percent of GDP, so that's very affordable. The premium on average
that the family pays is about two percent of the household income because
the premium is shared by your employer.
JC: ... In this country we spend far more than that, and even looking at
Europe - Switzerland, France - they spend a lot more than that also. Are
there waiting times for services in Taiwan? Is there something that people
are going without? I mean that's a lot of services for such a little amount
of money. I'm trying to figure out what it is that you're not getting.
MC: No waiting lines.
JC: No waiting lines? I can see a doctor any day I want...
MC: If you are not too particular.. you can visit even a specialist in a
matter of minutes...
JC: ... If I were to be sitting here with a doctor in private practice in
Taiwan - I know in this country doctors worry a lot that Medicare doesn't
pay enough money and that it's very bureaucratic - what kind of complaints
would I hear from them?
MC: Of course, doctors would complain in public, but appreciate it in
private - because, you know, especially in this economic downturn, how can
you find an industry with assured growth rate annually? Right now they enjoy
somewhere between four percent to five percent increased rate, and this is a
sure thing.
Dear ED,
Yesterday morning, eight doctors, lawyers and other activists stood up to Senator Max Baucus. I was one of the eight. But the Senate Finance Committee which has taken millions from the insurance industry, HMO's, pharmaceutical industry - those that profit from health care in America. And, in a showing of pay to play they only allowed their contributors to speak. We were arrested and charged with "disruption of Congress" a euphemism for us saying "The Emperor Has No Clothes." This is the beginning of a campaign and we need your support to build it. Will you donate $8 -- $80 -- $800 in support of the eight people arrested yesterday and the campaign we are sparking? Click here to donate now. You can see the C-SPAN video on our new website ProsperityAgenda.US. You can see the news reports from The Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Democracy Now and National Public Radio which all carried stories about the protest at http://www.prosperityagenda.us/node/65. Prosperity Agenda is an economic justice project of the Campaign for Fresh Air and Clean Politics. You can help us develop an economy for all, including a health care system for all, by participating - share your comments, ideas and strategies. Join our efforts visit www.ProsperityAgenda.US. Chairman Baucus, invited his major donors to the table: the health insurance industry was there, so were the Chamber of Commerce, the right wing Heritage Foundation, the Business Roundtable, Blue Cross Blue Shield and corporate liberals who have sold out the people like Andy Stern, Ron Pollack and AARP. But the most popular and efficient health care reform was not at the table. It was not mentioned even though it is the one favored by a majority of doctors, nurses, economists and the American people. Only those who paid to play were included. For the last few weeks people have been calling and emailing Senator Baucus urging him to include single payer advocates. We were told - no, no one for single payer would be allowed to speak. So, yesterday, at 10 a.m., the Baucus Eight, led by Prosperity Agenda and other single payer advocates, took to the Senate Finance Committee. We confronted the committee in front of a room filled with their campaign donors, in front of the American people watching live on C-SPAN and we told the truth. I focused on corporate corruption of the senate and told the senators we need them to put the necessities of the people before the profits of their donors. We do not need a pay to play Blogojevich committee with a Blogojevich Chairman putting on phony hearings to fool the public. Last week Senator Richard Durbin said the banks "own" the Congress. This week it is evident, that when it comes to health care the health care profiteers own Congress. If we do not put forward organized, aggressive, grass roots action we will see a swindle of the American people. In the name of false health care reform billions in tax payer dollars will go to campaign donors and the health care problem will continue to worsen. It is time for concerted action. Help us make it happen by donating in honor of the Baucus Eight. Everything will help -- $8 -- $80 - 800. We have a big task ahead and need urgent action so donate now. We have the power to ensure health care for all in a national single payer health care program that ends the corruption of the health insurance industry, the HMO's and the pharmaceutical industry. We can do it . . . together. Let's make it happen. Act NOW!
We stood up to the private health insurance industry, to the corporate power in Congress and demanded a single payer national health care plan where everybody is in and nobody is out. We want a plan that ensures the peoples right to choose their own doctor, hospital and health care treatment.
Executive Director
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