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Happy Birthday, Medicare…and Many More |
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Across the country today, working people are celebrating the 43rd birthday of Medicare and sending a message to political leaders that keeping and improving medical care for millions of seniors and retirees will be a key issue in the upcoming elections.
Members of the Alliance for Retired Americans in at least five states will deliver birthday cakes to members of Congress, hold rallies and press conferences to thank supporters of Medicare and to urge other lawmakers to back senior issues.
President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law on July 30, 1965, to provide access to quality, affordable health care for older Americans. Since then, Medicare has been a cornerstone of the health and security of America’s seniors. Today, more than 44 million Americans depend on the program for health care benefits.
But Medicare has been under relentless attack by congressional Republicans and the Bush administration. Just two weeks ago, Congress overrode President Bush’s veto of a bill that would strengthen Medicare for seniors. Passage of the bill means the pending cuts in payments to doctors who treat Medicare patients have been stopped. After the veto, Alliance President George Kourpias said:
President Bush’s veto…continues his legacy of sacrificing older Americans’ health care needs for the profits of large corporations.
If those cuts had gone into effect, as many as 60 percent of physicians would have been forced to stop treating new Medicare patients and to drop others from their rolls, according to the American Medical Association.
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) made his first appearance on the Senate floor after undergoing surgery for brain cancer to vote to strengthen Medicare. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), in the middle of a presidential campaign, didn’t bother to show up for the vote. But Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) found time to vote on this critical bill for our nation’s seniors.
Earlier this year, McCain also received a failing score on the Alliance’s 2007 Congressional Voting Record, which details the voting record of every U.S. senator and representative on key issues affecting current and future retirees. The scorecard examines 10 key Senate votes in 2007, showing the roll calls on blocking Social Security privatization, lowering Medicare costs, expanding access to affordable health care, stopping oil price gouging and protecting voting rights. McCain received a score of 0.
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Congress needs to expand Medicare for ALL! HR 676 is the only viable solution to getting all insured.
This garbage about “working with the insurance companies for affordable health care” won’t work because the insurance companies will not cut their profits over care.
HR 676 has been endorsed by 452 union organizations in 49 states. Endorsers include 111 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 36 state AFL-CIO’s (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO, MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA , AK, MI, MT & NE).
Interesting story re; John Sweeney and his true view of single payer health care:
http://labornotes.org/node/1849/print
Once again I am asking for you Mr. Sweeney to speak out and let us know if you are with us or against us!
We can support the efforts of the AFL- CIO electing Sen. Obama but we want leadership to stand with its members on health care issues.
Happy BD Medicare, & Many more!!
Please help me get elected for County Commissioner in November 2008!!
I work closely with Governor John Kitzhaber , “We Can Do Better” & OHAC and served on the two Hospitals Boards. Mackenzie Willamette & Sacred Heart/Peace Health. I will make sure the Health care issue, will be Front and Center in my agenda, when I get elected!!
–
Salaam. nadia
We will forget and forgive any judgment error that you make, but integrity mistakes are forever.
– David Cottrell
“The more resourceful we are among ourselves, the more valuable a resource we become to our families, our communities and our world.” –Cheryl Honey
I’m running as a write in for Lane County Commissioner: Please, I need your
financial support, endorsement, VOTES.
http://www.nadiasindi.110mb.com
http://nadiasindi.proboards85.com/
I am the Oregon Representative for:
http://www.StudentLoanJustice.Org
I fully support HR 676. It is the only plan that will guarantee full and more comprehensive coverage to everyone — expanded and improved Medicare for All. I am disappointed that the AFL-CIO at the national level has not endorsed HR 676. 36 state feds and the ARA have … I hope the AFL-CIO gets on board soon.
I further believe that the AFL-CIO, or any part of it, has no business being part of Healthcare for America Now — a coalition that is willing to keep private insurance in the mix. As a friend of mine described it …”like putting a fox in the hen house and expecting it not to eat…”
Don’t we all understand how much better we will do at the bargaining table if health benefits are no longer an issue? HR 676 will give us everything we need, for less, money, and simplify our bargaining. It will save employers money, creating savings that we can bargain for in wage increases.
For me, HR 676 is a no brainer!
You are right on! We’ve had enough of supporting policies that are “good enough” or “better than what we have now” that ultimately only serve to fool the masses into thinking something has gotten done. The AFL-CIO needs to step up for what they KNOW is the only real solution - a single-payer system that removes private, for-profit insurance from the picture.
Medicare was signed into law in 1965 by President Johnson after a long, tough battle with Republicans who opposed it. Johnson signed the bill in into law in Independence, Missouri in honor of President Harry Truman who fought for a national health care program while President. Many improvments have been made to the orginal Medicare program along with improvments in Social Security benefits and expanded coverage to widowed children and the disabled and the COLA in Social Security benefits for retirees and others so qualified to live a more secure life. Republicans have not stoped their relentless fight to destroy both of these vital programs. Were it not for Medicare and Social Security I am afraid this country would not be worring about a recession but instead suffering through a deep drak Depression. Be thankful for the AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions and the seniors of old who stood and fought the battle to win Social Security in 1935 and Medicare in 1965. Now it is time for the next generation to take up the cause and undersatnd who is on their side and who stands against them. Lets all get behind HR 676 and expand Medicare for all for even more much needed improvments.
CWA Posts Singlepayer Video on Website
Washington, DC The Communications Workers of America (CWA) has posted a video on the union’s website comparing healthcare systems in the United States and Canada.
The video “A Tale of Two Countries” was made by the Canadian Media Guild-CWA.
The video can be found here: http://www.healthcarevoices.org/canada
The article accompanying the video can be found here:
http://www.cwa-union.org/news/cwa-news/health-care-in-canada-facts-and-myths.html
Mr. Sweeney, come out & speak!
remember:
Patients over Profits!
Specialists over Special Interests!
A “funny” thing happened on the way to Congressman Tim Murphy’s office following our Medicare Birthday Party in Pittsburgh, PA. Here’s our press release:
Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Healthcare http://www.WPaSinglePayer.org
NO TRESPASSING:
Constituents denied entry to Congressman’s Office following Medicare Birthday Party
For Immediate Release: August 1, 2008
Contacts: Rosemary Prostko 412-854-0517; rosemarysp@comcast.net
Sandy Fox, Co-Chair, Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Healthcare
412-527-9072; sm2fox@yahoo.com
PITTSBURGH—Over 400 people filled the Teamster’s Social Hall in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh on Wednesday, July 30th, for a lunchtime celebration of the 43rd anniversary of the passage of the Federal Medicare Act. The event, sponsored by State Senator Jim Ferlo and co-sponsored by the Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Healthcare, Healthcare4allPA, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, and SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, was free and open to the public.
Elected officials—local, state, and national—had also been invited to the event. While members of Congress were in D.C., representatives were sent from the offices of Senator Bob Casey, and Congressmen Mike Doyle and Jason Altmire. Senator Arlen Specter and Congressman Tim Murphy did not send a representative nor return follow-up calls requesting attendance, although Murphy’s Democratic opponent this November, Steve O’Donnell, did attend and called for “universal, not-for-profit, single-payer healthcare.”
The mission of the celebration was to bring attention to the importance of protecting traditional Medicare from privatization and to advocate for Expanded and Improved Medicare for All, HR 676, a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Conyers (D-Michigan), with 91 co-sponsors, including Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Pittsburgh).
Following the celebration, Rosemary Prostko, a senior citizen and volunteer with the Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Healthcare, headed south to the Mt. Lebanon district office of her U.S. Representative, Tim Murphy, where she was joined by three other supporters. Their goal: to deliver an enormous “Happy Birthday Medicare/Support Improved Medicare for All” cookie, visible through hard plastic, along with single-payer information and an over-sized Medicare Birthday card containing hundreds of signatures in support of single-payer legislation.
What follows is Rosemary Prostko’s account:
F. and I arrived at Rep. Murphy’s office at about 3:00 P.M. We were soon joined by two 60+ year old female constituents of Congressional District 18.
The four of us approached the office with the camera on but not recording. I pushed the buzzer. A very young staffer opened the door a crack. I very pleasantly said, “Since no one from your office could attend Senator Ferlo’s Birthday Party for Medicare we brought the party to you!” He slammed the door saying “We do not allow videotaping.” I shouted through the door “We will turn the camera off!” He disappeared into the darkness of the office.
Quite surprised we looked at each other!! What should we do now?
We decided to proceed to State Senator Pippy’s office two blocks down the street. We arrived at the Senator’s office–same materials, a second cookie, and entered. The person at the desk was very gracious. F. did ask if he could tape and was told “Yes, of course”. Did not even seem to understand why we asked… The whole episode took about three to four minutes and was very pleasant.
As we left Senator Pippy’s office (three 60+ year old ladies and 45ish F.) we were approached by TWO MT.LEBANON POLICE OFFICERS!!! They were very polite but asked what we were doing and if we had ID. As compliant U.S. citizens doing nothing wrong, the others did as requested. I gave no id (remember this) because I had left everything in my car to carry the cookie/materials. We asked why they needed the info and they said they needed it for their “report”. Reports were made on all complaints. The Officer doing the talking said we had frightened the staff at Rep. Murphy’s office and they were investigating the complaint. They said they would phone the Rep.’s office and tell them who we were and our intent to deliver a cookie and written materials.
M. and L. had run out of time so they left. F. and I went back up the street. F., as a non-constituent and the “cameraman,” decided to stay away. The unmarked police car was in front of the office. I entered and rang the buzzer. Two staff people looked out at me and once more faded into the darkness of the office.
I went to the Police Officer in his car. I said “Please come to the office with me so they are not afraid.” He said “I called and gave them your information. They are a private business and they do not have to admit you.” I of course responded “They are not a private business they are the site of my government representative!”
His reply once more was they did not have to let me in. I said I thought he was giving more service to them than to me. He replied if I felt threatened he would do the same to protect me as he was doing for them. I asked if he felt I was a threat to anyone. He smiled but did not answer.
Remember, I did not give my name or any ID. This morning Rep. Murphy himself called my home to “see what happened”. I wonder where he got my name? I will be going to the Mt. Lebanon Police Station to review the “REPORT”.
My friend L. is now afraid she will not be able to fly next week!
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