Successful Capitol Rally for Single Payer Health Care
| By Michele S - Feb 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 am EST |
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Categories: Equality / Civil Rights, Peace & Social Justice, Economic Fairness & Security, Affordable Healthcare
Categories: Equality / Civil Rights, Peace & Social Justice, Economic Fairness & Security, Affordable Healthcare
Even with the freak Wednesday snowstorm that tangled traffic and kept people home on Thursday January 31, 300 people rallied at the Capitol for Single Payer Health Care, some traveling from Montrose, Pueblo, Fort Collins and the eastern plains, on the same day that the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care presented their recommendations to the legislature for a Massachusetts-style mandate to purchase private insurance.
There was great press coverage, including Colorado Public Radio's report on the large turnout for the rally for Single Payer. Endorsing groups that provided speakers included the Colorado Education Association, the League of Women Voters, the Colorado Nurses Association and the Alliance for Retired Americans. A number of physicians from the Fort Collins area attended, including Dr. Cory Carroll, who spoke about lack of health care choices and obtacles to patient care under the multi-payer insurance system.
Betty Lehman of the Autism Society spoke movingly about how insurance companies game the system by denying needed care. In later comment before the Senate-House HHS Committees, Lehman remarked that it is immoral to require taxpayers to subsidize private insurances that profit by denying care. A number of speakers noted experiencing high out-of-pocket costs, even while paying annual family insurance premiums of $10,000 to $18,000. Also noted -- multi-million dollar annual CEO salaries and $1.6 billion stock options for UnitedHealth's retiring CEO.
Sen. Ken Gordon and Reps. John Kefalas, Jerry Frangas and Claire Levy also addressed the crowd. Larimer County Commissioner Eubanks also attended. Health Care for All Colorado board vice president Barry Keene said the group is working on legislation to keep the issue in front of the legislature, and to prevent passage of an individual mandate to purchase private insurance that will replace masses of uninsured with the underinsured.
It was emphasized that now is the time to contact our legislators, instilling in them the political will to work toward meaningful health care reform, rather than subsidizing private insurances and mandating their purchase without controlling insurance costs, as has been done Massachusetts, and was rejected in California last week. To identify one's legislators, visit www.vote-smart.org or call 1-888-VOTE-SMART.
There was also much support for Single Payer insurance during the comment period before the joint HHS Committees the afternoon of January 31. Dr. Irene Aguilar of the 208 Commission's Vulnerable Populations Task Force urged legislators to "do what is right for all Coloradans," taking into consideration the Lewin Group evaluation of savings and comprehensive coverage for all only with the CHS Single Payer proposal. The Vulnerable Populations Task Force has requested and been granted a hearing in the House HHS Committee this week.
Commissioner Mark Simon, who voted against endorsing the 208 Commission Final Report, commented on elements of his Minority Report, in which he endorses Single Payer as the only comprehensive reform capable of covering all.
The market place is clearly not a solution for improving health care access. Most businesses increase profits by providing more services of higher quality; multi-payer insurances expand profits by denying services.
There was great press coverage, including Colorado Public Radio's report on the large turnout for the rally for Single Payer. Endorsing groups that provided speakers included the Colorado Education Association, the League of Women Voters, the Colorado Nurses Association and the Alliance for Retired Americans. A number of physicians from the Fort Collins area attended, including Dr. Cory Carroll, who spoke about lack of health care choices and obtacles to patient care under the multi-payer insurance system.
Betty Lehman of the Autism Society spoke movingly about how insurance companies game the system by denying needed care. In later comment before the Senate-House HHS Committees, Lehman remarked that it is immoral to require taxpayers to subsidize private insurances that profit by denying care. A number of speakers noted experiencing high out-of-pocket costs, even while paying annual family insurance premiums of $10,000 to $18,000. Also noted -- multi-million dollar annual CEO salaries and $1.6 billion stock options for UnitedHealth's retiring CEO.
Sen. Ken Gordon and Reps. John Kefalas, Jerry Frangas and Claire Levy also addressed the crowd. Larimer County Commissioner Eubanks also attended. Health Care for All Colorado board vice president Barry Keene said the group is working on legislation to keep the issue in front of the legislature, and to prevent passage of an individual mandate to purchase private insurance that will replace masses of uninsured with the underinsured.
It was emphasized that now is the time to contact our legislators, instilling in them the political will to work toward meaningful health care reform, rather than subsidizing private insurances and mandating their purchase without controlling insurance costs, as has been done Massachusetts, and was rejected in California last week. To identify one's legislators, visit www.vote-smart.org or call 1-888-VOTE-SMART.
There was also much support for Single Payer insurance during the comment period before the joint HHS Committees the afternoon of January 31. Dr. Irene Aguilar of the 208 Commission's Vulnerable Populations Task Force urged legislators to "do what is right for all Coloradans," taking into consideration the Lewin Group evaluation of savings and comprehensive coverage for all only with the CHS Single Payer proposal. The Vulnerable Populations Task Force has requested and been granted a hearing in the House HHS Committee this week.
Commissioner Mark Simon, who voted against endorsing the 208 Commission Final Report, commented on elements of his Minority Report, in which he endorses Single Payer as the only comprehensive reform capable of covering all.
The market place is clearly not a solution for improving health care access. Most businesses increase profits by providing more services of higher quality; multi-payer insurances expand profits by denying services.
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