Trumka Tells Netroots Nation: “My Preference Is Single Payer”

 Trumka Tells Netroots Nation:  "My Preference Is Single Payer"

Trumka Tells Netroots Nation:  "My Preference Is Single Payer"

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.   In a wide ranging speech to the annual
Netroots Nation Convention, Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer,
said, "My preference, and the feeling of many in the labor movement, is
that we should have a single payer health care system."  Netroots Nation
is the largest annual assembly of progressive bloggers and web
journalists.

Trumka's speech followed an impassioned appeal for single payer by
Pennsylvania State Senator Jim Ferlo who presented the Paul Wellstone
Award to Congressman Eric Massa (D-NY).  Massa is a co-sponsor and one of
the most outspoken supporters of HR 676, single payer healthcare
legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

Trumka will return to Pittsburgh in mid September for the AFL-CIO
Convention where he is expected to be elected President.  More than fifty
resolutions calling for the endorsement of HR 676 have been submitted to
the convention.

Trumka's remarks can be seen at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnNolT275Yw

HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding a
greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the U. S.

HR 676 would cover every person for all necessary medical care including
prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and
preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health,
physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision
care, hearing services including hearing aids, chiropractic, durable
medical equipment, palliative care, and long term care.

HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments.  HR 676 would save hundreds of
billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the
private health insurance industry and HMOs.

In the current Congress, HR 676 has 86 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced SB 703, a single payer bill
in the Senate.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 556 union organizations in 49 states including
130 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 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, NY, NV & MA).

For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample
endorsement resolution, contact:

Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676
c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 636 1551
Email: nursenpo@aol.com
http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org
08/16/09