Notes from 1 Dem group active on Calif's SinglePayer Bill

From one group of Democrats (WDRC) who have always been very active on Calif's SinglePayer Bill comes this from one of their spokespeople, Nancy Friedman. They are not the only group of activists campaigning for SB810 but they are historically one of the most active:

In the midst of international chaos, the good news in our small area of the planet is that the single payer health care movement in California is increasingly dynamic and growing.  Here are some notices and requests on that score:

 

1.       If you belong to an organization of almost any kind that would/might be willing to send an endorsement letter on official letterhead, even if they've done it before, we need new letters to start flooding Mark Leno's office now.  I've pasted a sample letter at the bottom of this email, which is more effective if you change it even slightly to reflect the organization's mission or constituency.  Please let me know if you are successful, what the name of the organization is, and when they are sending the letter. 

2.       We are training new speakers and have several "old" ones who would love to come present to your board, organization, club, etc. so that we can let them know why SB810 is so important to support.  Please give my email as a contact if you would like us to arrange this.  If you are interested in training to be a speaker, please contact Judy Pope at jpope4@earthlink.net.  Judy has a training set up for new speakers that you can plug into;  she will be training "old-hands" in the near future.

3.       We are in the unfortunate position, for the first time, of having the chair of the Senate Health Committee, Ed Hernandez, not be a co-sponsor of the bill yet.  In addition, some of the Democrats on the committee are moderates who will not necessarily support the bill.   That committee will be hearing the bill on April 27^th.  Please write to Senator Hernandez and urge him to become a co-author of SB 810.  Letters can be sent to Sen. Ed Hernandez, State Capitol, Room 4085; Sacramento, CA 95814.

4.       We will be part of organizing  a grassroots contingent to show up for the Health Committee hearing in Sacramento on April 27^th.  It's possible that Single Payer Now will hire a bus, although plans have not been made yet.  If you'd like to be a part of that important show of support, please contact Don Bechler at dbechler@value.net.

5.       We are now part of an East Bay Single Payer Coalition that is welcoming new members as representatives of an organization (WDRC already has two reps, the max allowed).  We are hoping to reach out to organizations in the East Bay that don't normally focus on health care, but who understand the value of single payer for their membership, or are willing to learn more about it.  If you are a member of such an organization, please let me know, so that I can give them information about the coalition.  Again, we have people ready to reach out to tell them why this is important to be a part of.  We'll do the leg work if you head us in the right direction!

6.       The Statewide Strategy group is reconstituting itself to become a campaign committee with three tiers:  an executive committee, a steering committee and a regional campaign structure, as well as several committees focused on field organizing, fundraising, communication, outreach, financing and legislation.  WDRC's HCC is particularly active in the outreach committee for the East Bay Single Payer Coalition, and we need everyone's health to maximize our effectiveness, so please jump in now to help:

7.       If you'd like to be a part of this important work, the next meeting for the WDRC HCC is on March 21, 7-9pm at my house.  Let me know and I'll send you the address and directions. 

8.       The campaign needs a name, and would like our input (must be by this Tuesday, March 15^th, for me to collate).  The suggested names to choose from are:

California Care for All; Freedom Health; California Medicare; California OneCare; Healthcare is a Human Right; Gold Care; Taxpayers for Health Security; Californians for Health Security; Real Deal Campaign; Californians for Guaranteed Healthcare; Healthcare for the People; People's Health Plan; The Health Care Justice League; The Heath Care Success Coalition; California's to Win our Health Care Future; California's Leading the Way in Health Care Reform; The Coalition to Ensure Health Care Success; The Health Care as a Right Coalition; The Health Care Rights Movement; California's for a Better Health Care System; Californian's for Improving  Health Care Reform; California's to Restore the Health Care Promise.

If you have a favorite, please email me personally (do not attempt to reply to all) and I will collate the responses.

 

Thanks for any help you can give us at this important time in the evolution of health care.  Here's some possible language for an organizational letter:

 

DATE:______

The Honorable Senator Mark Leno

State Capitol, Room 5100

Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Senator Leno:

I am writing to express my organization's strong support for single payer, universal health care and for SB 810, the California Universal Health Care Act. I urge your support for this important legislation and request that you work hard to bring it to the Governor's desk this year.

Passage of federal health reform has greatly increased the importance of California's advocacy for universal health care. Federal health reform is the tipping point for health reform, not the end goal. Single payer remains the gold standard for health care reform and is the only model that will achieve truly universal coverage. SB 810 will dramatically reduce premiums for businesses and families, will cover all medically necessary health care, will eliminate the risk of medical bankruptcy, and is proven to contain health care spending over the long term. Importantly, SB 810 will save California businesses and state and local government millions of dollars in employee health care costs and is the only plan that responsibly funds retiree health care.

Around the world, every wealthy nation except the United States achieves universal health care through some variation of a single payer model of health care. All other nations spend far less than we do and in return receive higher quality care and more of it. California families and employers can no longer afford to foolishly waste 30% of every health care dollar on a private health insurance bureaucracy designed to minimize the payment of claims instead of maximizing the health of the people.

SB 810 would dramatically increase patient choice and provider competition by guaranteeing every Californian total choice over his or her doctors and hospitals instead of the narrow provider networks that restrict choice today. SB 810 would significantly lower health premiums for businesses and families that are struggling to pay unaffordable premiums that rise as much as 40% every year. This legislation will help middle and lower income families and businesses that are the backbone of California's economy. SB 810 will create jobs, ease the burden on California's budget and improve health care for every single Californian. We urge your support.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Your Organization

 

 

Nancy M. Friedman    

 

Michael Moore, March, 2011:   "We aren't broke. Wisconsin is not broke. The country is awash in wealth and cash. It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks and the portfolios of the über-rich."