Greens urge defeat of the Democrats’ “insurance industry life-support” bill in the US Senate and call for a rally of efforts to enact Single-Payer/Medicare For All
GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org
For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org
Howie Hawkins, 315-425-1019, hhawkins@igc.org
The US House bill passed on Saturday favors the insurance industry over Americans who need medical care; no heath care reform bill should be enacted that doesn’t allow states to enact Single-Payer, say Greens, who slam House Democrats for killing a vote on Single-Payer last week
Green Party Speakers Bureau: Greens available to speak on health care reform:http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-health-care.php
WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of a US House vote passing a Democratic health care bill (HR 3962), Green Party leaders and health care activists are calling for a defeat of the bill, calling it little more than a program to subsidize the insurance industry.
Greens are urging supporters of real universal health care to intensify efforts to win Capitol Hill support for Single-Payer/Medicare For All national health care.
“Democrats from President Obama on down know that Single-Payer is the best solution. They’ve said so. But instead of eliminating the waste and inefficiency of for-profit health insurance, the Democrats’ ‘insurance industry life-support’ plan would increase insurance company profits by forcing every American to purchase their inferior products. Many Democrats who previously supported Single-Payer have turned their backs, abandoning real universal health care out of loyalty to the President and their party,” said Midge Potts, Missouri Green candidate for the US Senate (MySpace.com/Midge_Potts_US_Senate).
The Green Party supports Single-Payer, which would guarantee quality health care for every American, allow patients to choose their health care providers, cut paperwork for physicians and hospitals, and reduce health care costs by a third by eliminating the for-profit insurance industry ‘middle man’ (http://www.gp.org/campaigns/health/single-payer). Greens advocate a Single-Payer system run by a not-for-profit trust of health care providers, health care advocates, and taxpayers, rather than by the federal government. The Democratic bill accomplishes none of these goals.
“Democrats want phony health care reform, Republicans want zero reform. Greens seek real reform by making health care a right instead of a privilege, just as we’ve made Social Security, education, and the protections we enjoy from fire and police departments a right for everyone,” added Ms. Potts, one of nine peaceful protesters arrested on November 5 at the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Joseph Lieberman until the senator agreed to stop taking campaign contributions from the insurance industry (video clip: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.viewfriendId=59896394&blogId=517420995).
Greens strongly criticized congressional Democrats like Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), who withdrew his Single-Payer bill last week to support HR 3962. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had promised a vote after August on Single-Payer legislation, which sponsors of the latter have decided to withdraw.
When Rep. Pelosi, after vocal protests from Single-Payer supporters (including a sit-in at her Capitol Hill office) finally agreed to the vote but allowed only 20 minutes for debate, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) issued a public statement opposing the vote on the grounds that Single-Payer had not received an adequate hearing.
“Reps. Conyers and Kucinich argued that a quick vote and perfunctory defeat of Single-Payer would damage hopes for Single-Payer (http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/11/06-8). Tabling this vote made passage of the Democratic House bill possible, with yea votes from those who previously favored Single-Payer — making progressive Democrats as responsible as Blue Dogs and Republicans for killing real health care reform. The point of a vote on Single-Payer, regardless of its chances of passage right now, was to focus attention on Single-Payer and build momentum and public support,” said Holly Hart, secretary of the Green Party of the United States.
Like Midge Potts, several Green Party candidates and activists have participated in protests and civil disobedience to draw attention to the demand for Single-Payer. Howie Hawkins, who received 41 percent of the vote in a Syracuse, New York city council race on November 3, was arrested on November 4 in downtown Syracuse during a non-violent demonstration outside the office of National Government Services, a Medicare claims processing operation owned by Wellpoint Inc., a major health insurer (video clip:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PH76jQKzaA).
Mobilization for Health Care For All (http://mobilizeforhealthcare.org), which is organizing the protests, was founded by Kevin Zeese, Maryland Green candidate for the US Senate in 2006.
“No heath care reform bill should be enacted that doesn’t allow individual states to enact Single-Payer,” added Matt Reichel, Green candidate for Congress in Illinois’s 5th District (http://www.mattreichel.us), referring to the Kucinich amendment. “Rep. Pelosi stripped the provision for state-based Single-Payer from the House bill and Democrats weakened the public option to satisfy the insurance lobby. These betrayals justify a ‘voters revolt’ against Democrats in 2010, if they offer a health care bill that wastes taxpayers’ money and favors the insurance industry over Americans who need medical care.” (Article by Mr. Reichel on health care reform:http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/11/shut-down-this-murderous-racket-change-we-need-and-crave/)
The Green Party listed reasons to reject the Senate version of HR 3962:
The ‘public option’ in the bill would enroll only 2% of the population by 2019. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the public option “would cost more than private plans” since it would enroll primarily the poorest and sickest members of society. Insurance companies will probably end up administering the public option plan. (Single-Payer ends the provision of health coverage by insurance companies, which raise health costs by nearly a third to cover overhead, administrative costs, CEO salaries, and profits for shareholders.)
“Democrats and their allies like Health Care for America NOW (HCAN) are trying to pull the wool over our eyes, pretending that this is a fight for a robust public option and universal health care. Democrats killed the public option a month ago in everything but name. They turned the public option into fig leaf for the corporate option their plan embraces. The real winners will be the insurance companies, since the Democrats are using the insurance mandate to gift-wrap 50 million new customers for them,” said Mr. Hawkins.
Access to health insurance will still primarily be tied to employment. An employee who loses his or her job will still lose coverage. Employers, not employees, will choose their workers’ insurance company and their health care provider. (Single-Payer relieves businesses of the burden of providing health insurance benefits and allows Americans to choose their physician or hospital.)
The House bill further increases health care spending. The US already spends nearly double ($7,200 per capita) what other industrial countries spend for their citizens. To reduce the increase in costs to the federal government, the Democrats’ plan would push more and more of the financial burden for health care onto state governments and consumers, while reducing subsidies to consumers. (Past studies by the GAO and CBO confirm that Single-Payer would save hundreds of billions of dollars annually in total health care spending.)
The House bill denies health care for all immigrants, a restriction that would ultimately cost the US more in money and lives, since denial of treatment to anyone encourages the spread of disease among everyone, regardless of health coverage. (Single-Payer’s financial savings would fully offset the cost of health care for immigrants and improve the quality of health care for all.)
Tens of millions of Americans will either not be required to purchase insurance or will choose to pay a penalty rather than do so. Those who buy subsidized plans, mostly the working poor, will find that many services are not covered and that they will lack the funds to pay the deductibles and co-pays needed for medical treatment, since the plans are designed to only cover 70% of costs. (Single-Payer will offer comprehensive health care for everyone.)
Even though most Americans who presently lack health insurance are the working poor (75%) and those working for small employers, small employers are exempted from the requirement to provide health insurance. (Single-Payer covers everyone regardless of employment, ability to pay, age, or prior medical condition.)
The AMA endorsed the Democratic bill, but only 17% of physicians (out of 800,000 in the US) are AMA members. 59% of physicians and a majority of the public support Single-Payer/Medicare For All. (Sources:http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/march/most_doctors_support.php / http://www.healthcare-now.org/another-poll-shows-majority-support-for-single-payer / http://www.wpasinglepayer.org/PollResults.html)
“The destructive role of insurance companies is the biggest problem with the American health care system,” said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. “It’s why we spend so much money and yet suffer a health care delivery system consistently ranked the worst among industrial countries, even though we have some of the best doctors, nurses, hospitals, and medical technology. We can save hundreds of billions of dollars annually by eliminating private for-profit insurance and using these funds to give every American access to quality health care. Instead, Democrats are offering a bill that would tighten the stranglehold of the insurance companies. This is not the change Americans were promised last November.”
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Green candidate database and campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections
Green Party Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus
“The Green Party responds to Obama’s speech: Mr. President, make health care a right for all Americans”
Green Party press release, September 14, 2009
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=249
Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the United States
Fall 2009 issue now online
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog
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Duane,
Where do you think the votes for single-payer will come from?
In a perfect world, of course we would get universal health care, but we are dealing with a corrupted ( by money) system, if we can at least get this Bill passed, there will always be the opportunity to expand and improve the public option. In this new Bill, doesn’t it improve on Medicare Part D, by partially closing the “donut hole” and getting more leeway to negotiate with the drug companies?
It’s frustrating that we have to take baby steps, but we have an entire party, the Republicans, DEDICATED TO DOING AND ACCOMPLISHING NOTHING and a media that amplifies their IDIOCY and that “frightens” the chickens in the Democratic party.
It’s NOT as if Americans are in the streets DEMANDING health care, until we do, this may be the best chance we have for reform.
Anonster.
Your words: Submitted on 2009/11/11 at 6:22am
“It’s frustrating that we have to take baby steps, but we have an entire party, the Republicans, DEDICATED TO DOING AND ACCOMPLISHING NOTHING and a media that amplifies their IDIOCY and that “frightens” the chickens in the Democratic party.”
Anonster. Accomplishing nothing? Obviously we are accomplishing something. If not why are so many Democrats in Congress opposing Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid? Perhaps we are in agreement that this universal health care plan is flawed.
It’s OK for your side to twist arms of Democrats for support of the Bill but according to your logic our side cannot engage in the same practice? Why don’t you run for and get elected to Congress. Than you can demonstrate your skills in getting other elected officials to follow your plan. I might even give you a campaign donation just to watch you in action rather than listening as you fire rounds from behind a dark curtain.
Larry,
I am constantly amazed at the GOP defenders getting their butts handed to them time and again in elections, legislation and popularity, YET! they will claim victories where there are none.
The whole health care reform discussion was removed from the party of “NO!” and we finally have some legislation developing after decades of being denied relief.
Your vindictive little party is pathetic. But go ahead and cheerlead, “Yay, GOP!” 😉
hey annoster , your have the pres , house , and senate how can you blame the reps , like you always do blames the reps , this bill is a disater no one wants this . the american people more than half dont want this . so if this does not pass its because enough dems thought it was a bad bill . knowing your track record im surprised you did not blame bush for this one .
Anonster my friend,
The last time Duane attacked the Democrats’ health bill (as usual, with perfectly valid criticisms) I asked him and his fellow-traveller Henry Duke what THEIR big plan is to bring the US to a single-payer system that will save the most money and lives? Personally I’ve chosen the long, frustrating, unglamorous, incremental process we see starting today, and the equally long and frustrating process of Progressive takeover of the Democratic Party.
I think they might instead be dreaming of some spontaneous mass revolution.
I think (pace Lenin) they may think things need to get a lot worse before they can really get perfect.
I think they may think hundreds of thousands of more people need to die before Americans are really good and angry enough to take on the insurance industry and other corporations.
Although, sarcasm and anger aside, I’ll give them the beginning of an answer – there’s a lot of good constructive progress going on at the STATE level.
(Back to my HUGE Fairgrounds post… almost done)
well im back to calling you commi red . the party of no . your party is the party of cant . you have total control and you guys CANT DO NOTHING . your own folks wont go for it . of course blame the reps as you always do .
Vern Nelson wrote:
> The last time Duane attacked the Democrats’
> health bill (as usual, with perfectly valid
> criticisms) I asked him and his
> fellow-traveller Henry Duke what THEIR
> big plan is to bring the US to a single-payer
> system that will save the most money and lives
In answer to your question, I’ve always been of the opinion that the only way a universal, single-payer health care system will ever come to the United States is if states like California are allowed to adopt it through the ballot initiative process. That’s how single-payer was adopted in Canada: province by province.
Although the Democrats in the California state legislature, to their credit, voted twice to establish such a system here, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, vetoed it every time it came to his desk. And I’m not convinced that a right-wing Democratic Governor like Gray Davis would have voted any differently.
By the way, what do you think about the fact House Democrats voted to kill off Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s amendment to their phony, baloney “Multi-Billion-Dollar-Taxpayer-Subsidy-of-Private-Health-Insurance Company-Profits” legislation, which would have given states an option to switching to a single-payer system?
> Personally I’ve chosen the long, frustrating,
> unglamorous, incremental process we see
> starting today, and the equally long and
> frustrating process of Progressive takeover
> of the Democratic Party.
A strategy, of course, that has proven to be a complete and utter failure every generation it has been revived, usually by Democratic Party operatives who earn a living keeping the “left” clinging to baseless illusions that a political party that has *always* been owned, dominated, and controlled by Wall Street Investment Banks, Big Business Interests, and the Military-Industrial Complex will someday be miraculously transformed into this mighty “peoples party”.
> I think they might instead be dreaming of some
> spontaneous mass revolution.
>
> I think (pace Lenin) they may think things need
> to get a lot worse before they can really get
> perfect.
But that’s not my position.
> I think they may think hundreds of thousands
> of more people need to die before Americans
> are really good and angry enough to take
> on the insurance industry and other corporations.
Are you trying to tell me with a straight face that the phony, baloney “Multi-Billion-Dollar-Taxpayer-Subsidy-of-Private-Health-Insurance-Company-Profits” legislation that the incredibly corrupt Democratic Party is touting as so-called “health care reform” is going to improve things?
So far, it seems to me that you — not me — is being an apologist for a rotten scheme that basically will end up costing millions of average Americans *more* money in taxes, insurance premiums, and out-of-pocket-deductibles for *less* quality health care — if they even get any at all.
And the big private health insurance companies, huge pharmaceutical conglomerates, and major for-profit hospital chains — thanks to the Democrats — are going to be laughing all the way to the bank as they earn hundreds of billions of dollars in profits from all of this.
Get real, Vern.