UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3 ~ FALL 2009

CommonHealthCivil Disobedience at Cigna in Newton

How does the health insurance industry make billions of dollars in profits each year - by denying care, rescinding policies, and refusing to insure people who have preexisting conditions or who fit the demographics of high risk individuals. Denial of care has lead to thousands of deaths each year.

Pat Berger front and center(Massachusetts Jobs with Justice photo)

To draw attention to the insurance industry atrocities, acts of civil disobedience are being carried out across the country. Mass-Care participated in a protest at Cigna headquarters in Newton on October 15. that culminated in the arrest of 11 protesters. Dr. Pat Berger, Ben Day, Lorie Miller and Walter DuCharme from Mass-Care were in the group that was jailed in Newton. Protesters against Cigna in eight other cities were arrested on the same day.

The protest began with around 75 people chanting and carrying signs. Then 15 protesters staged a “die-in”. The “dying” patients lay on the ground holding balloons with dollar signs on them which were gleefully collected by a demonstrator “CEO” delighted to make off with a bundle of money.

The arrests were made when eleven demonstrators attempted to present a pledge form to Cigna asking them to: (1) not get between patients and doctors in making medical decisions, (2) not use health premium dollars to lobby against health care reform, (3) not deny care because of preexisting conditions, and (4) end company policy of rewarding employees for denying care. Cigna refused to sign the pledge and had the protesters arrested for “trespassing”.

Cigna’s actions illustrate the underlying “modus operandi” of the health insurance industry; to make money on the backs of sick people without regard to the human consequences. The major for-profit companies have paid out billions of dollars in settlements for securities fraud, underpaying physicians and violating disability clauses. The insurance companies are spending millions of our health premium dollars to confuse and scare the public and lobby against healthcare reform. It’s time to vote the real villains out! Speak to your state and national senators and representatives. - Pat Berger, Mass-Care Co-Chair

Boston Blue Cross-Blue Shield Protest October 29th

Ann Eldridge Malone, Alliance to Defend Health Care(Sandy Eaton photo)

Insurance Companies - The Real Death Panels

Universal Health Care Education Fund c/o Mass-Care33 Harrison Avenue, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02111

P: 617-723-7001, F: 617-723-7002info@masscare.org http://www.masscare.org

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3 ~ FALL 2009

Mass-Care in WashingtonLobby & Rally to Celebrate Medicare

The 44th anniversary of Medicare was celebrated by a major rally in Washington, DC on July 30th. Mass-Care sent a delegation which included Pat Berger, Ben Day, Sandy Eaton, Frank Olbris, Alice Swift, Diana Stein, Kathleen Bridgewater, Jackie Balance and Jackie Wolf, among others. IBEW DC representative John Wash and Verizon worker John Horgan from Local 2222 joined us in Senator Kerry’s office. Our delegation joined with other organizations from across the country at the rally to get Single Payer healthcare reform on the table, and to debunk the idea that the current Massachusetts law should be a “model” for the country.

Jackie Wolf, Frank Olbris, Ben Day, Sandy Eaton, Alice Swift, Pat Berger (Jackie Balance photo)

The Mass-Care group lobbied the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to support Representative Conyers’ bill HR.676 and Bernie Sanders’ bill SB.703, and warned that the rising costs of the Massachusetts “model” and lack of cost control mechanisms will make the system unsustainable in the long term. We met with the aides of Senators Kennedy and Kerry, and of Representatives Barney Frank, Niki Tsongas, Richard Neal and Stephen Lynch. We joined a rousing rally of over one thousand people held at noon outside the Capitol, where we heard President Obama’s former doctor speak, as well as patients who have been hurt by the insurance industry. Congressional Single Payer leaders addressed the crowd, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representatives Conyers, Kucinich and others from Pennsylvania, New York and California. - Pat Berger, Mass-Care Co-Chair

Hardball Time: An EditorialWhen you come right down to it, the Weiner gambit to substitute a single-payer bill for the Massachusetts plan writ large was always a symbolic gesture, but one much of the health reform movement clung to as a test of our strength at the grassroots level. We've worked hard for years now to pressure our representatives in Congress to stand up for HR.676, the Conyers-Kucinich Medicare-for-all bill. And we've not been afraid to play hardball with them. Some suggest that the corrupting influence of the health insurance industry and other pigs at the trough is at play here, and of course they’re right. But there's an additional factor, the lack-of-backbone factor. There's a reluctance to step out of line and be identified as a die-hard opponent of greedy corporations, the real death panels. The Republican Party and the tea baggers will target you next year and make your life a living hell. So everyone plays hardball except the Democratic Party majority. The screaming tea baggers have set the agenda, and we haven't consolidated our power enough to move in a different direction.

The Kucinich Amendment to grant states the waivers necessary to succeed at creating a breakthrough for real healthcare reform was our best hope to make a difference. And it too has been declared off the table. This is where we need to take a stand. But we cannot afford any illusions here either. Some imply that the fact that California twice passed a single-payer bill harkens well for our movement. We need to be aware that the California constitution requires bills with funding mandates to pass by two thirds. So the California bill lacked a funding provision. However, the passage of the bill, twice, was vital for movement building, but of itself was symbolic, not practical. In Massachusetts for years we wrestled with the question of whether to include a funding mechanism in our single-payer bill. For years our legislative sponsors counseled us not to. For the last several sessions we have included such a funding piece. But either with or without the funding, our bill never came out of committee, no matter how compelling our arguments at hearings or how many prestigious individuals and dedicated grass-roots people we mobilized at the State House. Several years ago a delegation from Mass-Care had a heart-to-heart talk with the House chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care, where she admitted that nothing comes out of her committee without the approval of the health insurance industry. In other words, single payer has been declared off the table here too. So maybe California or Massachusetts won't be the US equivalent of Saskatchewan, but maybe Vermont, Maine, or any of the other states will make the breakthrough and set the example for the country.

We are working hard to get Bernie Sanders' initiatives in place. The movement is hoping to get ten senators to vote from the floor for Bernie's single-payer substitution proposal (S.703), and many are hoping that the state-waiver piece to facilitate single payer will be included in the Senate version and survive conference. So put the heat on Washington to stand up for this opportunity to win at the state level. Give them some backbone. - Sandy Eaton, RN, Editor

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3 ~ FALL 2009

Massachusetts Fights for Single PayerProgressive forces, including Mass-Care, successfully rolled back an attempt to weaken the Democratic Party Platform at the Springfield convention on June 6th, preserving that party’s support for single payer.

Delegates Frank Olbris (MTA) & Patty Healey (MNA) on the convention floor. (PDA photo)

Mass-Care and allies fight for equal health care for immigrants in Massachusetts as Chapter 58 (the Massachusetts Plan) proves inadequate and not sustainable.

Mass-Care executive director Benjamin Day addresses State House press conference on September 1st, with NASW, CIR and others represented, (Sandy Eaton photo)

Small Business Health Insurance SurveyCambridge & Western Massachusetts

Small businesses are suffering cost increases in health insurance premiums by as much as 25% - 40% annually. This is unsustainable. Businesses would benefit tremendously from a Single Payer system because they would no longer have to manage and pay for health insurance for their employees and would allow them to be more competitive in the market. Mass-Care is directing a survey of the cost of healthcare for small businesses and is identifying business people who will partner with Mass-Care to support Single Payer reform.

A Mass-Care intern, Kevin Chithran, Tufts University School of Public Health graduate student, has been conducting the survey of 150 businesses that were randomly selected from the Cambridge Local First membership list of 280 businesses. Forty-five small business owners and managers completed the survey – a 30% response rate.

Selected results from Chithran’s initial report include the fact that 64% of the small business owners support or strongly support replacing the current health care system with a single payer plan. Only 18% opposed or strongly opposed single payer. Also interesting were the responses to the question of “How has the Massachusetts health reform law of 2006 influenced the rate of your businesses’ health insurance premiums?” 78% responded their business premiums have increased since the Massachusetts health reform law.

A similar survey is planned for the Western Massachusetts area including the Towns of Northampton and Amherst where three Mass-Care interns from the Smith College School of Social Work, Luke Mechen, Kate Kyros and Jillian Robbins, are taking on the work. Jackie Wolf, Mass-Care Co-chair for western Massachusetts is their coordinator. Another project will be an education program about single payer health care to present to college students on campus. Welcome Luke, Kate and Jillian. There are great opportunities for students to do internships for Mass-Care throughout the year. Please contact Mass-Care if you are interested. - Jackie Wolf, Mass-Care Co-Chair

Massachusetts Health Care Trust HearingHB.2127 was heard before the Joint Committee on Public Health on October 20th. Senator Patricia Jehlen (D-Somerville) and Representative Matt Patrick (D-Falmouth) are its lead sponsors. A score of diverse backers offered compelling testimony as to the bankruptcy of the existing system in Massachusetts and the need for the fundamental reform, single payer. Mass-Care will convene a summit of constituent group representatives and advisory board members in January to plot our course ahead.

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE EDUCATION FUND ~ VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3 ~ FALL 2009

Mass-Care Needs Your HelpThank you everyone for supporting Mass-Care and staying in the fight for true universal healthcare reform. We are growing, we are being heard, and we will win! But Mass-Care needs your help now!

Volunteer Talents

We need:

1. A media person who knows how to get out a message to the editorial boards of newspapers, radio and TV stations.

2. A person to improve the communications with our member organizations, now over 100!

3. A minority person to work on healthcare disparity issues including race, gender, disability, immigrant status, sexual orientation and financial status.

4. A fundraiser/grant writer/event planner.5. A business person to help in starting an active

“Business for Single Payer” group.6. A website person to keep us updated with the latest

articles and events.

Funding

We are fortunate to have several committed donors who are matching the first $5,000 contributed in this end of year fundraising drive. Your dollars will be doubled when you give before the end of the year. We need your financial support to move our Health Care Trust bill forward and continue the educational outreach needed to get Everybody In & Nobody Out! Please be as generous as you can. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Although social change cannot come overnight, we must always work as though it were a possibility in the morning.” Thank you for your support!

Sing Out for Single Payer!A fantastic folk concert was held in North Amherst on November 10th to benefit the education fund of Mass-Care. The concert featured valley folksingers: Tracy Grammer & Jim Henry, Charlie King, Pat & Tex LaMountain, Jay Mankita, Annie Patterson, Sarah Pirtle, Roger Tincknell, and Peter Blood – Master of Ceremonies. Ben Day, executive Director of Mass-Care gave a great update on health care reform and a local doctor, Kate Atkinson, gave a superb talk on the intrusion of the insurance industry into medical practice. Jackie Wolf, who helped coordinate the event with Alice Swift, stated, “People were so energized by the end of the evening that quite a number stayed after the event to keep talking.” Mary Grace Farley arranged for delicious home baked goodies supplied by many of the co-sponsoring organizations of the event. These organizations included the American Friends Service Committee (Western Massachusetts), Franklin/Hampshire Health Care Coalition, League of Women Voters of Amherst and the Northampton Area, Massachusetts Nurses Association, Pioneer Valley Social Workers for Peace and Justice, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice, Western Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, Western Massachusetts PDA and the Western Massachusetts Single Payer Network.

Many other Mass-Care fundraising activities have included successful house parties hosted by Roz Feldberg and Judy Norsigian in Newton and John Blanchard in Natick. Plans are underway for a benefit showing of Michael Moore’s new film Capitalism: A Love Story either in Newton or Brookline. - Alice Swift

CommonHealth, Volume 3, Number 3:Director: Benjamin DayEditor: Sandy EatonProduction: Erin ServaesPrinting compliments of Massachusetts Nurses Association

(Alice Swift photo)