Had enough?
Uninsured?
Wondering where's the 'affordable' healthcare we were promised?
Sick of bought and paid for politicians?
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD TODAY - AT OCCUPY WALL STREET
Healthcare for the 99%, has organized a large #ows street march for today, Wednesday, October 26th.
This will be a peaceful, non violent march, in which we will exercise our First Amendment rights.
We had a lengthy planing meeting on Sunday at Zuccotti Park, which was covered by local New York media. PNHP doctors staffed the first aid tent, then we met to map out the logistics of the Wednesday march.
Here's a link to our Facebook page, please send it to everyone you know.
These are the details of the march today.
1. Marchers and protestors will meet for sign making under the big red sculpture at the East end of Zuccotti Park (on Broadway) at 3-3:30, if you can join us that early, that would be great, if you can't there's a lot more you can do.
2. If you're working and can't arrive until after work, that's also fine.
If you're coming after work, please join us at the Wellcare office at 110 Fifth Avenue. The marchers should arrive there at around 5:30PM. If people assemble there before us, there will be organizers there, to get you into what's called a moving picket line. When the main body of marchers arrives at 110 5th, we'll join the line until the NYPD make us proceed to our final destination.
3. The final destination is at 12th Street and 7th Avenue, the now closed, St Vincent's Hospital.
For those of you who don't live in NY, St Vincent's was closed due to bankruptcy. This great hospital is a casualty of profit-driven insurers and a healthcare system that leaves 55 million Americans uninsured. For people who live in Manhattan, the closing of this hospital means there is no hospital on the Westside of the city below 57th Street!
March Details:
4:30pm – Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield / One Liberty Plaza: located across the street from Zuccotti park, Empire is a subsidiary of WellPoint, the largest publicly-traded health insurance company. CEO Angela Braley’s overall compensation is $13.1 million dollars, enough to cover 1455 New Yorkers.
5:30pm – WellCare / 110 5th Ave: the for-profit company that administers Medicaid and Medicare Advantage programs in New York and other states. Currently being investigated for fraud with estimates that WellCare illegally siphoned $400 million to $600 million from state health insurance programs for the poor. (1)
6pm – St Vincent’s Community Hospital / 12th St & 7th Ave: closed earlier this year due to bankruptcy, St Vincent’s is a casualty of profit-driven insurers and a healthcare system that leaves 50 million Americans uninsured. There are now no hospitals on the westside below 57th st.
Why we're marching.
Please give me one minute of your time. This video explains in 60 seconds why we need you to join us today.
And here's another reason. Why do these people get paid oversized salaries and bonuses?
Because they maximize profits for the shareholders. This is the mission, the only mission of the for-profit insurance industry. They accomplish this objective by selling us junk insurance, gouging us with skyrocketing premiums, paying off the politicians to look the other way and do nothing. And then to cap it off, the Murder By Spreadsheet industry denies us needed care.
Ins. Co. & CEO With 2009 Total CEO Compensation
Oxford Health Plans, Inc., Stephen Wiggins, CEO: $29,061,599
Aetna, Ronald A. Williams: $18,058,162
Coventry, Allen Wise: $17,427,789 (took over from Dale Wolf)
WellPoint, Angela Braly: $13,108,198
United Health, Stephen Helmsley: $8,901,916
Cigna, David Cordoni: $6,593,921 (took over from CEO H. Edward Hanway)
Cigna, H. Edward Hanway: $18,800,000
Humana, Michael McCallister: 6,509,452
Health Net, Jay Gellert: $3,643,342