There’s an increased focus on medical bankruptcy at the federal level, while states across the country are looking into how they can guarantee healthcare for their residents.
All this and more in today’s Guaranteed Healthcare Update, cross-posted at the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association’s Breakroom Blog, as we organize to make 2007 the Year of GUARANTEED healthcare on the single-payer model.
Nurses from the National Nurses Organizing Committee & California Nurses Association joined reps from Physicians for a National Health Program and Health Care Now yesterday testifying on the problem of medical bankruptcy at a special Judiciary subcommittee hearing with John Conyers. Quick recap of the scary numbers: one million American families are forced into bankruptcy each year; three-quarters of them had health insurance. More proof that working and middle-class families are being devastated by the healthcare crisis. Pic here.
In the states, one Seattle activist argues that healthcare is a human right, and local communities should start treating it that way. Unfortunately, Utah lawmakers apparently don’t think there’s a healthcare problem. In Wisconsin, however, nurses are reinspired to action by Sicko.
A main reason labor unions and workers should support single-payer systems? Because about 90% of strikes are caused by healthcare takeaways. California grocery workers may be about to avoid one more.
A Christian activist argues that people of faith should also support single-payer.
Finally, the right-wing has figured out who to blame for our healthcare crisis...immigrants!
To join the fight for guaranteed healthcare (with a "Medicare for All" or SinglePayer financing), visit with GuaranteedHealthcare.org, a project of the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association.