In a shocking front page "analytical" article today, the San Francisco Chronicle published a nearly full-page story under the headline, "It's High Noon on the Hill for a Viable Reform Bill".
In fifty-six inches of copy, how many were devoted to the one alternative that could really fix our problems!?!
Not one!
A single payer reform is the only option which
--has the endorsement of more members of Congress than any other,
--is supported by the largest organization of primary care physicians (ACP), the largest women's physician organization (AMWA), the largest African American physicians association (NMA), the largest medical student association (AMSA), the largest nurses association (ANA), and the largest social worker association (NASW), and the largest association of public health professionals (APHA).
--promises (as supported by analyses by the Commonwealth Fund, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Lewin Group) truly universal coverage with less health care expenditures than our nation's currently outlay,
--would maintain the quality of care we currently enjoy while increasing patient choice,
--and would create a structure through which ongoing quality improvements could be most economically implemented.
So why no mention of it?
Single payer is, despite recent committee hearings in the House of Representatives, off the table.
It is unfair, and makes no sense. At a minimum, as our own DrSteveB has pleaded over and over again, the minimum that a single payer approach needs is that
Single payer policy wonks and advocates be included in ALL hearings from now on.
There must be a complete, honest, side-by-side comparison of all major proposals, including Single Payer HR-676, by the Congressional Budget Office. The side-by-side comparison must include projected costsnot only to the federal government, but also to state government, employers and to individuals and households of different income levels. Not just for 2010, but with projections beyond.
We must demand this of our legislators and of our journalists.
I have written directly to the journalist who wrote the SF Chronicle piece, Carolyn Lochhead-- clochhead@sfchronicle.com, in case you'd like to give her a piece of your mind also, and have written a letter to the editor.
This is part of what we all need to do.
And tomorrow, my plan is to get through calling as much of the list which follows (also courtesy of DrSteveB) that I can. We need to call our legislators over and over again (they keep daily tallies of calls) and make the point that single payer needs a fair hearing and that the fall back is just that, a fall back.
The position of the Democratic Progressive Caucus, as elucidated recently her by Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey is already a major compromise. We must push to make sure that this is the minimum we will accept and that only a single payer plan is defined as the progressive choice. The half-@#%ed compromises which include a "trigger" or "co-ops" are sorry alternatives to real reform and should be rejected.
We need to make our position clear and keep our journalists honest.
Below is the basic contact information for the three key House committees that are going to deal with health reform, and the complete list of contacts for their health-specific subcommittees:
Energy & Commerce:
Committee Telephone: 202-225-2927
And the Subcommittee on Health
Democrats:
Henry A. Waxman (Chairman) CA-30th 202-225-3976
Frank Pallone, Jr., Chairman, Health Subcommittee) NJ-6th 202-225-4671
John D. Dingell, Chairman Emeritus MI-15th 202-225-4071
Lois Capps, Vice Chair CA-23rd 202-225-3601
Bart Gordon, TN-6th 202-225-4231
Anna G. Eshoo, CA-14th 202-225-8104
Eliot L. Engel, NY-17th 202-225-2464
Gene Green, TX-29th 225-1688
Diana DeGette, CO-1st 202-225-4431
Jan Schakowsky, IL-9th 202-225-2111
Tammy Baldwin, WI-2nd 202-225-2906
Mike Ross, AR-4th 202-225-3772
Anthony D. Weiner, NY-9th 202-225-6616
Jim Matheson, UT-2nd 202-225-3011
Jane Harman, CA-36th 202-225-8220
Charles A. Gonzalez, TX-20th 202-225-3236
John Barrow, GA-12th 202-225-2823
Donna M. Christensen, VI-delegate 202-225-1790
Kathy Castor, FL-11th 202-225-3376
John P. Sarbanes, MD-3rd 202-225-4016
Christopher S. Murphy, CT-5th 202-225-4476
Zachary T. Space, OH-18th 202-225-6265
Betty Sutton, OH-13th 202-225-3401
Bruce L. Braley, IA-1st 202-225-2911
Republicans: (I think they deserve a call too, if you are in their district)
Nathan Deal, GA, Ranking Member
Ralph M. Hall, TX
Ed Whitfield, KY
John Shimkus, IL
John B. Shadegg, AZ
Roy Blunt, MO
Steve Buyer, IN
Joseph R. Pitts, PA
Mike Rogers, MI
Sue Wilkins Myrick, NC
Tim Murphy, PA
Michael C. Burgess, TX
Marsha Blackburn, TN
Phil Gingrey, GA
Joe Barton, TX (ex officio)
Education & Labor:
Telephone 202-225-3725
Democrats:
George Miller, Chairman CA 7th 202-225-2095
Robert Andrews, Chair Subcommittee HELP, NJ-1st 202-225-6501
David Wu OR-1st 202-225-0855
Phil Hare IL-17th 202-225-5905
John F. Tierney MA-6th 202-225-8020
Dennis J. Kucinich OH-10th 202-225-5871
Marcia Fudge OH-11th 202-225-7032
Dale E. Kildee MI-5th 202-225-3611
Carolyn McCarthy NY-4th 202-225-5516
Rush Holt NJ-12th 202-225-5801
Joe Sestak PA-7th 202-225-2011
David Loebsack IA-2nd 202-225-6576
Yvette Clarke NY-11th 202-225-6231
Joe Courtney CT-2nd 202-225-2076
Republicans: Again, call if they are your representatives
John Kline, Ranking Member
Joe Wilson
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Tom Price
Brett Guthrie
Tom McClintock
Duncan D. Hunter
David P. Roe
Ways & Means:
Tel: 202-225-3625 | Fax: 202-225-2610
Democrats:
Charles B. Rangel, Chariman Ways and Means NY-15th 202-225-4365
Pete Stark, Chairman Subcommittee on Health CA-13th 202-225-5065
Lloyd Doggett, TX-25th 202-225-4865
Mike Thompson, CA-1st 202-225-3311
Xavier Becerra, CA-31st 202- 225-6235
Earl Pomeroy, ND-At Large 202-225-2611
Ron Kind, WI WI 3rd 202-225-5506
Earl Blumenauer, OR-3rd 202-225-4811
Bill PascrellJr. NJ-8th 202-225-5751
Shelley Berkley, NV-1st 202-225-5965
Republicans:
Wally Herger, CA, Ranking Member
Sam Johnson, TX
Paul Ryan, WI
Devin Nunes, CA
Ginny Brown-Waite, FL