CHICAGO SINGLE-PAYER ACTION NETWORK OPEN LETTER TO HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA NOW
To the dismay of our organization, the Chicago Single-Payer Action Network (CSPAN), your organization, Health Care For America Now (HCAN), has rejected a single-payer, government-run health care system as a solution to the health care crisis in the is country. Instead your website proposes this: "We're offering a bold new solution that gives you real choice and a guarantee of quality coverage you can afford: keep your current private insurance plan, pick a new private insurance plan, or join a public health insurance plan." There is nothing bold or new about this so-called solution to the health care crisis in this country. In fact, the patch-work, hybrid approach to fixing health care has failed over and over again. The proof: 50 million uninsured, millions under-insured, and the leading cause of personal bankruptcy is medical bills. And most shockingly, it's estimated that 18,000 people die every year because they lack access to health care
HCAN calls for more regulation of the industry in an effort to "quash health companies' greed once and for all." Good luck -- that's been tried before, too. The industry has a billion dollar war chest and an army of lobbyists, about 2 for every member of Congress, in order to make sure no meaningful reform passes. It's dangerous to foster the illusion that we could ever legislate away the greed and profit-making that is central to the private health insurance industry. Why? Because their millionaire CEO's have a fiduciary responsibility to make profits for shareholders. The way they do that is by denying care and that means death-by-denial. These wealthy and powerful corporations will never stop denying care and killing patients until we put them out of business once and for all!
On your website you pose the question Which Side Are You On? Because HCAN believes there is a role for the private health insurance industry your organization is on the wrong side. It's a travesty that your organization has surrendered to the notion that the health insurance industry should not be abolished and instead reformed. What is more, HCAN aims to convince others of that tried-and-failed position
And contrary to what the leadership of HCAN argues the majority of Americans are not afraid of government financed health care. There has been a sea change in consciousness in this country and now the majority of Americans want a single-payer, publicly funded health care system like in Canada and other countries. Remember, both Medicare and the Veterans Administration (VA) are run by the government and large majorities support these health care programs.
We call on HCAN to abandon it's hybrid position and join with your brothers and sisters in the following organizations that support single-payer: American Patients United, California Nurses Association (CNA), Health Care Now!, Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and Progressive Democrats of America. We also call upon your organization to support Congressman John Conyers single-payer legislation, HR 676. The bill has 92 co-sponsors and has been endorsed by 445 unions nation-wide.
All over the country a grassroots movement for single-payer is fighting to win health care as a human right. Join us!
Helen Redmond on behalf of the CSPAN Steering Committee