Suggestions for Promoting Single Payer Enhanced Medicare for All

·        Understand what it is: National health insurance . . . enhanced Medicare for All.In other words, a cost-effective, single-payer system of publicly-financed, privately-delivered healthcare that ends private health insurance (and its waste, denials of care, bureaucracy, ads, sales commissions, lavish executive salaries, and profiteering). Read the 18-page bill yourself by Goggling “HR676 Thomas Text”, or click HR676 Text. There are 85 cosigners to this bill that will be debated and voted on by the full House in September. HR676 is debt negative as it will be self-funded.

      Instead of you or your employer paying $5,000 to $10,000 or more per year for health insurance, you or your employer will pay about $3,000/yr in dedicated health care income taxes*.  National health care is fully funded and delivered for 50% of the bloated cost of our current system.  No more stress and worry over paying for health care, no more pre-condition denials, no more deductibles, no more complicated medical billing systems, no more in network/out of network costs and limits to choice, no more complicated insurance forms, no more medical debt, no more staying on a job just for the healthcare, no more crazy-complicated insurance forms, no more workers comp, no more insurance clerks getting between you and your doctor.

* Under Rep. John Conyers' single-payer bill, a family of four making the median income of $56,200 would pay about $2,700 in payroll tax for all health care costs - with no deductibles or copays.

·         The problem of the ‘Public Option’: Besides being extremely complex, very expensive, and maintaining our current horribly broken system, a weak public option would institutionalize a two-tiered system with healthier, wealthier citizens getting the best (private) plans, and sicker, harder-to-treat people getting an inferior (public) plan.  Republicans couldn’t dream up a better scenario to discredit an enhanced government role in healthcare. 

·         Communicate with small businesses.  Tell them of the incredible deal Single Payer has for them. Take cost of health care off their shoulders.  The small payroll tax that will likely fund Medicare for All will be marginal (4%) compared to their current private healthcare premiums.  This will help them compete in the global market

·         How to beat the Tea Baggers at public meetings, click here.

·         We cannot vote in this election, so we must strongly encourage our representatives to vote for us.  Contact your congressperson and representative regularly – daily, if possible.  Also contact other significant players: The Democrats.

Faxesare the most effective method because they are instantaneous and force the recipient to handle the physical piece of paper. Send them to local offices. Keep them to one page or less.

Send faxes free and easy using

Health Justice 1Payer.net 's service. They have a simple form and per-written messages to choose from.  Start with one of theirs and change it to suit your mood.  Click on who you want to receive it and press Send.  It's that easy.

Sen Ron Wyden              Wash DC Fax       202-228-2717

Sen Jeff Merkley            Portland Fax:          503-326-2900

Rep David Wu                 Portland Fax:          503-326-5066

Rep Earl Blumenaur      Portland Fax:          503-235-4005

Rep Peter DeFasio        Roseburg Fax:      541-440-3525

Rep Kurt Schrader        Salem Fax:           503) 588-5517

Rep Greg Walden        Medford Fax:    541-779-0204

Phone calls are effective, too. Call the local office for a much better chance of getting through. Dr Frankel suggests the following script, in your own words, patiently, respectfully, and repeatedly:

Has my elected Representative/Senator yet decided how he (she) will support bringing single payer healthcare to debate and vote in the House/Senate as House Speaker Pelosi promised on July 31 would happen on the floor of the House?” {wait for the response}.  “Has my Representative/Senator yet decided to vote YES?”  {Wait for the response. If it is not to your satisfaction, say}  “I will call tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, to ask this question again -- until ___________ agrees to support the people’s choice for healthcare.”

 

Action Phone Numbers                                      Oregon                  Washington DC

Whitehouse Comment Line                                                              202-456-1111

Senator Ron Wyden (D- OR)                             (503) 326-7525    202-224-5244

Senator Jeff Merkley (D- OR)                            (503) 326-3386    202-224-3753

Representative David Wu (D - 01)                   (503) 326-2901    202-225-0855

Representative Greg Walden (R - 02)             (541) 389-4408    202-225-6730

Representative Earl Blumenauer (D - 03)      (503) 235-3399    202-225-4811

Representative Peter A. DeFazio (D - 04)      (541) 465-6732    202-225-6416

Representative Kurt Schrader (D - 05)            (503) 588-9100    202-225-5711

Emails are also effective.  Send them to your representatives.  Keep the messages short, if you want it read, keep it to a half page or less.  Send multiple emails if you have more to say.  You can write one message and then copy and paste it into each representative’s Contact Me form on each one’s web site (links to each above).  RoboForm is a wonderful tool for auto-filling out your name and address information on the forms (I have used RoboForm for years and love it – a free trial allows you to save the sign-in info of 20 web sites).  

Or use GovIt's Email Your Government Representatives web tool.  Write one message, it'll be delivered to your congressmen/women and president Obama. GOVIT

Sen Wyden: senator@wyden.senate.gov

(This is the only direct email address of our politicians we’ve been able to find.)

Old Fashioned Letters are very effective, but a little slower.  Send them to the local office (addresses are on their web sites, links above).  Keep them to one page or less.