On Friday, October 30, 2015, 400 physicians, medical students, nurses, and single payer activists rallied in downtown Chicago calling for an end to private insurance and the passage of Improved Medicare for All, HR 676.  The demonstration focused on the Blue Cross/Blue Shield offices at 300 E. Randolph.

Medical students and physicians who were attending a Physicians for a National Health Program leadership training met at Chicago’s “bean” prior to marching to the rally.

Tom Conway, International Vice President of the United Steelworkers addressed the rally telling of steel and other companies that are shifting health care costs to workers and refusing to cover retirees at all.  Thousands of workers are currently locked out of their jobs, as corporations try to force concessions on health care and other issues.

University of Louisville Medical Students gathered on the campus to begin the walk to Jefferson Square.  Their action was a part of over 30 events organized by future doctors across the country to demand that the nation move to a single payer system in which everyone has all medically necessary care.

At Jefferson Square Park the students held a candlelight vigil in memory of the patients who have died from preventable causes, lack of insurance and underinsurance–the inability to access or pay for care even though nominally insured.  The students pledged to work to change this situation–to bring care to all through a national single payer, improved Medicare for all system.

L to R  Second year U of L medical students Brandi Jones and Michael Gasser and physicians Garrett Adams and Peter Esch.  Jones and Gasser are founders of Students for a National Health Program, SNaHP, in Louisville, and Jones is the president.  Adams is a former president of Physicians for a National Health Program, and Esch is an advisor to Louisville SNaHP.

Second year U of L medical student Ben Neltner speaks at Jefferson Square Park.  He is one of the founders of SNaHP.

A medical student tells her health care story on October 1, 2015.

Second year medical student Andy Crone and Tom Moffett staff a spot in the heart of Louisville’s medical complex to provide the public with information about single payer health care.  It was a part of SNaHP’s nationwide teach-in on Oct. 1.  Crone is one of the founders of Louisville SNaHP, and Moffett is a long time activist in the Kentucky Alliance against Racist and Political Repression and in Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care.

Another teach-in location was staffed by Dr. Garrett Adams, Brandi Jones, and Ben Neltner.  Neltner designed the special Tenone t-shirts.

All photos are by Harriette Seiler, Secretary of Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care.  The message below is from Brandi Jones.

Hey All,

First and foremost, I want to send a sincere thank you to everyone who was able to give any amount of time that they could spare to help promote the messages of universal healthcare and single payer. I dream big, and so admittedly, initially it was somewhat discouraging that there weren’t tons of people who were equally excited to join this effort and that maybe the event wasn’t as flawless as Dr. Adams is giving us credit for. But, all of you remembered the true significance of the event and mentioned at some point over the course of the day that what we should celebrate is that we were able to  give a voice to an issue affecting thousands of people every year. The heart and commitment to stand when not many others are willing or able to do so is a testament to the character of the folks that participated in the event, and I’m truly honored and uplifted  to have been able to share the  day with all of you. We saw both during the day and during the evening that people have stories that they are waiting to share and wanting to be heard. So, regardless of the lack of appeal or popularity among our peers or in our small segment of the world, we have to stay focused and keep pushing, and I know each one of you will make sure we do just that – and not in isolation, but with our other SNaHP chapter colleagues out there battling too.

In addition to quickly reflecting on #TenOne, I also wanted to take a moment to welcome our 1st year students who are now officially part of the advisory board – Camila Calderon, Rina Perlin, and Mallika Sabharwal. They have no idea how excited we are to have them on board! I know they will be amazed at the support shown by PNHP, KSPH, and SNaHP, and we’re ready to have them jump right in.

I put all the email addresses that I had or that would populate from the directory, but I’m certain there are people that I missed. So, please feel free to pass this along, and let them know that we thank them, and that we will be in touch for upcoming work…very soon!

Best,

Brandi

Medical students at University of Louisville to participate in National Day of Action

Citing the persistence of thousands of preventable deaths each year due to lack of health insurance, students at more than 25 medical schools will hold teach-ins, rallies and candlelight vigils on Oct. 1 (#TenOne) to bring national attention to ‘our failing health care system’ and the need for single-payer health reform.

The public is encouraged to participate.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, in Louisville, meet at:

5:30 pm at the University of Louisville Medical School Courtyard, 500 S. Preston

6:00 pm March to Jefferson Square Park, 6th and Jefferson for speakers, patient stories and a candlelight vigil

Details of the event can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/763246980470650/

Get flyer here:  TENONEfinalpdf

L to R UofL Medical Students Andy Crone, Ben Neltner, Brandi Jones, and Michael Gasser on 9/8/15 at a campus Single Payer Program they organized.  Over 40 students attended.

Get flyer here:  TENONEfinalpdf

On Tuesday, September, 8, 2015, Dr. Carol Paris of Nashville addressed a noon gathering of University of Louisville Medical Students sharing her experience of practicing in New Zealand.  She utilized her first hand knowledge of that system to explain single payer health care and how it works.

To the students’ delight, Dr. Paris included the story of her arrest in a U. S. Senate Finance Committee Hearing where she and others stood to protest the exclusion of single payer from the discussion of health care reform in the lead up to the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

The meeting was organized by the newly formed U of L Chapter of Students for a National Health Program, SNaHP.

On Thursday, October 1, 2015, SNaHP chapters at medical schools across the country will hold teach-ins, rallies, and an evening candlelight vigil to bring national attention to our failing health care system.

The U of L Chapter which has achieved formal recognition as an official campus organization will participate in the October 1 day of action to demand a more just system through the institution of a single-payer, universal, “Medicare-for-All” system.

Pictured L to R are medical students Andy Crone and Brandi Jones, Dr. Carol Paris, and medical student Ben Neltner.

Union support for single payer health care is growing!  More people know what it is and express strong agreement.

Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care staffed a booth at the Louisville 2015 Labor Day Celebration at the Zoo.  Hundreds signed petitions for HR 676, national single payer health care, and took information for their local unions.

Rick Stevens, a member of  Teamsters’ Union Local 89, who works at Jeff Boat, is pictured at the booth.

On Saturday, August 15, Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care walked with over 1,000 others to demand an end to the stigma against mental illness and to urge full care and equality in health care for both mental and physical illness.

Walkers responded enthusiastically to the single payer message and some assisted in the distribution of leaflets.   Harriette Seiler is pictured with the hot pink flyers which said:

Forward to single payer health care

Insurance coverage for mental and physical illness remains unequal despite promises that health reform would level the playing field.  While health care reform helped some, many still find essential drugs and needed care too costly or denied by insurers.

Last year 300 patient advocacy groups protested to Health & Human Services that those with chronic mental and physical illnesses still face barriers to care.

The way forward.    A bill in Congress, HR 676, Expanded & Improved Medicare for All, will provide care for everyone under a single payer, publicly funded system.  All medically necessary care including dental & drugs will be covered–and you choose your doctor.

No co-pays, no deductibles, no limited networks.

No worry about medical bills!  Monies now going to corporate profits will be available for care.

We invite you to learn more.  Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care meets 1^st & 3^rd Thursdays each month, 5:30 pm, Board Rm, Mezzanine, Louisville Free Public Library, 301 W. York.

 KSPH offers free presentations on single payer.  Further info: www.kyhealthcare.org    www.pnhp.org  (502) 636-1551   nursenpo@aol.com

Medicare–Protect It, Improve It, Expand It!  PIE!

On July 30, 2015, Medicare’s 50th anniversary, a broad Louisville audience packed the Centennial Room at the  library to hear Johnathon Ross MD explain the history of Medicare in the United States and project a future of an expanded and improved Medicare for All.  Dr. Ross, past president of Physicians for a National Health Program, teaches and practices internal medicine in Toledo, Ohio.

Jill Harmer and her group opened the event with song and laughter.

Garrett Adams MD, retired Louisville pediatrician and a leader of the national and Kentucky single payer movements, introduced Dr. Ross.

(Dr. Adams’ opinion piece “Celebrate Medicare’s 50th Birthday by Expanding It To All” was published on Common Dreams, and he was interviewed by Pacifica Radio.)

Dr. Ross combined history with humor as he informed.  We still lose 30,000 lives each year, unnecessarily, because we, as a nation, have not yet  instituted a universal health care system, he said.

(Dr. Ross appeared on the Ohio radio show America’s Work Force — it starts at about 14:30 and ends at 38:30.   His Op Ed appeared in the Toledo Blade.)

Antonio Wilson closed out the evening with a call for everyone to contact their congressperson urging support for HR 676.  Upon adjournment, the group shared the apple pies prepared by Harriette Seiler.

While in Louisville, Dr. Ross met with University of Louisville medical students who are working to organize a student chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program.  L to R:  Second year medical students Michael Gasser and Brandi Jones, Johnathon Ross, Garrett Adams, and Tom Moffett.

6:30 PM

Centennial Room
Louisville Free Public Library, 301 York St.

Johnathon Ross, M.D., MPH

Full bio is here.

Take Care, Mr. Elson

Watch the 35 minute video and then join the fight for single payer, HR 676.