Latinos 4 Change

HEALTH CARE REFORM EFFORTS

2009-08-12T11:11:00.005-04:00

Hi,

As you've probably heard amd seen, these are KEY WEEKS for HEALTH CARE REFORM. If you've Got Questions, Naomi Has Answers - Naomi.Rothwell@gmail.com. Have a few minutes/ hours to spare? Then join a Phoneback! Details below.
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**THIS WEEK**

Thursday, August 13th at 6:00 - 9 PM:

*Phonebank for Health Care in Gramercy*

Home of Phyllie Wiener, 32 Gramercy Park South (Apt. 9L) (Corner of E. 20th St. and 3rd Ave.)

RSVP to Ling: ling_tsou@yahoo.com http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/healthcarephonebank/gpf33q

*Saturday, August 15th from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM:

*Staten Island Rally in Support of Health Care Reform, Public Option = Affordable Health Care*

We must be visible in our support of the President's plan for REAL Health Care Reform with a strong Public Option. Share your story, bring a photo of yourself or someone "Hurt by Health Care-Faces for Reform". We will display your photos at the rally then deliver them (and your stories) to Rep. McMahon, 13th District, NY.

WHERE: New Dorp Lane and 10th St. / Staten Island, NY 10306

RSVP to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/healthcareorganizingevent/gpfmf4

*Saturday, August 15th at 3:00 PM:

*DEMYSTIFYING THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE -Harlem4*

WHERE: 2479 Frederick Douglass Blvd just below 133rd

Join The H4 Series/ Town Hall as we break down what's going on with Health Care Reform. Featuring Dr. Janet Taylor (Today Show, Star Jones Live) and Steve Leser (Editor OpEd News, Liberal Political Pundit, FOX).

The availability, the expense and the inadequacies of health care in America are a national disgrace. We worked hard to elect an Administration that is responsive to the needs of everyday Americans. The next stage requires that we continue our call that health care in America is regarded as a human right. We are making the statement that national health care is a national imperative and we feel that there is no more appropriate place to make our stand than in Harlem.Join us. Bring your family. Bring your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Please forward and distribute the flier below. To make change, we must make our stand. As Barack Obama said himself, change in health care "requires a mobilization of energy of the American people to insist on a Congress and a White House that are actually going to deliver this time." - Chet Whye

INFO: http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001yEI4_dcYUoCgQvyYxKmOM0YtRpcYGV2bBiertSlzgyb_GQpAZ5eySyhUb-bxK2Fb4ggPDZE9UqOkpVp8CRkslQKIN1SaG7Iizy5OTxBSliMUMQVQUwUvaiQCkhdfTx0u

*Sunday, August 16th from 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM:

*Health Care Organizing and Voter Registration at the India Day Parade*

We are looking for volunteers to do voter registration and motivate folks to be in involved in health care reform at the India Day Parade, including contacting Reps and phonebanks.

Volunteers are asked to commit to two hours shifts.

Please email Theresa at t_thanjan@yahoo.com with any questions.

RSVP to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/healthcareorganizingevent/gpfm8g

**NEXT WEEK**

*Monday, August 17th from 6:30 - 8:30 PM:

*Phone Bank for Health Care Reform in UWS*

WHERE: Lincoln Towers / 160 West End Ave / Apt 2H

RSVP to Allie at allie.feldman@gmail.com

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/healthcarephonebank/gpf33w

*Wednesday, August 19th from 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM:

*South Asians Organizing for Health Care Reform Happy Hour*

Confused about all the fuss regarding health care? Not sure what to believe? Not sure you should be involved? Then please join South Asians for Opportunity (formerly South Asians for Obama), NYC for Change, Doctors for America and the National Physicians Alliance for a fun, informative evening where we will answer your questions about health care reform.

WHERE: Mixx Lounge / 84 7th Avenue South (Between Bleecker and Grove Sts.)

RSVP to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/healthcareorganizingevent/gpfm7s

More events on my.barackobama.com
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Action alert: TODAY on anti-immigrant/anti-new citizen amendment in health care reform proposed by U.S. Senators

2009-06-25T13:29:00.002-04:00

Hi all,
Hola a todos

We need your help to defeat an anti-immigrant amendment proposed by Senators Hatch (UT) and Enzi (WY) on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee (HELP). The amendment will bar new naturalized citizens for the first 5 years of their citizenship from access to programs in health equity initiatives and community health programs. For example, it could endanger children's access to school based health services. This is a dangerous attempt to create two classes of citizenship in America and it is unacceptable.

Hoy necesitamos su ayuda para defendernos de una propuesta anti-inmigrante de dos Senadores Republicanos Sen Hatch de Utah y Sen. Enzi de Wyoming en el comit de Salud, Educacin, Labor y Pensiones en el Senado Nacional. La propuesta impedir a los ciudadanos naturalizados de acudir a servicios y programas mdicos en sus primeros 5 anos de ciudadana. Por ejemplo, los nios podran perder su derecho de servicios de salud en la escuela. Este es un intento muy peligroso que podra crear dos clases de ciudadanos en este pas.

Please call Senator Chris Dodd (a leader of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee) of Connecticut @ 202-224-2823 TODAY.

Favor de llamar al Senador Dodd (un lder del Comit HELP en el Senado) de Connecticut a 202-224-2823 HOY!

Please call Sen. Dodd TODAY and tell him to OPPOSE the Hatch/Enzi amendment.

Llame a Sen. Dodd HOY y dgale que debe oponer la propuesta de Sen. Hatch y Enzi.

SAMPLE CALL:
"My name is_________ and I'm calling from___________. I want to tell Sen. Dodd to oppose the Enzi amendment which would bar naturalized citizens from accessing health services for their first five years of citizenship. We cannot allow health reform to be undermined by baseless attacks against immigrants. Our focus should be on enacting affordable, quality health care. Immigrants and new citizens are our friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors--and are living and working in and contributing to our communities. Like everyone else, immigrants want the chance to pay their fair share for quality, affordable health care. "

EJEMPLO:
Mi nombre es_________ y estoy llamando desde_________. Quiero decirle a Sen. Dodd que opone la enmienda de Hatch/Enzi porque va a impedir el acceso a servicios mdicos para los ciudadanos naturalizados que lleven menos que 5 anos de ciudadana. No podemos dejar que la reforma de seguro medico se desve por ataques irrazonables en contra de los inmigrantes. Nuestro enfoque debe ser en pasar una reforma de seguro medico econmico y de calidad para todos. Inmigrantes y nuevos ciudadanos son nuestros amigos, familiares, compaeros y colegas y estn trabajando y contribuyendo a nuestra comunidad. Como todos, quieren la oportunidad de contribuir su parte justa por un seguro medico econmico y de alta calidad.

Thank you!
Sara Cullinane
Health Care Advocate
Facilitated Enrollment Program
Small Business United for Health Care
Make the Road New York
301 Grove St.
Brooklyn, NY 11237
718.418.7651 ext. 238 (tel)
718.418.9635 (fax)

Single Payer: Call-in May 20; lobby and rally May 27th; Action on May 30th

2009-05-20T12:09:00.001-04:00

Dear Single Payer New York Folks:

Things are heating up in DC and Albany around single payer and we need your help. www.singlepayernewyork.org

Below is info on:
1) Wed. May 20th call in to Governor Paterson on single payer
2) Wed. May 27th lobby day and rally for single payer in Albany
3) Sat. May 30th.-Organize a local event in support of single payer health care and Rochester Town Hall Meeting 6pm-8pm.

All of these activities take money, it is crucial to build momentum for the grassroots movement now. Please make a contribution today to Single Payer New York. Checks can be mailed to our treasurer, Connie Laporta, 1935 Fifth St., Troy, NY 12180.

Wednesday, May 20th
This Wednesday we are organizing a phone in to Governor Paterson, who sponsored single payer legislation as a State Senator. The long-delayed report by the Governor's Universal Health Care Task Force is due out shortly and we want it to recommend single payer as the New York approach. Sample message below:

Governor Paterson, 518 474-8390. "We want Gov. Paterson to recommend a single payer health care system as part of the state's report on universal health care. We also want Gov. Paterson to meet with single payer advocates on May 27th."

May 27th is our statewide lobby day and rally in Albany that we have organized in conjunction with the national day of action on single payer. We are pushing three issues on Wed. 1) have the Senate pass a resolution in support of HR 676 (the Assembly did this last year); 2) have the Senate and Assembly pass single payer legislation (A2356, S2370); 3) get legislators to sign on to a letter to Pres. Obama in support of single payer health care.

Details about the day are below. It starts at 9:30 AM at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 85 Chestnut St. (1/2 block from State Capitol). Let dunleamark@aol.com know if you are coming and whether you would like to carpool.

Saturday, May 30th is a national day of action around single payer. A major NY event will take place in Rochester at 6 PM with Cong. John Conyers, lead sponsor of HR 676; Cong. Eric Massa and John Nichols of the Nation. It will be at the Rochester Museum and Science Center, 657 East Ave., Rochester. Even if you plan to drive to Rochester, that leaves plenty of time to organize a press conference, vigil, forum, leafleting, tabling (at Farmers' Market, post office, etc.) in your own community.

May 30th: National Day of Action
Nationwide Rallies for Improved Medicare for AllJoin thousands of single-payer supporters in a nationwide week of action to support improved Medicare for all (HR 676). Single-payer activists will be gathering all over the country to say, "Healthcare, yes; Insurance companies, no," and to show solidarity with demonstrations at the AHIP (American Health Insurance Plans, a private health insurance lobby) conference in San Diego.If an action isn't already in your city, plan your own day of action! It can be a town hall meeting, demonstration in front of a local insurance company, film showing, vigil, or your own unique idea. Let us know what you'd like to start planning by contacting info@healthcare-now.org.47 million Americans are uninsured. Private insurance rates are rising faster than inflation and our incomes. By 2025 the cost of private health insurance will exceed our projected income.A national, single-payer healthcare system is the only healthcare reform option that will cover every American resident while saving us billions of dollars. The majority of Americans want it. The majority of physicians want it. The only thing missing is the political will in Washington. Single Payer Healthcare Advocates to Rally at Capitol on May 27th

Politicians Need to Protect the People, Not Health Insurance Companies

Supporters of a single payer Medicare for All universal health care program will rally at the State Capitol on Wednesday May 27th at noon.

Representatives of groups supporting single payer will also meet with individual state legislators throughout the day and have requested a meeting with Governor Paterson.

The groups want New York State to pass legislation to create its own single payer universal health care system. The California state legislature has twice voted to create a single payer system but it has been vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. Governor Paterson, in contrast, has been a long time supporter of single payer health care. The long-delayed state study by the Urban Institute on what type of universal health system New York should adopt is due out in the next few months.

The single payer groups are also supporting the resolution introduced by Senator Neil Breslin to have the State Senate urge Congress to pass HR 676 (Conyors – D MI), the federal single payer bill. HR 676 is currently co-sponsored by more than 70 Representatives, including many from New York.

Single payer supporters are also upset that the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and the White House have so far refused to consider a single payer health care system while instead insisting that private for-profit health insurance must continue to play a role in any universal health care system. Thirteen single payer advocates have been arrested in recent weeks for protesting the exclusion of single payer supporters at the Senate Finance Committee hearings on universal health care.

It is estimated that as much as 35 cents of every health care dollar goes to pay for the administration of private health insurance that provides nothing of value to the health care system. The practices of insurance companies contribute to the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans annually. Eliminating private health insurance through a single payer system could save $350 to $400 billion annually.

Even though the US spends almost twice as much money per capita on health care compared to other industrial countries, the performance of the American health care system consistently ranks among the worse of the industrial countries (e.g., 37th by the World Health Organization), while leaving as many as 75 million Americans without insurance during part of any year.

Sponsors of the event include Single Payer New York (www.singlepayernewyork.org), Capital District Alliance for Universal Health Care, Capital District Area Labor Federation; Faith and Hunger Network; Hunger Action Network of NYS: New York State Nurses Association; Physicians for a National Health Program; Students for a National Health Program; Tompkins County Health Care Task Force; and Troy Area Labor Council.

"Health Care for America NOW Young Professionals Event" on Thursday, May 21 at 7:30pm

2009-05-13T22:56:00.001-04:00

"Because we need quality and affordable health care for ALL! "
What: Informational Meeting
Host: NYCforChange - - Visit http://www.nycforchange.org/ for more details!
When: Thursday, May 21 from 7:30pm-10:00pm
Where: Retreat Bar
More details & RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=83464411559&mid=745f7dG22804d0cG2518558G7

Federal Stimulus Townhall on April 17th @ Harlem Hospital Center

2009-04-07T22:05:00.003-04:00

From the inbox: Health Care for All - Press Conference and Rally

2009-03-30T20:05:00.006-04:00

Health Care for All - Press Conference and Rally
Saturday April 4, 2-3PM
The 41st Anniversary of the Assasination of MLK
The Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building - Plaza
Continuing Steps Toward Ongoing Commitment to Our Community and Our Nation

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Friends and neighbors,

The availability, the expense and the inadequacies of health care in America are a national disgrace. We worked hard to elect an Administration that is responsive to the needs of everyday Americans. The next stage requires that we continue our call that health care in America is regarded as a human right.

Many of the grassroots organizers that banded together to make the Obama campaign in the State of New York happen are now mobilizing under the network New Yorkers for Change. We are making the statement that national health care is a national imperative and we feel that there is no more appropriate place to make our stand than in Harlem.

Join us. Bring your family. Bring your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Please forward and distribute the flier below. To make change, we must make our stand.

As Barack Obama said himself, change in health care "requires a mobilization of energy of the American people to insist on a Congress and a White House that are actually going to deliver this time."

Chet Whye

Tell President Obama to Listen to RNs on Healthcare Reform!

2009-03-10T22:22:00.003-04:00

JOIN NATIONAL RNs TO GUARANTEE HEALTHCARE!

On the eve of President Obama's healthcare summit Thursday, the nation's largest organization of registered nurses is telling the president that expanding and updating Medicare to cover everyone is the most cost-effective and comprehensive approach to achieving the goals and principles outlined in his recent address to Congress.

TELL THE PRESIDENT America's HealthcareSolution is HR 676 - Medicare for ALL!

Read the complete press release

Download a new PDF report on how Medicare for ALLwould boost the economy

Thanks for joining the movement for real healthcare reform!

California Nurses Association

National Nurses Organizing Committee

Massachusetts Nurses Association

Three Terrifying Words: Lifetime Maximum Benefits

2009-02-28T23:43:00.003-05:00

Tim Foley, a health care advocate, with Change.org wrote a great article on Lifetime Maximum Benefits Limits.

In case you are not aware, your insurance company can place a monetary limit on the amount of benefits you can receive. So if you ever suffer a catastrophic illness or have a chronic illness, you can run out of benefits pretty quick. Click for more details... This is a terrific article by Tim Foley which explains the issue well (and please feel free to add your comments on blog).

Please spread the word. Health Care Reform is such an important issue. Unfortunately, most people are just not aware about the problems.

Health Care - NOW!

2009-02-28T23:42:00.001-05:00

Learn what single payer means at www.healthcare-now.org

Healthcare-NOW! is an education and advocacy organization that addresses the health insurance crisis in the U.S by advocating for the passage of national, single-payer health care legislation. Right now, the National Health Insurance Act (HR 676) is the only legislation that will create a national, single-payer health care system.

Pending health care legislation - HR 676, The United States National Health Care Act (Medicare for All-Single-Payer-Health Care-NOW!)