RALLY FOR SINGLE PAYER HEALTH INSURANCE IN CALIFORNIA
WHERE: SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
1600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY
WEST PLAZA
SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
WHEN: MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2010
11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
2nd Rally at UCSD @ 4pm at Price Center
The California State Legislature has twice passed bills establishing single payer health insurance for Californians, only to have the bills vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. The same legislation (CA SB 810) was defeated on the last day of the current legislative session, but will be introduced again in the new session. Now is the time to act to bring real health care reform to California.
Mad As Hell Doctors, a 501(c)(3) organization (www.madashelldoctors.com), is currently touring California to raise awareness of this issue. Between September 23 and October 12 Mad As Hell Doctors will take part in 25-30 rallies in 20 cities starting in Arcata, heading down US 101 to the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and then traveling north through the San Joaquin Valley to reach Sacramento.
Our mission is to promote single-payer health insurance as a fiscally conservative, affordable way to provide universal health care to all Californians who are currently uninsured; to improve coverage for those who currently have catastrophic insurance at best; and to help every insured Californian cope with declining benefits accompanied by increasingly high premiums, deductibles and co-pays.
We believe establishing a single-payer system in California will provide a foundation for such programs throughout the United States. We believe a single payer health care system— built on a single risk pool with “everybody in and nobody out”— is the only means to lasting, substantive health care reform for our nation.
The rally will include music, singing and testimonials from local doctors and patients.
This rally is sponsored by the Peace and Democracy Action Group of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego and the San Diego chapter of California Physicians for a National Health Program.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Sure makes sense to me, especially after a scare with one of my daughters not being insured and, for a few days, not feeling too well due to a vicious temperature and cramping and other symptoms. I told her to just go to a doctor and charge it and we’ll figure something out pay wise. But haven’t we heard that story and its ending? I love my house and my possessions but I love my girl more. She recovered but it was scary as hell. It is beyond my comprehension why a person, in our country, can’t get sick and have the illness taken care of without a hassle or going into debt. We, as a society, would rather, it seems, engage in badmouthing immigrants and homeless people and deny gay people marriage than stand up and demand something that would truly benefit us all.
I agree totally with the above post and San Diego chapter of California Physicians for a National Health Program. After spending over four decades caring for the sick and injured, I found myself on the disabled list and without healthcare coverage for over two years. All of my life experiences have caused me to believe that the values and indeed the way of life here in this country of the free and the brave is way out of bounds with nature and common sense.
Mary- it is unconscionable that you would find yourself without health care coverage after spending four decades caring for the sick and inured. I am deeply sorry.
What will it take to wake us up to this cruel & avoidable reality that is your world and could so easily be ours?
Like “union” activism for millionaire doctors – how nice for them – FORCE PEOPLE TO PAY for their narrow-minded “services.” As informed people are CHOOSING to leave conventional “medicine” & their narrow-minded approach – cutting, poisioning, & pill pushing.
While no doubt doctors can do some good – patching broken people up is a plus – they can also do much harm – in their hostility to the big picture, spiritual & nutrition. They love treating symptoms – vs the root cause itself – often a nutrition problem. Their hostility as a group toward nutitrition & holistic healing is why informed people are fleeing their “care” in droves – as many have become educated about the importance of a holistic approach to healing.
There are many good sources for more information about the holistic approach to healing – & the failure of “conventional” medicine – a few include: Dr. Andrew Weil, Charlotte Gersen, & Nutritionist Gary Null. Check it out. imo.
TJ – aren’t you barking up the wrong tree here? These docs are mad as hell because the American people don’t have access to adequate medical care. Although your points are generally valid, why deliver them here to these fair minded medical people? These docs are helping us, so why put them down here?
… “single risk pool with “everybody in and nobody out” …
Hi Frank,
Knowledge (& maybe free/ low cost clinics) can help us – not multi-millionaire docs who charge to much – & offer far too little, in return.
Forcing people into a system they may not want, or be able to afford (regardless), or believe in – so mostly wealthy Doctors – who for the most part – are out of touch with healing & are losing customers – as people get more educated about holistic healing – doesn’t appeal to me.
As we continually allow our FREEDOM of CHOICEs to be taken away because of a “Nanny State” mentality – & special interests – advancing THEIR interests – the result is what we have now – Special Interests deciding Our Future – based on what is best … for them.
“Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.”
Benjamin Franklin
I totally believe in holistic medicine, and preventative medicine but that’s a whole other conversation, along with talk of rich doctors and being forced to buy into something we don’t want. What does somebody who is sick right this minute and has no insurance and not even enough money for a low cost clinic – what does this person do? Where do they go? The ultimate goal is to make “We the People” a “special interest” isn’t it? It would be nice if we could take ill without, no pun intended, losing an arm and a leg.
Ernie,
Well said, I agree.
An illegial alien may have a better chance of getting medical care in this country, than an uninsured, non-rich citizen.
Many lawyers donate their services for pro-bono – how about more doctors doing something similar – rather than trying to force everyone to buy into a program that benefits their bottom line.
I like the idea of doctors doing work pro bono. But back to “being forced to buy into a program that benefits doctors’ bottom line” I think we at least with the “Health Plan” in force now, whatever it is, have something to work with, to whittle away at whereas before recent times we had nothing.
I, however, will not be doing any breath holding while this thing gets worked out over time.