By: Christopher David Gray for the Lund Report
Wes Brain was uninsured last winter when a tonsillectomy showed signs of throat cancer. He qualified for the high-risk Oregon Medical Insurance Pool, which the state has administered through Regence BlueCross BlueShield.
But gaining access to that insurance soon proved a big obstacle for the Ashland resident, when Regence erroneously told him he hadn’t submitted his driver’s license.
May 13 rally in Salem
The House Committee on Health Care will hold a hearing on HB 2922, the Affordable Health Care for All Oregon Plan (single payer), at the State Capitol in Salem on May 13 from 1:00PM to 2:45PM. The entire hearing will be devoted to testimony on the issue. We will also be lobbying our legislators (representatives and senators) and testifying at the hearing on that day. Health Care for All Oregon: Rogue Valley (HCAO-RV) is organizing carpools for this event.
Free screening of The Healthcare Movie
There will be a public viewing of The Healthcare Movie on Saturday, May 11 at 1:00PM at the Medford Library. The documentary reveals the intense political struggle that led to Canada’s universal healthcare system, and exposes public relations campaigns that have been prevalent in the US since the early 1900s to dissuade the public from supporting national health care. The mission of HCAO is to create a comprehensive, equitable, publicly funded, high-quality universal health care system serving everyone in Oregon and the United States.
“THE HEALTHCARE MOVIE” IS FEATURED IN SOUTHERN OREGON DURING INDEPENDENT MEDIA WEEK-2013. * * ALL SCREENINGS ARE FREE! * *
Screening held at Southern Oregon University – Ashland, Oregon
SUNDAY APRIL 14 2:30PM- (doors open at 2, program starts at 2:15)
Meese Room in the Hannon Library.
TUESDAY APRIL 16 3:00PM- (video screenings start at 2) Room SU330
in the Stevenson Union
“A very powerful and moving documentary that everyone in Oregon and the country needs to see.”–Mark S. Kellenbeck
“The Healthcare Movie” FLYER – 4.1M
S. Oregonians with Vermont Workers Center Tour
EVERYBODY IN — NOBODY OUT
WHO?
You and a friend or two!
HOSTS?
Healthcare for All Oregon — Rogue Valley
Peace House, Citizens for Peace and Justice, Oregon Action, Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice
WHAT?
“THE HEALTHCARE MOVIE” IS FEATURED IN SOUTHERN OREGON DURING INDEPENDENT MEDIA WEEK—2013. ALL SCREENINGS ARE FREE!
WHEN & WHERE?
SUNDAY APRIL 14 2:30PM- (Doors open at 2, program starts at 2:15) MEESE ROOM IN THE HANNON LIBRARY AT SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
TUESDAY APRIL 16 3:00PM- (video screenings start at 2) ROOM SU330 IN THE STEVENSON UNION AT SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
WHY?
TO EXPAND THE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OREGON CAMPAIGN BY OFFERING SOUTHERN OREGONIANS “THE HEALTHCARE MOVIE” FOLLOWED BY A QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION. HCAO–RV OFFERS EDUCATIONAL AND MOBILIZATION OPPORTUNITIES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR ALL SOUTHERN OREGONIANS.
THE HEALTHCARE MOVIE website: 
http://www.healthcaremovie.net
THE HEALTHCARE MOVIE trailer – YouTube (1:39 mins): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rae0PIlv0Ng
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OREGON website: http://www.hcao.org
The latest news is George Mann has cancelled his April tour due to health reasons.
For the latest information on George’s next tour, visit www.georgemann.org
Dr. Sam Metz is mad as hell about health care. As a practicing anesthesiologist, Dr. Metz knows firsthand the challenges involved in providing quality health care for his patients, having spent years struggling in a profit-based system. Dr. Metz is critical of a health insurance industry that receives billions of dollars annually while Americans with and without health insurance lose their homes and their lives because they cannot afford medical care.
“Right now, Oregon already pays more than enough money to provide comprehensive health care to everyone in the state,” said Metz. “Why aren’t we getting that money? Because we pass that money through private companies. They are extraordinarily inefficient at turning premium dollars into health care.”
As a member of the Physicians for a National Health Program and the Mad as Hell Doctors, Metz is part of a growing coalition of doctors and health care providers who are fed up with the current system. “For every five dollars that we pay in insurance premiums, the insurance company keeps one dollar for itself. That’s a 20% overhead,” he laments. “Out of the other four dollars that get passed on to providers, we spend another dollar — another 20% — trying to collect from insurance companies. This is an industry that denies 30% of all new claims, not because they are bad people, but because it’s good business. That’s a 40% loss before our premium dollars get turned into health care.”
For Metz and a growing number of health care activists, the solution can be found by taking health care decisions out of the hands of insurance companies and politicians. He asks, “Who should be making the life and death decisions about how much health care we get, who gets it, who’s going to pay for it, and more importantly, what health care we are not going to get? Insurance executives who are legally beholden to the financial interests of their company, and US congresspeople who are practically beholden to campaign donors? Neither are capable of putting our medical interests first.”
“Nobody likes to think they are going to have their sick child’s care denied by an insurance administrator who has to look after their company, or by members of Congress who have to look after their election. There has got to be a better way to do it. Single payer offers a solution.”
Single payer health care, which is also known as universal coverage. is a financing system in which one entity acts as administrator or “payer,” collecting all health care fees and paying all health care costs. Currently, there are tens of thousands of different health care organizations and billing agencies, which creates an enormous amount of administrative waste. In a single-payer system, all hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers bill one entity for their services. This alone greatly reduces administrative waste and saves money, which can be used to provide care and insurance to those who don’t already have it.
Harvard researchers estimate that administrative costs consume 31 cents of every health care dollar in the United States. By comparison, single payer systems in the United States such as those provided by Medicare and the Department of Veterans Affairs have administrative costs that are less than 4%. A study by the General Accounting Office estimated that single payer health care would save 10% on health care costs by slashing administrative waste, which is enough to cover everyone who is uninsured.
There is evidence that universal health care in Oregon could be a boom for the state’s economy. Says Metz, “If Oregon goes to a single payer system, there will be so much more demand for health care from people that have been postponing it, delaying it, or didn’t know they needed it. National estimates say that in Oregon, we could have 35,000 new jobs.”
“As for the business environment in Oregon, imagine it being the only state in the union where you will never have a labor management dispute over health care.”
Metz cites the potential savings in health care dollars as a reason for embracing a single payer health care system. “When it comes to reducing the administrative costs of health care, the government is ten times more efficient than private industry.”
Single payer health care systems provide better health care to more people for less money. “American health care is more rationed than any other place in the industrialized world,” says Metz. “In other industrialized countries, patients see their physicians two to four times more often than we do, they spend more days in hospital per year than we do, and they getting more care than we are. They are spending half as much, and yet they are healthier than we are. If consumers put their premium money in a single payer system, there would be plenty of wealth to offer health care for everyone.”
Studies estimate that it would cost about $225 billion to provide comprehensive health care to everyone in United States. Single payer health care could save around $350 billion a year. In Vermont, where they recently passed universal health care coverage, consumers are already saving about 5% on health care costs by not passing their money through private insurance companies.
On February 4, 2013, the first day of the legislative session, Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO) will be rallying on the capitol steps in Salem to demonstrate support for universal health care. Organizers hope that with a large enough presence, HCAO will succeed in getting the issue on the agenda of politicians who can move forward on legislation.
HCAO is a coalition of doctors, health care providers, business owners, community organizers, politicians, and residents on a mission to create a comprehensive, equitable, publicly funded, high-quality, universal health care system. Said an HCAO spokesperson, “We’ve been working over the last year to establish a broad coalition of over 62 member organizations and 20 grassroots groups of local supporters, and we’ve just begun to grow!”
“Representative Michael Dembrow has reintroduced the Affordable Health Care for All Oregon Act, and it is time to get behind the bill and push for passage. In order to pass this bill into law, we need to create a massive grassroots movement that takes action and is impossible to ignore,” according to HCAO.
HCAO and other health care organizers are planning a day of activities on the capitol steps in Salem, including a rally, marches, and lobbying for health care as a human right. Organizers are asking everyone to wear red to demonstrate solidarity for universal, publicly funded health care. In Southern Oregon, local organizations are helping to arrange transportation. Save the date and contact your local group to arrange a rideshare or reserve a spot on a bus.
The round-trip cost for the bus is $30. Scholarships are available. To reserve space, contact Wes Brain at (541) 482-6988 or email brain@mind.net. For more information, visit Health Care for All Oregon or Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice.
Get on the bus in Ashland, Medford or Grants Pass!
Rally for Universal Health Care in Oregon
Monday, February 4 – State Capitol
Are you on the bus? Buy your ticket here (sliding scale $35 to $5 to help with cost).
Kick off the 1st day of the legislative session and the push for universal health care for everyone in Oregon. Representative Michael Dembrow has re-introduced the Affordable Health Care for All Oregon Act. It is time to get behind the bill and push for passage. This is a tremendous job and to do it, we need to create a massive grassroots movement that is impossible to ignore.
Can you commit to be there?
6:00 am bus leave Ashland Bimart Parking lot
6:45 am bus leave Medford Food-4-Less parking lot
7:30 am bus pickup in Grants Pass Grants Pass would be at the WalMart parking lot, near the South/East exit (exit 55)
9:30am- 10:30am sign in, Room 50, Capitol Building
10:30am – 11:30am march (weather permitting)
11:30am – 12:3opm rally with speakers and music
12:30 – 1:00 pm lobby training
1 pm – 3 pm lunch/lobby
4 pm buses leave Salem
Remember: wear red, bring a lunch and snack, and take your rain gear!
Please let us know if you want to ride one of the buses ($30 suggested donation, space is limited) Buy your ticket here . call Wes at 541-488-6988 or Jason at 541-622-9483.
On February 4, 2013, the first day of the legislative session, Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO) will be rallying on the capitol steps in Salem to demonstrate support for the cause of universal health care. Organizers hope that with a large enough presence, HCAO will be able to get the issue on the agenda of the politicians who can move forward on legislation.
HCAO is a coalition of doctors, health care providers, community organizers, politicians and residents on a mission to create a comprehensive, equitable, publicly funded, high quality, universal health care system serving everyone in Oregon. According to HCAO, “we’ve been working over the last year to establish a broad coalition of over 62 member organizations and 20 grassroots groups of local supporters, and we’ve just begun to grow!”
“Representative Michael Dembrow has re-introduced the Affordable Health Care for All Oregon Act, and it is time to get behind the bill and push for passage. In order to pass this bill into law, we need to create a massive grassroots movement that takes action and is impossible to ignore.” said an HCAO spokesperson.
HCAO and other health care organizers are planning a day of activities on the capitol steps in Salem including a rally, marches and lobbying for health care as a human right. Organizers are asking everyone to wear red to demonstrate solidarity for universal, publicly funded health care for all. In Southern Oregon, local organizations are helping to arrange transportation. Save the date and contact your local group to arrange a ride share or reserve a spot on a bus to Salem.
For the bus, round trip cost is $30 and some scholarships are available. In Ashland, the bus is scheduled to leave “Promptly” around 6am for pickups in Medford and Grants Pass before heading to Salem. For more information, visit www. hcao.org, in Southern Oregon go to www.sojwj.org. To reserve your space on the bus, contact Wes Brain at 541-482-6988 or email brain@mind.net.
Sign In at Room 50 of Capitol Building 9:30 – 10:30
March (weather permitting) 10:30 – 11:30
Rally 11:30 – 12:30
Lobby Training 12:30 – 1:00
Lunch/Lobby 1:00 – 3:00
Closing Plenary and Debrief 3:00 – 3:30
Social Hour 3:30 – 5:30
Remember: wear red, bring a lunch, and take your rain gear!
Save the Date flier for Feb 4 Rally in Salem
Alternate flier for Feb 4 Rally in salem
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice welcomes our latest coalition member:
AFSCME Local #3336, state employees at Department of Environmental Quality!
via Warehouse Workers for Justice Press Release
In an historic victory, all striking Roadlink workers at Walmart’s Elwood warehouse have won their principal demand for an end to illegal retaliation against workers protesting poor conditions. They will return to work with their full pay while they were out on strike. Workers will return to work and continue the fight for safe working conditions, fair pay for all hours worked and an end to discrimination.
During the 21 day strike, strikers have received a tremendous outpouring of support. On Oct. 1st strikers and their supporters succeeded in shutting down Walmart’s largest distribution center in North America, while clergy, community and labor leaders blocked the road leading out of the warehouse to support workers on strike at the Walmart warehouse in Elwood, near Joliet. The rally brought Walmart’s distribution system into the public eye to protest unfair labor practices and other abuses in the nation’s largest inland port. On Oct. 5th, Walmart received a letter from over 100,000 supporters of striking workers at the Walmart warehouse demanding Walmart take responsibility for what is happening in their warehouse.
Striking Roadlink worker Ted Ledwa said, “With this victory, we forced the company to respect our rights. We showed that when workers are united we can stand up to the biggest corporations in the world and win”.
Warehouse workers labor under extreme temperatures, lifting thousands of boxes that can weigh up to 250lbs each. Workplace injuries are common; workers rarely earn a living wage or have any benefits.
Warehouse Workers for Justice is an Illinois worker center dedicated to fighting for quality jobs in the distribution industry that can sustain families and communities. The strikers are members of the Warehouse Worker Organizing Committee.
—
Background:
For the first time in the 50 years of the corporation, Walmart associates went on strike at several stores in Pico Rivera, California, to protest the company’s illegal attempts to silence them.
This historic strike is the latest in a flood of recent worker-led protests in the Walmart supply chain. From its suppliers to its warehouses to the stores themselves, workers at Walmart are fed up with being silenced:
In June, a brave group of guest workers went on strike to expose forced labor at Walmart supplier C.J.’s Seafood in Louisiana. After a failed effort to cover it up, Walmart ultimately suspended its contract with the supplier and was fined nearly $250,000.
In September, warehouse workers in the Inland Empire in California went on strike after some of these workers were suspended for bringing their concerns to management.
A few days later, warehouse workers in Elwood, Illinois, went on strike to protest illegal retaliation from Walmart when several workers were fired two days after bringing a lawsuit against the company for non-payment for all hours worked, paying less than the minimum wage, and non-payment of overtime worked.
The momentum is building across the country as workers take a stand against the largest employer in the world whose practices are lowering job standards in industries across the globe.
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