MyDD :: Making Healthcare Key to IA--New Ads Launch

Making Healthcare Key to IA--New Ads Launch

by California Nurses Shum, Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 03:43:34 PM EST

Out of Iowa comes two great pieces of news for those of us who want the Democratic presidential candidates to get serious on healthcare: a new series of television ads is launching today by a group of activist nurses and doctors, and labor is endorsing guaranteed healthcare on the single-payer model.

Cross-posted at the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association's Breakroom Blog, as we organize to make 2007 the Year of GUARANTEED healthcare on the single-payer model.

The ads: The National Nurses Organizing Committee and Physicians for a National Health Program are launching a series of TV ads throughout the state starting today, timed to coincide with the Iowa appearance of the Democratic Presidential candidates in several forums this week, culminating in a joint appearance Sunday on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. The ads in turn focus on Edwards, Clinton, and Obama.

In the first ad, which begins running this morning, a cardboard stand-in for former Sen. John Edwards is asked "Why are we wasting thirty-one cents out of every healthcare dollar on administrative expenses?" by a small businessman. "Eliminate the middleman, make our businesses more competitive globally, and this country could afford healthcare for everyone."

"We need real reform that cuts out the profiteering insurance companies and drug companies and creates a single-payer program guaranteeing healthcare for ALL Americans. Where's the leadership on this, Senator Edwards?" the businessman asks.

The ad calls on viewers to "let the Democratic candidates for president know that real leadership on healthcare doesn't mean just being better than the Republicans."

Created by guru Bill Hillsman and North Woods Advertising, the ad can be seen on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNJTxRf6x 3Q .

Secondly, the Iowa AFL-CIO passed a resolution submitted by the Southern Iowa CLC and Hawkeye CLC endorsing HR 676.

The resolved reads: "That the fifty-first Convention of the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, hereby endorses HR 676, which would create a comprehensive single payer health care system in the US, by expanding a greatly improved Medicare system to every resident of the United States."

Do not underestimate the significance of the labor movement in this country increasingly supporting guaranteed healthcare--the system succeeding in every other industrialized democracy. It means that single-payer healthcare is the only proposal with an active constituency supporting it. Contrast that with the beleagured Schwarzenegger proposal in California...by attempting to band-aid the current insurance-driven healthcare system, he created a Rube Goldberg contraption with no natural constituency advocating for his proposal.

To join the fight for guaranteed healthcare (with a "Medicare for All" or SinglePayer financing), visit GuaranteedHealthcare.org, a project of the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association.

Tags: health care, IA, guaranteed health care, nurses, National Nurses Organizing Committee, single payer health insurance, Physicians for a National Health Program (all tags)

Permalink :: 3 Comments :: Post a Comment

Edwards would answer you by saying that (none / 0)

under his plan we wouldn't be wasting 31 cents on the dollar on administrative expensives.

In case your ad gurus aren't aware:

http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/heal th-care/20070614-health-care-costs/

Reforming the insurance industry by setting national accounting standards requiring insurers to spend at least 85 percent of their premiums on patient care. Without new rules, insurance companies could continue to charge hardworking families excessive premiums, pocketing the savings from health care reform instead of delivering more to patients. Edwards' Health Care Markets will also drive down costs by making private insurers compete with a public plan.

and the public plan element of course already has much less in administrative costs than 31 cents. If people want to eliminate the middle man, they can choose to do so.

by okamichan13 on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 03:54:17 PM EST

Re: Edwards would answer you by saying that (none / 0)

First of all, insurance industry accountants eat IRS agents for lunch every day. The 85% figure is a moving target at best...especially if you consider that Edwards' plan essentially leaves these corporate behemoths untouched. They're already the biggest lobbyists in DC, and if you don't try to push them out of business, their power will guy any incremental reforms you propose.

Secondly, the public element of his plan would operate at a significant disadvantage to the private plans it is supposed to compete with...the for-profit plans will find a way to dump sick patients (onerous paperwork, perhaps?), and cherry-pick the young, healthy ones. So the public would be on the hook for sick patients, without healthy ones to pay for them...a classic unstable risk pool.

Join the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee to fight for guaranteed, single-payer healthcare: www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org/blog

by California Nurses Shum on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 04:50:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You say it would operate at a disadvantage but (none / 0)

dont seem to base it on much. Onorous paperwork would work the same for everyone. And if the public plan is competitive and cheaper, the healthy people can certainly choose that.

But the greater point is that your ad seems to be a bit misleading. Focus on one part of Edwards plan (and dont get that right) and ignore the other parts. Thats not an honest debate.

by okamichan13 on Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 07:55:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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