Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane."
-------------Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.
Tired of the talk about healthcare reform? Ever have a problem with health insurance (or lack thereof)? Want to do something? June 19th you can. There will be demonstrations in front of insurance companies all over the country on that day challenging their control of our healthcare system and demanding instead, a guaranteed national single payer healthcare system. You can join with thousands of others around the country for the National Day of Action Against Health Insurance Companies in taking action to win a guaranteed national single-payer healthcare system with no financial barriers to care in 2009.
Below are the cities and contact emails where demonstrations are already being planned for June 19th.
San Francisco, Mosconi Center, dbechler@value.net; bill gallagher bgallagher@calnurses.org
Philadelphia and Camden, Cigna, Tom Knoche knocheberg@aol.com
Pittsburgh Highmark/Blue Cross/ Blue Shield-- Sandy Fox sm2fox@yahoo.com
Minnetonka, MN, United Health Care-- Ann Patterson, ann_p11@yahoo.com and Joel Clemmer, joel@joelclemmer.org
Oklahoma City, Blue Cross/Blue Shield -- Reggie Cervantes clipedwingangel@yahoo.com
Louisville, KY, Humana-- Kay Tillow, nursenpo@aol.com
Gainesville, Florida-- Mark Piotrowski, markp@floridalaborparty.org
Hartford, CT Aetna/Hartford, Lucille Rosenblatt, IIrosenblatt@comcast.net.
Chicago, IL Blue Cross/Blue Shield -- Jill nolachicago@gmail.com and Donna Smith, dsmith1119@hotmail.com
Indianapolis, IN, Wellpoint-- Cindy Calley, home@calleys.org
San Antonio, TX, Humana Insurance Co, 6:00 p.m.-- Jane Lee Cantu, janelee@satx.rr.com
Newark, NJ, Blue Cross -- Ray Stever rayiuc@aol.com
Atlanta, Blue Cross/Blue Shield-- Margie Rece msrece@yahoo.com
New York City: Billy Wharton,Email: noprivatization@yahoo.com
Phone: (718) 869-2279 Rally at the GHI office (34th & 9th) and march to United Healthcare (33rd and 8th Ave)
St. Louis, MO. Julia Lamborne, Julia0409@aol.com
Albany, NY, Leo O'Brien Federal Building at 5 p.m. The sponsor: the Capital District Coalition-- contact : Mike Keenan;mikekeenan@pefencon.info
Boston, Contact Rand Wilson-- rand@mindspring.com
For more information email info@healthcare-now.org.
I got to tell you the opportunity to take on the health insurance moguls head on sound not only like a good thing, but damn fun to boot. How many have suffered and died for no real reason except to line these bastards pockets?
You and I both know that we can't count on the pols to do the job for us (hell they've been talking about universal health care since Truman). It never works that way. It takes mass action to get anything done in this country of ours.
We don't need some scheme developed out of conversations with health insurance executives. We need a single payer system right now. That won't come from sitting down at the table and chatting. That will come when the people in their millions finally stand up and scream, "We're sick and tired of being sick and tired."
June 19ths action sounds like one place to start.
The following call to action comes from the California Nurses Association.
Healthcare Activists Plan June 19th as National Day of Action Against Health Insurance Companies
Thousands to Gather in San Francisco and Around Country as 38,000 Insurance Industry Executives Meet for Annual AHIP Convention
Nurses, Doctors, Patients, Consumer Activists Call for Guaranteed, Single-Payer Healthcare—“Patients Not Profits”
Seeking an end to the healthcare crisis that is destroying American lives and families, thousands of healthcare activists will descend on San Francisco and on cities around the country this June 19th as part of an unprecedented national day of protests against health insurance corporations—and in support of guaranteed, single-payer healthcare, the “Medicare for All” system succeeding in nearly every other industrialized democracy. The protests will demand a healthcare system focused on patients, not profits, and are being coordinated by the Leadership Conference on Guaranteed Healthcare, a coalition group representing hundreds of thousands of members. Learn more at www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org.
The national day of action is timed in conjunction with the annual convention of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the insurance industry lobbying group dedicated to blocking healthcare reform. Cities that headquarter major health insurance companies will host local actions as part of the national day of protest. Activists are planning events in Chicago, the base of Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Philadelphia, base of CIGNA; Hartford, base of AETNA; Louisville, KY, base of Humana; Minnetonka, MN, base of United Health Group, and elsewhere.
WHAT: Thousands Protest Insurance Companies in San Francisco, nationwide
WHEN: Thursday, June 19th, 12 Noon
WHERE: San Francisco, CA—4th St. @ Howard St.
The Leadership Conference on Guaranteed Healthcare is composed of California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), Physicians for a National Health Program, Healthcare Now!, and Progressive Democrats of America, working in coalition with the California School Employees Association, the American Medical Students Association, the California Universal Healthcare Organizing Project, the Courage Campaign, United Educators San Francisco, AFT 2121-4, and Senior Action Network.
Malinda Markowitz, RN, a member of the Council of Presidents of CNA/NNOC said, “We are calling a national protest against these insurance companies because they profit by denying care to our patients—not by providing it. The American people are ready for guaranteed healthcare, through great bills like Rep. John Conyer’s HR 676, and we will no longer let insurers and politicians block progress and maintain an unworkable status quo.”
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