Congressional Hearing to Consider Single-Payer Healthcare

[John Q. Citizen]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/9/740507/-Congressional-Hearing-to-Consider-Single-Payer-Healthcare

by National Nurses Movement

Tue Jun 09, 2009 at 12:51:45 PM PDT

The official silence on Capitol Hill on single payer -- at least in the House -- is ending.

Thanks to the ongoing pressure and dedication of single payer activists across the country, who the Washington Post noted this past weekend, "have spent months hounding Democratic lawmakers and organizing demonstrations, including one that resulted in 13 arrests at a Senate hearing last month," a Congressional committee will for the first time in the current proceedings on healthcare reform, hold a public hearing on single payer Wednesday.

The hearing, "Exploring the Single Payer Option," will be held on Wednesday, June 10 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 2175 in the Rayburn House Office Building by the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions.

* National Nurses Movement's diary :: ::
*

That's a subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee, which is chaired by Rep. George Miller, one of the most influential members of the House and one of 75 co-sponsors of the House single payer bill, HR 676.

Geri Jenkins, RN, a co-president of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, and Dr. Marcia Angell and Dr. Walter Tsou of Physicians for a National Health Program are among the expected witnesses.

more...

[slipslidingaway]

1. Thread on today's short hearing...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5817233&mesg_id=5817233

Started at 10:30 recessed at 11:45 for votes, resumed at 12:30 and then ended at 1:00.

http://edlabor.house.gov/hearings/2009/06/examining-the-single-payer-hea.shtml

[Cleita]

2. If anybody knows how to get a pod cast of the second hour of the

Ed Schultz show, it has a woman caller who is so impassioned about how people in her town are dying from lack of health care, she had the substitute host, filling in for Ed, who went to Washington to interview Nancy Pelo$i, in tears. Honestly, I hope this can be captured on YouTube or somewhere, and played all over the internet. It's the most powerful reason why we need real health care in this country. Written words can't describe what she said over the air waves. It needs to be put out there all over the place.

She talked about her friend who recently died of cancer because she couldn't afford health care. She talked about the Medicaid system that let's them down (Medicaid, not Medicare). She was really a powerful voice from a working class person.

[slipslidingaway]

3. Witness list and statements...

http://edlabor.house.gov/hearings/2009/06/examining-the-single-payer-hea.shtml

Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Hearing
10:30 AM, June 10, 2009
2175 Rayburn H.O.B
Washington, DC


Archived Webcast »

Rep. Robert Andrews (NJ) Opening Statement »


Witnesses:

U.S. Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) »


Marcia Angell, M.D »

Senior Lecturer in Social Medicine

Harvard Medical School

Boston, Massachusetts


David Gratzer »

Senior Fellow

Manhattan Institute


Geri Jenkins, R.N. »

Co-President

California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee

San Diego, CA


Walter Tsou, M.D., M.P.H. »

National Board Advisor

Physicians for a National Health Program

Philadelphia, PA