WASHINGTON - July 28 -

WHAT: The former personal physician to President Obama will lead more than one thousand nurses, doctors, seniors, and healthcare advocates July 30th in marking the birthday of Medicare, and toasting the success of a "uniquely American" healthcare solution.  Similar events are occurring at the district offices of senators and representatives across the country.

The healthcare advocates will celebrate in Upper Senate Park, and then fan out across Capitol Hill with birthday cakes to make the point that we already have a unique American solution to our healthcare crisis, Medicare, which should be improved and expanded to all Americans.  That elegant solution—called the "single-payer model"—is succeeding around the world and is being sponsored in Congress by Rep. John Conyers (HR676) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (S703), with a companion amendment to HR3200 offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, that would allow experimentation with state-based single-payer systems.

WHO: Sponsored by the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Healthcare, including the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, Physicians for a National Health Program, Progressive Democrats of America, and Healthcare Now.

WHEN: Thursday, July 30th, 1 p.m.

WHERE: Upper Senate Park, Constitution Ave. b/w Delaware and New Jersey Aves, Washington, D.C.

WHY: "We know how to provide healthcare in this country and we know how to fix our healthcare crisis.  We’re celebrating Medicare's birthday because it is the unique American solution to our healthcare problems—and we're going to take the opportunity to remind Congress of this," said Geri Jenkins, RN, co-President of the National Nurse Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association.  "Unfortunately, the debate in Congress, and much of the delivery of medicine in this nation, has been hijacked by the health insurance industry, and its army of lobbyists, who don't care about patients, and only care about maximizing corporate profits.  Only a recommitment to Medicare can change that."