The People Give Congress a Taste of Managed Care's Bitter Medicine

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and allied organizations in support of HR 676, United States National Health Care Act or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act,
today are giving Congress a dose of the reality millions face daily as
they urge citizens to fax to Congress their health insurance bills or
letters of denial of coverage.

"The injustice in our health care system must end, and Congress must
act now for real health care reform," said PDA National Director Tim
Carpenter. "The current healthcare system in the U.S. is doing serious
damage to the physical and financial health of millions of Americans.
The solution is not to subsidize an expansion of the current
dysfunctional system. That will just lead to more back-breaking bills
and more letters of denial. If Congress is serious about health reform,
they will support HR 676, the single-payer solution."

Originally introduced in the last session of Congress and
reintroduced in the 111th Congress, HR 676 has 65 co-signers and is
gaining more sponsors each week. The bill, authored by Rep. John
Conyers (D-MI) is the focus of a large grassroots effort led by The
California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee,
Physicians for a National Health Program, Healthcare NOW!, Unions for
Single-payer Health Care, and the Progressive Democrats of America, the
convening organizations of the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed
Healthcare.

"A single-payer system, as has been clearly shown in other
countries, is the only practical way to provide health care to all
citizens while keeping costs under control," said Carpenter. "There is
tremendous grassroots support for this approach, and we're going to
make Congress aware of that fact."

Also tomorrow, PDA will be participating with other HR 676 advocates
for a "Health Insurance NO! Healthcare YES!" rally outside a policy
forum staged by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

"AHIP is the trade group that develops the policies which keep profit
first in our healthcare system while leaving over a third of the
population uninsured or with completely inadequate coverage," Carpenter
noted.

The rally will begin tomorrow at 11 a.m. outside the Ritz Carlton Washington D.C., where the forum is being held. Details here.