Make Single-Payer Part of Senate Roundtable Discussions

by Jeffrey Muckensturm

Published April 28, 2009 @ 10:27AM PT

We need your help getting a single-payer supporter into Senate Finance Committee roundtable discussions on healthcare reform.

The Finance Committee (Led by Sen. Max Baucus - MT) is holding three roundtable discussions on healthcare reform in the coming weeks.

The first discussion, titled "Reforming America's Health Care Delivery System," on April 21st, had thirteen witnesses.

Aetna was there. Blue Cross Blue Shield was there. But not one single-payer supporter was invited.

This is unacceptable. We need to make sure our representatives respond to the demands of the people. Together, let's put the Senate Finance Committee to the test and demand they include single-payer experts at the upcoming Roundtable discussions on health reform.

The next two discussions are on May 5th ("Increasing access to health care coverage") and May 14th ("Financing comprehensive health care reform").

The following Senators are in the Finance Committee. Please, only contact your Senator, and ask them to invite a single-payer supporter to these discussions (sample script and email below). They only want to hear from their constituents.

• Arkansas: Blanche Lincoln - (202)-224-4843 - Email
• Delaware: Thomas Carper - (202) 224-2441 - Email
• Florida: Bill Nelson - (202) 224-5274 - Email
• Massachusetts: John Kerry - (202) 224-2742 - Email
• Michigan: Debbie Stabenow - (202) 224-4822 - Email
• Montana: Sen. Max Baucus - (202) 224-2651 - Email
• New Jersey: Robert Menendez - (202) 224-4744 - Email
• New Mexico: Jeff Bingaman - (202) 224-5521 - Email
• New York: Charles Schumer - (202) 224-6542 - Email
• North Dakota: Kent Conrad - (202) 224-2043 - Email
• Oregon: Ron Wyden - (202) 224-5244 - Email
• Washington: Maria Cantwell - 202-224-3441 - Email
• West Virginia: Jay Rockefeller - (202) 224-6472 - Email

Here is a sample letter or call script:

Dear Senator _______:

I am writing to you concerning the upcoming Senate Finance Committee (of which you are a member) roundtable discussions on healthcare reform being held on May 5th and May 14th.

I think you would agree that is very important these discussions include all healthcare reform points of view. So I was disappointed to see that the first roundtable discussion on April 21st did not include a proponent of national, single-payer healthcare.

National, single-payer healthcare is the only reform option that will both provide universal coverage, and contain skyrocketing healthcare costs. The majority of Americans and physicians support a national health insurance program like improved Medicare for everyone.

So I'm asking that you please invite a representative from Physicians for a National Health Program or the California Nurses Association to the next two roundtable discussions on May 5th and May 14th. You can call PNHP at 312-782-6006 or email them at info@pnhp.org. You can call CNA at 510-273-2200 or email them at govrelations@calnurses.org.

Single-payer experts from these can provide expert testimony to the effects single-payer will have on both access and financing. These voices must be heard.

Thank you for your time and attention on this very important issue.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME HERE]
[CITY, STATE, ZIP]

These campaigns have proven to work. On April 23rd Dr. Himmelstein (PNHP) was invited to testify before the HELP Subcommittee because of public pressure to include single-payer points of view.