Heads up: 1. Our bills, HB129 and SB 1269 to fund the Hawaii Health Authority have still not been scheduled for a hearing. 2. The 'Abolish the HHA' bill, sponsored by Governor David Ige​ IS scheduled for a hearing this Friday, February 10, at 8:30 am, at the capitol. If you can show up in person to testify against it, please do so. Otherwise, please go on www.capitol.hawaii.gov, sign up, and submit testimony against the bill via the 'submit testimony' button. The committee chair has the right to decline to hear the bill. That is how bills are killed. The committee chairs in both chambers have declined to have meetings with us, but they have scheduled a hearing on sb 977 and hb 1111, which 'Abolishes the HHA.' We need everyone who wants to fix health care to submit testimony against SB 977. Here is the link, but, you have to make an account before you can submit testimony: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=977&year=2017 Next, if you are a 'Health Care Warrior,' please contact the two primary people who can decide to hear our 'Fix Health Care' bill, or not to. The health committee chair: Senator Baker , Rosalyn H. (D) Hawaii State Capitol, Room 230 Phone 808-586-6070 Fax 808-586-6071 E-Mail: senbaker@Capitol.hawaii.gov S District 6 South and West Maui and, Representative Belatti , Della Au (D) Hawaii State Capitol, Room 402 Phone 808-586-9425 Fax 808-586-9431 E-Mail: repbelatti@Capitol.hawaii.gov H District 24 Makiki, Tantalus, Papakolea, McCully, Pawaa, Manoa Call them both. Email them both. ***With respect.*** With a simple and, ideally, less than two paragraph message: For example, Dear Senator Baker, Please schedule a hearing for the Hawaii Health Authority, HHA, bill, SB1269. It is of utmost importance that with so much unpredictability facing us with healthcare, having our funds threatened on a national level and given our local problems of solvency in the healthcare industry, that we keep all our options on the table to deliberate, this session. This bill provides a model by which all of Hawaii's people could be covered, and since it supports an institution (the HHA) which has already been established by law to plan comprehensive care, we, the residents of Hawaii, deserve a chance to examine this bill and its merits along with whatever other proposals are on the table. PLEASE GIVE US A CHANCE TO TESTIFY AND FOR YOU TO WEIGH THE CONSIDERATIONS BY HEARING THIS MEASURE. This sample is written by our star word smith Daria Fand; feel free to use it, or to rephrase in your own words. Dear Representative Belatti, Please schedule a hearing for the Hawaii health Authority bill, HHA, HB 129 You can add your own reasons for why. My personal reasons are: 1. 47% of doctors in Hawaii refuse to accept Medicare, resulting in seniors having to wait a very long time to be taken care of. 2. Health Care in Hawaii costs too much. Way too much. We pay far too much for health care. Employers and individuals can't afford it, and if we just adopted a simpler Health Care system, which the HHA can design, then we won't have to over spend. Universal Health Care will save money for everyone, including the state. ***The insurance companies will lose 70% to 80% of the administrative bureaucracy which accounts for 35% of health care spending in the USA.*** 3. Many people go medically bankrupt if they get a serious illness. The co-pays and deductibles become far too expensive for people with serious illnesses, resulting in an epidemic, nation wide, of medical bankruptcies. Here is a thought to consider when submitting your testimony: LIST PERSONAL STORY OF PAIN UNDER CURRENT SYSTEM, AND HOW UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE, AS STRUCTURED BY THE HHA, WOULD PROVIDE A SOLUTION Your story matters. Your life matters. Share your story and share your thoughts about health care with the people mentioned above, and with your own district officials. This is a very late appeal: If the hearings don't get scheduled soon, the 'deadline to schedule' will have passed. I'm urging you to do two things: 1. Contact the health chairs and ask them to schedule a hearing for HB129 and SB 1269. 2. Sign up for an account on the capitol web site and submit 'I oppose' testimony for the bills to Abolish the HHA, SB 977 and HB 1111. Thank you! #hawaii #hawaiihealthcare #singlepayerhawaii #universalhealthcarehawaii #universalhealthcare #hawaiihealthauthority #civilbeat Honolulu Civil Beat​ Honolulu Star-Advertiser​ #hawaiiforbernie #ourrevolutionhawaii Please check this sample of 'how to write oppose Abolish Hawaii Health Authority' testimony: In OPPOSITION of SB977 Aloha Chair Baker, Chair Keith-Aragon, and Committee Members, [Choose ONE: A-E] A) My name is [NAME] and I am from [PLACE OF RESIDENCE]. I am writing to you today in strong opposition to SB977, repealing the Hawaii Health Authority (HHA). The HHA was entered in to law to prepare a comprehensive health plan to cover all residents in Hawaii. Given the recent events in Washington regarding health care, now more than ever, we should be supporting the research and construction of a plan that will do the most good for our people. B) My name is [NAME] and I live in [PLACE OF RESIDENCE]. I would like to state my strong opposition to SB977, which would repeal the Hawaii Health Authority (HHA). From my understanding the HHA was created to find a cost effective way to provide health coverage for everyone that calls Hawaii home. I am opposed to any measures which would seek to abolish a body which is tasked with saving money and helping people in such a manner. C) My name is [NAME] and I am from [PLACE OF RESIDENCE]. I strongly oppose SB977, dissolving the Hawaii Health Authority (HHA). Due to the volatile nature of what is occurring at the federal-level, I believe that we should revitalize the HHA and enable it to prepare a comprehensive plan at the state-level. Health care is too important to so many. By repealing the HRS statute for the HHA, is seems as though Hawaii is willing to play “fast and loose” with people’s health and lives. D) My name is [NAME] and I am a resident in [PLACE OF RESIDENCE]. I would like to urge you to join me in opposition to SB977. Repealing the Hawaii Health Authority (HHA) before it was ever properly implemented, and not allowing the HHA to prepare a comprehensive plan is only to the detriment of Hawaii citizens at large. With Congress at the federal-level trying to negatively impact our health care coverage, it is up to states to research and address health care for its constituents. This should not be done without a proper study to that effect. E) My name is [NAME] and I am from [PLACE OF RESIDENCE]. I am testifying in opposition to SB977, repealing the Hawaii Health Authority (HHA). I would ask for the State Congress to support the people where the Federal Congress has not. The HHA is the state authority in the Hawaii Revised Statute whom is tasked with finding a way to provided health care to all of the state’s residents. Repealing this statute would be detrimental to moving Hawaii forward. [ENTER PERSONAL EFFECT PARAGRAPH – 100 WORDS OR LESS] [CHOOSE 1-3] 1) I urge you to vote ‘NO’ on SB977. Thank you very much for this opportunity to provide testimony on this important issue. 2) Please vote ‘NO’ on SB977. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony, health care is an important issue. 3) Thank you for providing me the opportunity to testify and for taking the time to read my testimony. Please vote no on SB977. Thank you! Lets take massive citizens action and fix health care in Hawaii! www.healthcareforall-hawaii.com