Louisville, KY. On Wed., Jan. 20, 2021, Dr. Barbara Casper presented a virtual program on national single payer health care to residents in internal medicine.
She explained how an improved Medicare for All would cover everyone, remove financial barriers to patient care, save money, and allow physicians to practice their profession free from the control of insurance companies.
At least 32 participated in the slide presentation and the discussion that followed.
Eugene Shively, MD, Emeritus Professor of Surgery, University of Louisville
Published in the Courier-Journal 12/28/2020
In November, the Vermont Medical Society passed a resolution expressing its support for universal access to high quality health care through a single-payer national health program. On Dec. 10, the Congressional Budget Office reported that a single-payer health care system could cover everyone yet cost $650 billion less per year.
The Courier Journal reported on the impact of systemic racism on the health of African Americans. The 12 years of life lost to residents in the West End points to the dire need for quick and effective action. The solutions explored omit the most decisive one — the need for every person to have physicians of their choice and all necessary health care, free at the point of service.
Until age 65, Black people are 50% more likely to be uninsured than white people. Life expectancy at birth is 3.5 years shorter for Black people. And 86% of the difference in life expectancy is due to conditions that respond to medical treatment and prevention. Mortality rates quickly match across races after age 65 when everyone is covered by Medicare.
Getting everyone covered is vital — not a complete solution but a necessary foundation to tackle the problem.
The passage of Medicare in 1965 eliminated segregation in hospitals and helped end racial disparities for seniors. A universal, not-for-profit, single-payer system — an improved Medicare for all — will save millions of lives.
Kay Tillow, Louisville, 40208
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10b6JgRGo7n552bg6tlSMB-L7ZqbLlyFN/view?usp=sharing
In Kentucky, it can happen that a senior is denied a Medicare supplement (Medigap) insurance policy, or is charged more for such a policy, because of a pre-existing condition. Such discrimination isn’t right and should be illegal. In fact, four other states have passed laws that do not allow such practices. We must do the same.
(HB 97 was introduced into the KY House on Jan. 5, 2021, by Rep. Tom Burch. It was formerly BR 483.)
Find your representative and senator here.
You can leave a message for your representative and senator at 1-800-372-7181. If you do not know who they are, the operator will help you.
Article illustrating the problem:
Medicare Advantage Enrollees Discover Dirty Little Secret
— Getting out is a lot harder than getting in
by Cheryl Clark, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today
Further info: Kay Tillow, nursenpo@aol.com, 502 636 1551
The Vermont Medical Society (VMS) overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution supporting a single-payer national health program, also known as Medicare for All, at its annual meeting on Saturday, Nov. 7.
The VMS, which represents 2,400 Vermont physicians and physician assistants, is only the second state medical society in the U.S. after Hawaii to formally endorse a national single-payer health care program.
The VMS resolution was introduced by Dr. Jane Katz Field, a pediatrician and vice president of the Vermont chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (VTPNHP).
“The need for universal single-payer health care has never been more urgent,” said Dr. Katz Field. “Thirty million Americans were already uninsured before the COVID-19 pandemic, and millions more continue to lose coverage as they lose their jobs. Today the Vermont Medical Society recognizes the need to move away from a broken health system that ties health care to employment, and towards a system of equitable and universal coverage.”
Support of a single-payer, national health program
As adopted at the VMS Annual Meeting on November 7, 2020
BE IT RESOLVED that the Vermont Medical Society express its support for universal access to comprehensive, affordable, high-quality health care through a single-payer national health program; and be it further
RESOLVED that the Vermont Medical Society will support a national health program provided it meets these core criteria and principles:
a) Promotes universal, equitable coverage for all US residents (regardless of immigration status);
b) Provides comprehensive and high quality coverage for all medically necessary or appropriate services, including inpatient and outpatient hospital care, primary and preventive care, long-term care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, dental, vision, audiology, prescription drug and medical devices, comprehensive reproductive care (including maternity and newborn care, and abortion),
c) Prioritizes affordability for all, including: no cost sharing ( no premiums, copays or deductibles), a ban on investor-owned health care facilities, and prescription drug prices to be negotiated directly with manufacturers;
d) Reimburses physicians and health care practitioners in amounts that are sufficient, fair, predictable, transparent and sustainable, while incentivizing primary care;
e) Allows for collective participation by physicians and other practitioners in negotiating rates and program policies;
f) Promotes global operating budgets for hospitals, nursing homes and other providers. Continues to move away from fee-for-service reimbursement models to more flexible payment models that incentivize better outcomes and more coordinated care;
g) Allocates capital funds for hospitals separately from operating budgets;
h) Eliminates the role of private health insurance companies, thereby greatly reducing administrative costs and burdens on clinicians;
i) Allocates funding for graduate medical education that assures adequate supply of generalists and specialists
j) Reforms medical school costs to reduce the amount of debt recent graduates face;
k) Protects the rights of healthcare and insurance workers with guaranteed retraining and job placement;
l) Provides high quality software (EMRs) developed in public sector and provided free to all practitioners;
m) Creates a legal environment that fosters high quality patient care and relieves clinicians from practicing defensive medicine; and
n) Is funded through a publicly financed system, based on combining administrative savings and the current sources of public funding, with modest new taxes based on individual’s ability to pay
Christine Perlin-Gump, Louisville activist for peace and social justice, passed away on November 19, 2020. She is survived by her husband Michael, her son Max of Lexington, and her daughter Rina of Louisville. Christine loved her job as interpreter and attended classes every day to assist Spanish-speaking students in understanding and communicating.
Several years ago Christine joined Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care, enthusiastically jumping into the work to bring the struggle to the broader public. She was elected to leadership as a member of the KSPH steering committee. She led power-point presentations to teach single payer in every venue possible–even once in a noisy bar. She rode her bike to dozens of festivals where she staffed booths, explained the issues endlessly, and persuaded people to sign petitions. Christine was courageous, energetic, full of fun, and creative. She dressed up in Irish attire to help carry the banner in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, stuffed endless envelopes, and led educational discussions.
In 2018, Christine wrote, produced, and directed a health care skit that was performed on the sidewalk in front of the Humana Headquarters in downtown Louisville.
When Kentuckians sat-in at the office of Senator Mitch McConnell to stop further destruction of health care, Christine was there, proudly demanding health care justice and ending up with a citation from Homeland Security that accused her and others of “failure to comply.”
Christine was not afraid to take a stand. Her inspiration and work will continue in those she touched. Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care will honor her memory.
The notice in the Courier-Journal is at this link.
“What is Single Payer and Why Do We Have to Have it?” with Kay Tillow
Gun Violence as a Public Health Issue, Dr. Keith Miller, Dr. Mike Flynn, Dr. Eugene Shively
Medical Bankruptcy for those with insurance, Matt Fentress, Dr. Barbara Casper, Kay Tillow
Dr. Susan G. Bornstein, Dr. Eugene Shively, Dr. Mike Flynn discuss health care reform
Dr. Wayne Tuckson speaks of Racism in Health Care with Dr. Eugene Shively and Dr. Mike Flynn
– – – – – –
Please listen and share on Facebook and social media! Our thanks to Mark McKinley who makes the shows happen.
All the single payer programs are archived here: https://www.forwardradio.org/singlepayerradio
Health Care and the Senate Race
As the November election nears, television viewers across Kentucky are subjected to dueling campaign ads approved by Sen. Mitch McConnell and Amy McGrath. For voters, health care is a crucial issue, especially due to the spread of COVID-19, job loss and threats to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While the need for care and coverage has escalated, “ability to pay” remains a barrier. for the insured, the costs of premiums, deductibles and prescriptions are rising.
Ironically, while sniping at each other, our Kentucky senatorial candidates reveal they agree on the path to meaningful reform. Each cites the other’s past comments in favor of health care for all. Amy refers to a 1990 clip of Mitch saying he will “make sure healh care is available to all Kentucky families.” A 2020 McConnell ad features Amy favoring “single payer.” Obviously, each candidate understands what sort of health reform legislation our country needs.
I am a member of Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care, which does not endorse candidates. I urge Mitch and Amy to study the systems of other advanced democracies, to listen to common sense and conscience, to advocate for universal single-payer Medicare for All.
Harriette Seiler, Louisville 40207
Hear Dr. Wayne Tuckson discuss inequities and racism in health care.
Listen to the podcasts of Single Payer Radio here.
Each program is aired three times during the week on Monday at 2:00 pm, Tuesday at 7:00 am, and Wednesday at 11:00 am.
You can listen to all the Single Payer programs at this link: https://www.forwardradio.org/singlepayerradio
In a television ad repeated incessantly, 60’s quarterback star Joe Namath reads his lines to promote the Medicare Coverage Helpline. “Are you getting all the benefits you deserve?” He ticks off the new benefits. You may be able to lower your out of pocket costs and get extra benefit now, he says.
The ad announces that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has officially authorized new benefits that Medicare Advantage Plans may include. “One simple call gives you free, professional assistance to help you get more benefits and save money,” says Namath. It sounds like a public service announcement from Medicare.
But it isn’t. It’s a pitch to sign up in the privatized, for-profit Medicare Advantage plans—and it’s a scam. It is true that a person may be able to lower monthly costs by enrolling in one of these plans. That’s a powerful incentive in a time when the majority of seniors live on tight budgets, many just an inch from disaster. The laws and regulations allow these insurance companies to lure seniors away from traditional Medicare, and Congresspersons of both parties should be held responsible.
Full story: