Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Single-payer health reform

A reader sends the following:
Saturday, September 13th, in Albany, we will launch Single Payer New York, a grassroots coalition of organizations and individuals to work together in New York state for single-payer health reform, both state and federal. An amazing diversity of single-payer advocates have responded with plans to attend.

"The Truth about Healthcare Road Show" will start the day. Donna Smith will speak at 10 am. It will be the 9th of 10 traveling meetings across New York State
. . .
A panel discussion Saturday morning, concluding at noon, will include Dr. Mary O'Brien, Mike Keenan, Don Bechler, Jackie Wolf and Diane Stein, Dr. Paul Sorum and Ryan McIntyre (AMC '11).

Dr. Mary O'Brien will speak. Her new book "10 Excellent Reasons for National Healthcare," co-edited with Dr. Martha Livingston, has just been released.
. . .
The New York State AFL-CIO convention in August voted unanimously to endorse HR 676. Mike Keenan, President of the Troy Area Labor Council, will also speak on labor and single payer.
. . .
The meeting will be hosted by medical students from Student Perspectives and Activism and Physicians for a National Health Program. We look forward to participation from students from other medical schools too. Nurses and doctors will participate in the meeting, with the New York State Nurses Association and Physicians for a National Health Program well-represented. Labor leaders and activists will be coming from across New York State as will faith-based advocates. Interest is building and we expect participants from Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca, Binghamton, Schenectady, Saratoga, Kingston, Sullivan County, Long Island and New York City, and other places across the state!
. . .
The afternoon sessions on Saturday, from 1 to 4pm, will convene activists to set forth a grassroots organizing strategy, for geographic outreach, legislative action and working with different constituent groups to build an unbeatable movement for single-payer health reform.

Saturday September 13th
SINGLE PAYER NEW YORK
10am to 4pm
43 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY
Albany Medical College
Building ME Room 700

Free Parking in the Blue Lot directly in front of the medical school.