Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate

Access to State Groups for Health Care for All with Single-Payer

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:59:05 EDT

FYI --- Access to the individual state groups for
Health Care for All with Non-Profit Single-Payer National Health Insurance

LINK TO STATE GROUPS -- INCLUDING DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
============================================

<Link> ALABAMA
<Link> ALASKA
<Link> ARIZONA
<Link> ARKANSAS
<Link> CALIFORNIA
<Link> COLORADO
<Link> CONNECTICUT
<Link> DELAWARE
<Link> DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
<Link> FLORIDA
<Link> GEORGIA
<Link> HAWAII
<Link> IDAHO
<Link> ILLINOIS
<Link> INDIANA
<Link> IOWA
<Link> KANSAS
<Link> KENTUCKY
<Link> LOUISIANA
<Link> MAINE
<Link> MARYLAND
<Link> MASSACHUSETTS
<Link> MICHIGAN
<Link> MINNESOTA
<Link> MISSISSIPPI
<Link> MISSOURI
<Link> MONTANA
<Link> NEBRASKA
<Link> NEVADA
<Link> NEW HAMPSHIRE
<Link> NEW JERSEY
<Link> NEW MEXICO
<Link> NEW YORK
<Link> NORTH CAROLINA
<Link> NORTH DAKOTA
<Link> OHIO
<Link> OKLAHOMA
<Link> OREGON
<Link> PENNSYLVANIA
<Link> RHODE ISLAND
<Link> SOUTH CAROLINA
<Link> SOUTH DAKOTA
<Link> TENNESSEE
<Link> TEXAS
<Link> UTAH
<Link> VERMONT
<Link> VIRGINIA
<Link> WASHINGTON
<Link> WEST VIRGINIA
<Link> WISCONSIN
<Link> WYOMING

To All of My New Friends

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:03:32 EST

I just accepted a large backlog of Friend Requests.

You are all invited to Join at

www.99oh9.org which is also accessible at

www.healthcareforallnow.org

Whatever you do: REMEMBER THIS ...

======================================

     Barack Obama said VERY clearly to a reporter on 4/3/2007
     what he requires ... that U.S. citizens must
   establish a mandate for health care policy in order for him
     to support that policy. He had just come out of a meeting during
     which he received VERY clear statements about what the U.S.
     citizens want: single-payer national health insurance.

     During that same meeting he specifically said how to establish
   the policy that we want: a thousand to two thousand letters from
     EACH U.S. Congressional District.

     With Kucinich out of the picture many of those votes will go to Hillary
   Clinton because people think that she is the one who knows how to
   get to the health care policy that is good for the United States. We need
     to write our letters ---- actually just a note would be perfect ----.
     You can do that at the Notes and Votes campaign.

www.99oh9.org/Write

======================================

All the best for your health and your health care,

Bob Haiducek

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join state group

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:09:17 EDT

This blog posting is set up for comments at 10 state groups: Alabama through Georgia, whose citizens are invited to join their state's Barack Obama group that supports single-payer national health insurance.

Fact - Health care is #1 for many. Many Americans have health care as their #1 domestic issue. Some polls indicate that it's #1; others show it #2 after the economy.

Fact - Americans Want Single-Payer. Over half of Americans want single-payer national health insurance and are getting more more and more solid in their position. Why? Because more and more education is occurring. Example: a new web site is currently starting up that has gotten excellent reviews: www.99oh9.org

What Single-Payer is and our support for it.
- U.S. House Resolution 676
- Web site www.99oh9.org --> See Will of the People and Learn.

Fact - In September Clinton and Edwards Declared Opposition to What Americans Want. On September 20, 2007, Clinton and Edwards set their positions in concrete against single-payer, at least for the foreseeable future.

Fact - Obama Could Change His Position to Single-Payer. Obama has the flexibility to change his health care proposal to single-payer.

Fact - Obama Requires Voter Mandate. Obama communicated on 4-3-2007 in New Hampshire that voters must establish a mandate to the U.S. Congress that single-payer is to become law. Why? Because it's a signficant change to the U.S. financing of health care, and he wants voters to communicate their support and establish the mandate.

Fact - Obama is Consistent. He frequently calls for citizens to be involved with the political process. His requirement for a voter mandate on health care policy is an example.

Fact - Obama Suggested Letter-Writing. On the same date of 4-3-07, during his New Hampshire community meeting on health care, Obama suggested that voters can establish the health care policy mandate by writing one thousand to two thousand (personally-composed) letters in most or all of the 435 U.S. Congressional Districts.

Fact - Help for Note-Wrting and E-Mailing (and calling on the phone) is Available. The writing and sending of notes is very well supported by going to "How to Write and Send Notes". Even stationery is provided by printing a web page or downloading a file. SO --- if you are ready to act, then select that link and also join your state's group.

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Link to Index of State Groups << You are invited to Join Your State Group.

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Take care of yourself,

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine!

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join the D.C. group

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:08:11 EDT

This blog post is specifically for the District of Columbia, whose citizens are invited to join their Barack Obama group that supports single-payer national health insurance.

Fact - Health care is #1 for many. Many Americans have health care as their #1 domestic issue. Some polls indicate that it's #1; others show it #2 after the economy.

What Single-Payer is and our support for it.
- U.S. House Resolution 676
- Web site www.99oh9.org --> See Will of the People and Learn.

Fact - In September Clinton and Edwards Declared Opposition to What Americans Want. On September 20 Clinton and Edwards set their positions in concrete against single-payer, at least for the foreseeable future.

Fact - Obama Could Change His Position to Single-Payer. Obama has the flexibility to change his health care proposal to single-payer.

Fact - Obama is Consistent. He frequently calls for citizens to be involved with the political process. His requirement for a voter mandate on health care policy is an example.

Fact - Help for Note-Wrting is Available. The writing and sending of notes is very well supported by going to "How to Write and Send Notes". Even stationery is provided by printing a web page or downloading a file. SO --- if you are ready to act, then select that link and also join your state's group.

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Facts regarding HILLARY CLINTON

Although I don't have a reference for this one, my wife and I will never forget what Senator Clinton said in a speech in late 2006. What she said went something like this: "If there's anything that I learned from 1993-1994 about health care policy, it's this: the health insurance companies must be included." Sorry, Hillary, that is the wrong answer to our health care financing problems! Better yet, see the following addition from see Julia of California ... an additional FACT about Hillary Clinton below! It's even better information!

From Julia of California ...
FACT - Hillary Clinton has failed at health care when she had a democratic congress, senate, and married to the president.

We can't afford to let her fail again. America NEEDS healthcare.

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Link to further reading about the September 20 debate and April 3 meeting.

Take care of yourself,

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine!

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:03:31 EDT

This blog posting is set up for comments at 10 state groups: South Dakota through Wyoming, whose citizens are invited to join their state's Barack Obama group that supports single-payer national health insurance.

Fact - Health care is #1 for many. Many Americans have health care as their #1 domestic issue. Some polls indicate that it's #1; others show it #2 after the economy.

Fact - Americans Want Single-Payer. The roughly two-thirds of Americans who want single-payer national health insurance are getting more more and more solid in their position. Why? Because more and more education is occurring. Example: a new web site is currently starting up that has gotten excellent reviews: www.99oh9.org

What Single-Payer is and our support for it.
- U.S. House Resolution 676
- Web site www.99oh9.org --> See Will of the People and Learn.

Fact - Obama Could Change His Position to Single-Payer. Obama has the flexibility to change his health care proposal to single-payer.

Fact - Obama is Consistent. He frequently calls for citizens to be involved with the political process. His requirement for a voter mandate on health care policy is an example.

Fact - Help for Letter-Wrting is Available. The writing and sending of letters is very well supported by going to "How to Write and Send Letters". Even stationery is provided by printing a web page or downloading a file. SO --- if you are ready to act, then select that link and also join your state's group.

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Facts regarding HILLARY CLINTON

FACT - Hillary Clinton has failed at health care when she had a democratic congress, senate, and married to the president.

We can't afford to let her fail again. America NEEDS healthcare.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link to further reading about the September 20 debate and April 3 meeting.

Take care of yourself,

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine!

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:02:22 EDT

This blog posting is set up for comments at 10 state groups: New Mexico through South Carolina, whose citizens are invited to join their state's Barack Obama group that supports single-payer national health insurance.

Fact - Health care is #1 for many. Many Americans have health care as their #1 domestic issue. Some polls indicate that it's #1; others show it #2 after the economy.

What Single-Payer is and our support for it.
- U.S. House Resolution 676
- Web site www.99oh9.org --> See Will of the People and Learn.

Fact - Obama Could Change His Position to Single-Payer. Obama has the flexibility to change his health care proposal to single-payer.

Fact - Obama is Consistent. He frequently calls for citizens to be involved with the political process. His requirement for a voter mandate on health care policy is an example.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Facts regarding HILLARY CLINTON

FACT - Hillary Clinton has failed at health care when she had a democratic congress, senate, and married to the president.

We can't afford to let her fail again. America NEEDS healthcare.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link to further reading about the September 20 debate and April 3 meeting.

Take care of yourself,

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine!

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:53:36 EDT

This blog posting is set up for comments at 10 state groups: Massachusetts through New Jersey, whose citizens are invited to join their state's Barack Obama group that supports single-payer national health insurance.

Fact - Health care is #1 for many. Many Americans have health care as their #1 domestic issue. Some polls indicate that it's #1; others show it #2 after the economy.

What Single-Payer is and our support for it.
- U.S. House Resolution 676
- Web site www.99oh9.org --> See Will of the People and Learn.

Fact - Obama Could Change His Position to Single-Payer. Obama has the flexibility to change his health care proposal to single-payer.

Fact - Obama is Consistent. He frequently calls for citizens to be involved with the political process. His requirement for a voter mandate on health care policy is an example.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Facts regarding HILLARY CLINTON

FACT - Hillary Clinton has failed at health care when she had a democratic congress, senate, and married to the president.

We can't afford to let her fail again. America NEEDS healthcare.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link to further reading about the September 20 debate and April 3 meeting.

Take care of yourself,

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine!

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:48:02 EDT

This blog posting is set up for comments at 10 state groups: Hawaii through Maryland, whose citizens are invited to join their state's Barack Obama group that supports single-payer national health insurance.

Fact - Health care is #1 for many. Many Americans have health care as their #1 domestic issue. Some polls indicate that it's #1; others show it #2 after the economy.

What Single-Payer is and our support for it.
- U.S. House Resolution 676
- Web site www.99oh9.org --> See Will of the People and Learn.

Fact - Obama Could Change His Position to Single-Payer. Obama has the flexibility to change his health care proposal to single-payer.

Fact - Obama is Consistent. He frequently calls for citizens to be involved with the political process. His requirement for a voter mandate on health care policy is an example.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Facts regarding HILLARY CLINTON

FACT - Hillary Clinton has failed at health care when she had a democratic congress, senate, and married to the president.

We can't afford to let her fail again. America NEEDS healthcare.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link to further reading about the September 20 debate and April 3 meeting.

Take care of yourself,

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine!

There is Something Wrong with this Picture (Clinton and Health Care)

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 10:32:40 EDT

Clinton has support from people who will be hurt the most. Get the word out!

Reference: USA Today October 2, 2007 Page 2A USA Today / Gallup Polls

Poll indicates that roughly TWICE as many people in these groups witll vote for Clinton:

women
blacks

Poll indicates that way MORE THAN TWICE of the following groups will will vote for Clinton:

household income less than $30,000;
65 and older;
high school education or less.

**Women, blacks, lower income, seniors and less educated people are some of the groups who are most hurt by the U.S. current method of financing health care. They are in most need of U.S. single-payer national health insurance. Non-profit Health Care for All is what ALL other industrialized have. They are least likely to get single-payer from Clinton, as compared to Obama. The sad thing is that many of these people think that Hillary will bring us pure, unadulterated, simple, efficient single-payer. Very unlikely!

This is crazy! There is something wrong with this picture!
Let's get people educated about single-payer!
Let's get Obama the Democratic nomination!
People must write letters!

My response to requests of others. At various times this year individuals from across the country have asked me to get specific information to you, so I am doing exactly that during October 2007 after having been a member of a small team that developed the Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine! web site.

Respect for Obama. I respect Barack Obama; the health care issue is one of the reasons. He knows that the American people must write thousands of letters in each U.S. Congressional District to get what is needed. He told us exactly that on April 3rd in New Hampshire. He gave us not only his requirement for a necessary mandate from the people, but also a way to get it (letters). You might not have heard of his suggestion before; he's leaving it up to citizens to act.

Our hope. Obama is the frontrunner candidate who is most likely to become a supportive president for the will of the people, which is to have single-payer national health insurance.

Our task. We must write the necessary letters.

Our timeline. The letter-writing must involve significant numbers ... thousands and preferably tens of thousands. Now: during October through December and beyond.

Please act! FIRST STEP -- JOIN -- Go to Get Obama Nominated --- learn and take action.

Take care of yourself.

Thank you,    Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
              Bob Haiducek
              Midland Michigan
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine! Single-payer national health insurance by the date 9-9-09

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:53:29 EDT

Fact - Health care is #1 for many. Many Americans have health care as their #1 domestic issue. Some polls indicate that it's #1; others show it #2 after the economy.

What Single-Payer is and our support for it.
- U.S. House Resolution 676
- Web site www.99oh9.org --> See Will of the People and Learn.

Fact - Obama Could Change His Position to Single-Payer. Obama has the flexibility to change his health care proposal to single-payer.

Fact - Obama is Consistent. He frequently calls for citizens to be involved with the political process. His requirement for a voter mandate on health care policy is an example.

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FIRST STEP ---- You are invited to join your state's group.
Select this link to the index of state groups,
then select your state.

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Facts regarding HILLARY CLINTON

Although I don't have a reference for this one, my wife and I will never forget what Senator Clinton said in a speech in late 2006. What she said went something like this: "If there's anything that I learned from 1993-1994 about health care policy, it's this: the health insurance companies must be included." Sorry, Hillary, that is the wrong answer to our health care financing problems! Better yet, see Julia's additional FACT below about Hillary Clinton! It's even better information!

Link to further reading about the September 20 debate and April 3 meeting.

Take care of yourself,

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate
Originator of Nine-Nine-Oh-Nine!

Twofer --- A Golden Opportunity To Help Barack Obama Get Nomination and Presidency

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:07:36 EDT

THIS BLOG HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE FOLLOWING BLOG ....

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bobhealthcareadvocate/CnWZ

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Health Care for All with Single-Payer and Obama as President

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:58:29 EDT

THIS BLOG HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE FOLLOWING BLOG ....

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bobhealthcareadvocate/CnWZ

*********************************************************************

Kentuckians for Single-Payer Health Care

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:14:05 EDT

A note that I posted as a reply in Kentuckians for Universal Health

----------------------------------------

With two-thirds (conservatively) of Americans wanting a national health program with single-payer national health insurance we might as well follow David Pearl's suggestion.

Americans choose a national health program over the free market by a ratio of five to one during that extensive work that the U.S. Congress working group did in 2005 and 2006 ...

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bobhealthcareadvocate/CXvg

There's some interesting data included in this letter:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bobhealthcareadvocate/Cqnl

Kentuckians, Please Check This Out ....

Kentuckians for Single-Payer Health Care

http://www.kyhealthcare.org/

And check out the "Who We are" page

http://www.kyhealthcare.org/who_we_are

Strong support for single-payer national health insurance at New Hampshire 4/3/07 Meeting

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 07:35:39 EDT

Meeting excerpts document 8 occurrences of spontaneous clapping related to single-payer national health insurance ...

As previously reported in my blog:
-- There is strong support for a national health program - polls/surveys, meetings
-- The U.S. Congress' working group held meetings across the country and reported a very strong preference for a national health program

The strong support continues to be demonstrated. As reported April 4 by the Associated Press <Link>: "... his audience Tuesday was almost single-mindedly focused on a single-payer system."

The 3 April 2007 community meeting focused on health care.  Presidential Candidate Barack Obama spoke to over 100 citizens in Portsmouth New Hampshire for 1.5 hours.

The meeting again confirms all of the previous data: Americans need and want a national health program with single-payer financing. Leslie Brenner, below, was a speaker who did not mention single-payer, but she did clearly state that there have been many years of talking with no demonstration that the country cares about its people over profits.

---------- Excerpts Follow ----------
Included below are eight occurrences of spontaneous clapping of the audience in support of the statements that were made either directly or indirectly related to single-payer national health insurance; that is, the implementation of a national health program with single-payer financing.

The times are the length of time into the meeting.

Laurie McCray --- at 25:15 minutes

I have to tell you . the most efficient out of everything we're working with: the Medicare System. --- I know what I'm getting . I know what I'm paying for ... It's simple   There's no secrets .
I am hoping . I just wanted to say: I don't want more competition. I don't want to see more insurance plans. <<clapping>> I'm comparing apples to oranges. When there are health issues happening in the family, I don't have time to be looking and comparing plans that are apples and oranges among 10 different plans.  ... it's confusing ....

Nancy Beech --- at 34:00 minutes

I think the rhetoric needs to change. We need to be provided health care! People say to me: what do you mean you want single-payer universal health care that will follow you from wherever you go, whatever job you have? The first thing they say is: here are we going to get the money to pay for it? Where are we getting the hundreds of billions to stay in Iraq? <<clapping>>
Isn't it worth it for this country to have healthy citizens?.
"Are you (Barack Obama) willing to go forward and help us so that we have a healthy country again?"

Art Hilson --- at 55:30 minutes
I feel that the government has a responsibility. "When you can find $80 billion . to kill people, you ought to be able to find some money to let people live."
<< clapping >>

Jane Mueller (spelling?) --- at 58:00 minutes
"What we really need is a single-payer service. <<clapping>> We don't need HMO's feeding at the trough of our money.

(She started criticizing Representative Ron Wyden's bill) .
    We would continue to have HMO's.
    We would still have these elaborate administrative costs.
    And we would be paying far more than we really have to.

Leslie Brenner --- at 63:00 minutes

... it seems to be more of a values issue to me than anything else.

How many years have we been talking about this? ... You don't need to hear more about people's individual problems . I'm sure they've been talked about in so many cities and so many communities for years...

I think it comes down to: does our country have values about having equity in people's lives? ... (When) I pay a $20 co-pay at the doctor (office), I always think of those people who ... have to make hard choices ... about whether they pay the bill for that or don't go at all. Their life is no less valuable than mine.

I think that we just don't care enough as a country to make this hard choice ... It's the profits, the profits, the profits .

I am very skeptical that with you in office or anybody in office that this is gonna change... because there's such a strong lobby out there. And how many more years can we talk about the broken system?

(a lady who did not give her name) --- at 69:00 minutes
In some ways there's been kind of a secret kept from the American people and
it keeps coming back.
What all these stories add up to .. that the kind of system we have is
actually rationing our health care ...
--- is actually rationing who lives and dies
--- is actually rationing who has to go through financial ruin .

This is a consequence of a for-profit health care system. <<clapping>>
You are paying the middle-man for what should be just between the patient and the system.
People get worried about rationing. We HAVE the rationing; it's not explicit, but it's there all the time

(additional clear and passionately stated comments.)

(same lady) --- at 71:30 minutes ( one hour and 11:30 )
A single-payer system would not have anywhere near that amount of rationing
<<clapping>>

Dr. Rob Slocum --- at 85:00 minutes
Would you be willing to sit down with public health officials in other countries like Canada and Europe?

Dr. Tom Clairmont   member of PNHP --- at 90:00 minutes

<< clapping when Dr. Clairmont started >>
(the PNHP proposal for single-payer) solves all of these issues
No co-pays, no deductibles
No pre-existing conditions
... 8% employer tax ... 3% of income tax
<< clapping when Dr. Clairmont finished >>

My Health Care Story -- by Bob Haiducek of Midland Michigan

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:34:07 EDT

lived in Canada; studied issue; worked in manufacturing, then hospital; see conclusions below with actions to take.

I write these words as an individual citizen sharing personal experiences. not as a spokesperson for any organization. Here is my story ...My support for universal health care is from multiple experiences and also from knowledge obtained, as seen below.

EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES:
          LIVING, TRAVELING, WORKING, USING HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS

Canadian (Ontario) health care. I lived in Canada 4.5 years with my young family (wife and 2 young sons). We liked the health care.

Canadians' freedom from worry regarding employment.  Canadian friends (parents, 2 kids) moved to a new job and to new city and province; they had no worry about what would happen to their family's health care support.

STUDY OF TOPIC of Single-Payer National Health Insurance and Being Challenged

Studies.  I’ve studied, discussed, and participated in this issue for about 3 years.  There will be dramatically expanded health care coverage for everyone.  Citizens, as a whole (on average), will receive full health care coverage while spending the same amount of money or less. Who wouldn’t support this?

Challenges.  Some people have challenged me. And I've read and heard other challenges. Those challenges made me think seriously about specific topics and led me to do more research.  My position has not changed, but it does have a more solid footing.

PARTICIPATION ON ISSUE

I’ve participated in national meetings and state meetings about this topic, making coast-to-coast contacts and participating in informal debates.

MAJOR SURGERY

Standard charges already established. My major surgery in the United States in mid-2006 resulted in the insurance company and me paying only about 25 to 30% of what was billed. I am more keenly aware that a system of “reasonable and customary charges” between the estimated 1500 health insurance company payers and the medical professionals is already set up! These are standard agreed-upon fees, exactly what will be part of the national health program’s operation, which will also have negotiated fees between the one payer (a government agency) and the providers.

It's good to know that our current fragmented, inefficient system has some solid preparation for the new, simplified, efficient system.

EMPLOYMENT AT MAJOR INDUSTRY

Huge increases in health care premiums. I retired from a major industrial company that declared a cap on its total contributions years ago, my health insurance premiums are rising in huge jumps. The increase between 2006 and 2007 is 44%. I don't know how long I can afford that situation, considering the continuing climb of the U.S. health care costs, much higher than other countries.

BILLING CHALLENGES, EXCESSIVE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES, and OVER-DIAGNOSING

Complexities. I have recently experienced numerous challenges with the administration of the billing process by the health care providers and the insurance company. Not everyone has the combination of awareness, interest, ability, knowledge and time to track down mistakes by insurance companies and the providers that are trying to conduct billing within a complex maze of ever-changing rules and procedures. Some people probably simply pay the bills that come in, even though the bill might have been sent in error. In late 2006 I experienced what I consider to be a significant experience with over-diagnosing me for a medical condition that has an extremely low chance of being a medical problem. Also in late 2006, my wife and I learned about "global billing" where the patient is charged an extra large amount of money for the first visit for specific conditions, after which subsequent visits involve no charges.

There are so many twists and turns in our complex current system regarding health insurance and billing -- and treatments

EMPLOYMENT AT HOSPITAL PATIENT REGISTRATION and THE IMPACT OF A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM ON THOSE PERSONS IN ADMINISTRATIVE JOBS

Recently I worked for a year registering patients for hospital services. That front-line job makes up just a very tiny part of the complex administrative excess. There are hundreds of insurance companies and thousands of people who must deal with those companies, such as hospital accounting and admitting departments, registration clerks, the medical professionals and the patients.

The implementation of a national health program might include some degree of retraining support for people who currently work in administrative and clerical positions. For example, House Resolution 676 provides for retraining, as follows: "The Program shall provide that clerical and administrative workers in insurance companies, doctors offices, hospitals, nursing facilities and other facilities whose jobs are eliminated due to reduced administration, should have first priority in retraining and job placement ..."

For those persons in adminstrative jobs now I recommend that they consider the activities in 2007 as a five-year advanced notice to find new employment, in case the re-training support either is not provided or in case it does not cover them specifically. By 2012 it may be good to have a different job position, perhaps in the area of health care positions that will be expanding.

KNOWLEDGE OF NEW, BAD NATIONAL LAWS & LOCAL FUND-RAISERS

Perhaps most Americans do not know that the process of dismantling (my term) our Medicare system is scheduled. The process already started. The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 is reportedly law due to the corrupt (in my opinion) nature of its authorization. The law includes 1) the so-called Prescription Drug Benefit, which is actually a private insurance company policy that is heavily subsidized by our taxes, and 2) a planned dismantling of Medicare as we know it today, starting now, by bringing in the private health insurance companies to a higher degree, which is then a higher degree abandoning senior citizens in favor of profits. A six-city trial of a partly-privatized Medicare system will be established by 2010 unless the process is stopped. A blog post will be provided about this topic with references.

During the last several years I have collected articles in the local newspaper about the many spaghetti dinners, raffles, auctions and other benefits for families who are in massive amounts of debt due to medical expenses for a specific person, who may still be living or is now deceased. During one week in April 2007 there were two front-page articles. I ask: Do we care about the physical, emotional and financial pain that is occurring?!

CONTINUING ELIMINATION OF HEALTH CARE BENEFITS AND JOBS

In February 2007 the elected officials for my county in Michigan established that an additional group of county employees, at the time of their retirement, will no longer be provided with health insurance. That’s exactly what my company did years ago. Effective 1/1/1993 any salaried person hired on or after that date will not be provided health insurance coverage when they retire. These two examples are part of a gradual, definite trend toward less and less health insurance coverage for people in the United States. By mid-May 2007 our local school system will have eliminated many job positions for the upcoming school year, possibly including my wife's job.

Why the cuts in benefits and jobs? Partly due to health insurance costs inflicting a burden on most or all private and public institutions.

MY CONCLUSIONS: We must ...
--- do what all other industrialized nations do: provide health care to all
--- implement a national health program with everyone having health insurance via a simplified system: single-payer national health insurance
--- elect supportive candidates in the 2008 election
--- give Barack Obama huge amounts of financial support like this country has never seen before if he decides to support the people on the establishment of a national health program with single-payer national health insurance that efficiently provides health insurance to everyone. Then he can actually act according to the values that he has implied in his speeches.
--- expect legislation to be enacted in 2009 --- BEFORE 09-09-09
--- expect implementation to occur by 9-9-12 <Link> so that each of us has our health insurance card in hand for cost-effective health insurance before 9-9-12
--- to support all of the above, hundreds of thousands of us must join the massive letter-writing campaign that starts in mid-2007.

Last review/update of this post: 22 May 2007

Strong support for national health program - U.S. Congress' working group report

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 11:38:54 EST

From the final report of the working group established by the U.S. Congress, the Citizens Health Care Working Group <Link> (bolding was added below):

Page 40 -- A commonly expressed view was that a simpler system would result in lower administrative costs. Participants believed that a more straightforward health care system would reduce administrative costs by eliminating duplication of services. At a number of meetings throughout the country
, many individuals advocated a single-payer system to eliminate the middleman, possibly one structured like Medicare or similar to the public school system. Under this type of system, everyone would pay taxes to support the system, even though, as with education, they might not use the services. Participants advocating the single payer concept said it would be the most efficient way to organize health care.

Page B-7 -- Added comments, not in report: Yes, indeed it was commonly expressed! Where the CHCWG reported the detailed data the evidence is that the participants very strongly expressed their support of a national health plan. As their report states above, the participants referred to single-payer financing of health care. See the SUMMARY below for the very clear message from the meetings.

SUMMARY OF PERCENTAGE RESULTS ---- Following are the averages for the 10 meetings for which the percentage votes is provided in the CHCWG
report (on Appendix page B-7 ... detailed data is below)
7% Individual Tax Incentives
7% Expand State Medicaid, SCHIP, etc.
3% Rely on Free Market
7% Expand Medicare/FEHBP
4% Expand Employer Tax Incentives
4% Employer Insurance Mandate
3% Expand Neighborhood Health clinics
47% Create a National Health Program <---<---<---<---<---<---<---
15% Individual Insurance Mandate
2% Increase State Program Flexibility

The Physician's for a National Health Program (PNHP) post about the CHCWG results <Link>. accurately describes the results as follows: "When given a choice of ten reform options at public hearings held by the CHCWG, participants clearly favored a national health program by a margin of at least 3 to 1." That 3 to 1 margin would be the 47& (above) as compared to the 15% (above).

However, look at a comparison to all of the other options, such as the reliance on the free market, which is a ratio of 15 to 1.

The PNHP press release observes that "Most supporters of a national health program favor a single-payer system, which retain the private delivery of health care by physicians and hospitals, but organizes payment under a single public agency. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a single-payer national health insurance program would save enough on administrative costs — more than $300 billion per year — to cover all of the uninsured and provide full benefits for everyone ..."

****************** DETALS FOLLOW IF YOU WANT TO SEE THEM ****************************************

DETAILS ---- from page B-7 ---- the only meetings for which percentage details are reported by the working group -----
                                                                                                          National
              More        Free                             Emplyr   Local     Health      Indiv   More
ITI        State     Mkt      Expand Expand Mandate Clinics Program Mandate State
11.10% 2.50% 2.50% 3.70%   2.50%   8.60%    4.90% 56.80%   6.20% 1.20%
7.80% 11.60%   6.00% 6.60%   3.90%   4.50%    2.40% 39.70% 17.00% 0.60%
9.90% 7.70%   7.70%   5.50% 12.10%   4.40%    3.30% 34.10%    9.90% 5.50%
0.00% 3.70% 0.00%   3.70%    3.70%   3.70%    5.60% 74.10%    5.60% 0.00%
5.80% 7.20% 0.00%   8.70% 1.40% 2.90%    2.90% 44.90% 20.30% 5.80%
6.30%   5.30%   3.20%   2.10%    2.10%   8.40%    1.10% 54.70% 16.80% 0.00%
11.90%  9.90%   1.00%   11.90% 5.00%   1.00%    5.00% 25.70%   27.70% 1.00%
6.20% 6.20% 2.60%   7.20%    2.10%   4.10%    6.70% 59.50%   3.60% 1.50%
1.90% 4.90%   4.90%   5.80%   3.90%    1.90%    1.00% 54.40%   19.40% 1.90%
7.70% 11.50% 0.00% 15.40%   3.80%   3.80%    0.00%   30.80%    23.10% 3.80%

Averages of the results of the above 10 meetings:
6.86%   7.05%   2.79%   7.06%    4.05%   4.33%    3.29% 47.47%   14.96% 2.13%

7% 7% 3% 7% 4% 4% 3% 47% 15% 2%

Strong support for a national health program - polls/surveys/meetings

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 17:51:56 EST

Americans strongly support a national health program

Results of specific polls:

----- An ABCNews/Washington Post poll in 2003 <Link> documented that Americans
favor a universal health insurance program by 2-1, 62-32 percent, over the
current employer-based system.

----- A Harris Poll of October 2006 <Link> documented that 96% of Americans support Medicare and 75% support universal health insurance.

----- During 2006 --- The Citizens Health Care Working Group <Link> which was created by the U.S. Congress, held scheduled meetings across the country. Wherever they went, ordinary citizens -- patients, doctors, business owners, workers -- consistently asked for national health insurance.
     The group’s data from the meetings show that attendees favored a national health program
over any other option. For example, 86% of the groups (see their Appendix Page B-7 <Link>) chose
the "creation of a national health program" as the #1 choice as the solution to
"ensure access to affordable, high quality health care coverage and services for all Americans".
A look at the reported percentage votes shows an extremely strong preference for the creation
of a national health program. <Link>

----- “Universal care appeals to USA” --- "Fifty-six percent say they would prefer universal coverage to the current system, ... " and " --- USA Today Oct 2006 <Link>

----- "Public opinion on health care reform" --- February 2007
              Within this poll questions 7,9,14,18,20-74 are on health care
              #25 --- 95%: it is a serious problem that many Americans do not have health insurance
              #27 --- 64%: federal government should guarantee health insurance for all
              #34 --- 84%: expand children program to cover ALL uninsured children, not just low & moderate income families
              #38 --- 47%: one health insurance program for all administered by the government vs. 38% keep current system where many people get their insurance from private employers and some have no insurance
              See the report itself from the The New York Times / CBS News Poll Feb. 23-27, 2007<Link>
              and PNHP's Don McCanne's coverage of more questions plus comments <Link>

Access to Single-Payer State Groups

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 20:48:17 EST

FYI --- Access to the individual state groups for
Health Care for All with Non-Profit Single-Payer National Health Insurance

LINK TO STATE GROUPS -- INCLUDING DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
============================================

<Link> ALABAMA
<Link> ALASKA
<Link> ARIZONA
<Link> ARKANSAS
<Link> CALIFORNIA
<Link> COLORADO
<Link> CONNECTICUT
<Link> DELAWARE
<Link> DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
<Link> FLORIDA
<Link> GEORGIA
<Link> HAWAII
<Link> IDAHO
<Link> ILLINOIS
<Link> INDIANA
<Link> IOWA
<Link> KANSAS
<Link> KENTUCKY
<Link> LOUISIANA
<Link> MAINE
<Link> MARYLAND
<Link> MASSACHUSETTS
<Link> MICHIGAN
<Link> MINNESOTA
<Link> MISSISSIPPI
<Link> MISSOURI
<Link> MONTANA
<Link> NEBRASKA
<Link> NEVADA
<Link> NEW HAMPSHIRE
<Link> NEW JERSEY
<Link> NEW MEXICO
<Link> NEW YORK
<Link> NORTH CAROLINA
<Link> NORTH DAKOTA
<Link> OHIO
<Link> OKLAHOMA
<Link> OREGON
<Link> PENNSYLVANIA
<Link> RHODE ISLAND
<Link> SOUTH CAROLINA
<Link> SOUTH DAKOTA
<Link> TENNESSEE
<Link> TEXAS
<Link> UTAH
<Link> VERMONT
<Link> VIRGINIA
<Link> WASHINGTON
<Link> WEST VIRGINIA
<Link> WISCONSIN
<Link> WYOMING

My first letter to Barack Obama -- 2/26/2007

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:25:23 EST

Re: National Health Program with Single-Payer Insurance

Dear Senator Obama,

Health care costs will be lower for most people and for most businesses when the United States implements a single-payer health insurance solution as part of a national health program. For example, General Motors in Canada strongly supports the Canadian national health program.

We urge you to do what’s right for the physical and economic health of the nation and, therefore, the physical and economic health of millions of Americans. We lived in Canada for 4 ½ years; we liked their system, and all the Canadians we know like the single-payer system.

In our small city the local proceeds from the fairly regular spaghetti dinners and raffles must be just a VERY tiny drop in the bucket for the recipient families. Those families have no health insurance and have expenses which might impact them for decades, perhaps generations.

We can demonstrate that we CARE about the stresses on our fellow citizens by implementing in THIS industrialize nation what ALL the other industrialized nations already have: health care for ALL.

The best solution … certainly the most economically efficient … is single-payer national health insurance, such as that proposed by House Resolution 676. We applaud your plan to implement the solution by 2012!

An increasing number of people and organizations are communicating their full support of single-payer national health insurance.

We look forward to your support.

Sincerely,

Bob and Lynn Haiducek

Enclosure: Health Care Facts for Barack Obama 26 Feb 2007

***********************************************************
HEALTH CARE FACTS FOR BARACK OBAMA 26 FEBRUARY 2007
***********************************************************

The U.S. spent over $6,000 per person on health care in 2004. All other industrialized nations provide health insurance for everyone, spending less than $3,000 average and achieving better health outcomes. The United States ranks low in the world in infant mortality, low in life expectancy, and very low in immunizations.

Our U.S. Government Accountability Office reported: “it is possible to have universal coverage of health care without incurring additional costs,” including “providing additional services for those currently insured.” Economists and policy experts confirmed the math.

Necessary tax increases are more than offset by elimination of insurance premiums and many out-of-pocket health care costs. What is important is the improved efficiency: spending 95-98% of health insurance dollars on health care instead of 70-75%.

Health care costs would lessen for most individuals and most businesses, especially those currently paying health care bills or health care benefits.

The Big 3 automakers in Canada strongly support the Canadian system <Link>.

More on the automakers:
<Link> U .S. Auto Industry Supports Universal Healthcare... in Canada -- 12/15/05
<Link> Big 3 in Canada vs. USA -- healthcare double standard -- 04/27/05
GM spending billions on retiree medicines -- 10/29/06
<Link> GM Canada donates large sum to Ontario hospitals -- 06/09/00

Americans strongly support a national health plan, as documented by numerous
surveys. Depending on the wording of the survey question(s), the answers
usually range 55% to 95% in favor. (see below)

There is no relationship of waiting times to whether the type of financing
is single-payer (public) or private. (see below)

Americans strongly support a national health program

Results of specific polls:
----- An ABCNews/Washington Post poll in 2003 <Link> documented that Americans
favor a universal health insurance program by 2-1, 62-32 percent, over the
current employer-based system.
----- A Harris Poll of October 2006 <Link> documented that 96% of Americans support
Medicare and 75% support universal health insurance.
----- During 2006 --- The Citizens Health Care Working Group <Link> held scheduled
meetings across the country. Wherever they went, ordinary citizens --
patients, doctors, business owners, workers -- consistently asked for
national health insurance.
The group’s data from the meetings show that attendees favored a
national health program over any other option. For example,
86% of the groups (see their Appendix Page B-7 <Link>) chose the
"creation of a national health program" as the #1 choice as the solution
to "ensure access to affordable, high quality health care
coverage and services for all Americans".
----- “Universal care appeals to USA” --- "Fifty-six percent say they would prefer
universal coverage to the current system --- USA Today Oct 2006 <Link>

Waiting Lists / Waiting Times -- Not simply a matter of money ( <<< modified from original letter heading)

Wait list times are controlled by the management of resources, especially proper queue management.
--- Shorter waiting times in Ireland's public system (than private) --- 07/30/06 < Link
--- Waiting times for non-emergency surgeries in Canada --- 04/15/05 < Link

============ END OF LETTER TO SENATOR OBAMA,
EXCEPT FOR A ONE PAGE ATTACHMENT

ALSO ATTACHED for Senator Obama WAS APPENDIX PAGE B-7 of the following
report "
THE REPORT < Link THE APPENDIX < Link

HOW SENT -- sent in mail with first campaign contribution check --- sent to the post office box seen
at bottom of webpage when one clicks on the red and white DONATE button

Letters/Contacts and Responses from my U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 13:11:04 EST

Here are responses received from my U.S. Rep. and U.S. Senators about the need for a national health program with single-payer insurance. I briefly spoke one-on-one with each of the Senators last summer. I also sent them letters in the mail. RESULT: Each of their written responses seemed to be consistent with their spoken word, either spoken to me or reported by the newspaper.

SUMMARY:

One Democratic Senator: yes, single-payer is THE solution that needs to be implemented, but I am not sure that there is the political will necessary to make it happen.
My response: WE citizens can establish the necessary political will that needs to happen.
ACTION: Write to your U.S. Representative and Senators and establish the political will.

The other Democratic Senator: well, we certainly do need a solution of some kind, implying the same topic of political will.

Republican Representative: single-payer would make a behemoth of a system
My response: the current system is the behemoth, for heaven's sake!

MY CONCLUSION: We citizens need to educate ourselves and help educate our U.S. elected officials. We can tell them the solution: a national health program with single-payer insurance.

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate

Access to State Groups for Health Care for All with Single-Payer

To All of My New Friends

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join state group

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join the D.C. group

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Further reading for -- Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue

There is Something Wrong with this Picture (Clinton and Health Care)

Get Obama Nominated -- via health care issue -- Know these facts; Join your state's group

Twofer --- A Golden Opportunity To Help Barack Obama Get Nomination and Presidency

Health Care for All with Single-Payer and Obama as President

Kentuckians for Single-Payer Health Care

Strong support for single-payer national health insurance at New Hampshire 4/3/07 Meeting

My Health Care Story -- by Bob Haiducek of Midland Michigan

Strong support for national health program - U.S. Congress' working group report

Strong support for a national health program - polls/surveys/meetings

Access to Single-Payer State Groups

My first letter to Barack Obama -- 2/26/2007

Letters/Contacts and Responses from my U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators