<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16981" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- 
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A 
title=tanstl@aol.com href="mailto:tanstl@aol.com">David Sladky</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=undisclosed-recipients: 
href="mailto:undisclosed-recipients:">undisclosed-recipients:</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 24, 2010 9:57 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Flaws of Obama's Health Care summit and updates on Single 
Payer Struggle‏</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial color=black size=2><BR><BR>
<DIV style="CLEAR: both">
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_3c16c870-c661-426d-9f28-7384219f8580>
<STYLE>#AOLMsgPart_2_3c16c870-c661-426d-9f28-7384219f8580 TD {
        COLOR: black
}
#AOLMsgPart_2_3c16c870-c661-426d-9f28-7384219f8580 .hmmessage P {
        PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px
}
#AOLMsgPart_2_3c16c870-c661-426d-9f28-7384219f8580 BODY.hmmessage {
        FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana
}
</STYLE>

<DIV class="ReadMsgHeader ClearBoth">
<DIV class=ReadMsgSubject><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt" size=4><STRONG>Flaws of 
Obama's Health Care summit and updates on Single Payer 
Struggle‏</STRONG></FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV class="ReadMsgBody BorderTop" id=readMsgBodyContainer>
<DIV class=ExternalClass id=MsgContainer><FONT id=ecxrole_document face=Arial 
color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 
size=2>-Note that Obama proposal still has a heavy&nbsp; excise tax( which you 
would pay) &nbsp;on your employee health benefits,although it might be delayed 
by a couple of years to take effect .Employers, could and would, force&nbsp;YOU 
to pay increased costs for insurance policies premiums as well as 
more&nbsp;co-pays. All the money would go to big insurance companies with no 
public options being allowed.jh</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 
size=2>--------- Forwarded message ----------<BR><SPAN 
class=ecxgmail_quote>From: <B class=ecxgmail_sendername>Physicians for a 
National Health Program</B> &lt;<A title=mailto:info@pnhp.org 
href="mailto:info@pnhp.org"><FONT 
color=#0068cf>info@pnhp.org</FONT></A>&gt;<BR>Date: Feb 22, 2010 3:56 
PM<BR>Subject: Action on Obama's summit and updates from PNHP<BR></DIV></SPAN>
<DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE 
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid">
  <DIV id=ecxygrp-mlmsg>
  <DIV id=ecxygrp-msg style="Z-INDEX: 1">
  <DIV id=ecxygrp-text>
  <DIV>
  <DIV>
  <DIV><A 
  title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=Senfxv+MZgKSldLxcBzGz78pNtRBX6+Z 
  href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=Senfxv%2BMZgKSldLxcBzGz78pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
  target=_blank><IMG alt="" border=0></A></DIV>
  <DIV>
  <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 border=0>
    <TBODY>
    <TR>
      <TD><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">February 22, 
        2010</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><BR></SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We 
        have some bad news and some good news.<BR></SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><B>1. The bad news is that <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=KNbQB1hDGFU2ankG/7NOCL8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=KNbQB1hDGFU2ankG/7NOCL8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>President Obama's health 
        proposal</FONT></A>, as expected, retains all the structural flaws of 
        the Senate health bill:</B>&nbsp; A mandate that individuals (but not 
        employers) purchase private coverage; over $400 billion in subsidies to 
        the private health insurance industry; and funding through a steep 
        excise tax on comprehensive health plans.&nbsp; At best, the plan will 
        leave over 25 million Americans uninsured and tens of millions more 
        underinsured.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Additionally, <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=hu8qc+e+N2zM4tJqp1/dtr8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=hu8qc%2Be%2BN2zM4tJqp1/dtr8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>PNHP's request</FONT></A> to be 
        allowed to participate in Obama's health summit this Thursday, Feb. 25, 
        has gone unanswered.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><B>2. The good news is that 
        single-payer advocates are garnering media attention</B> and planning a 
        "<A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=jFx3HIzw0+NsTsYspT3q078pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=jFx3HIzw0%2BNsTsYspT3q078pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Sidewalk Summit for Medicare for 
        All</FONT></A>" outside Obama's official health summit this Thursday 
        (with related actions in several cities on the same day).&nbsp;&nbsp; 
        </SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Dr. Margaret Flowers <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=xE2/lfHlWjiPnBhdsCg6ob8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=xE2/lfHlWjiPnBhdsCg6ob8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>appeared on Bill Moyers 
        Journal</FONT></A> on Feb. 5.&nbsp; Today, Dr. Quentin Young's blog 
        posting, "<A 
        title=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=1&amp;ik=8ddc43ae4a&amp;view=cv&amp;search=inbox&amp;th=126f7e53b9b0f464&amp;ww=950&amp;cvap=3&amp;qt=&amp;zx=yk14g6-pzh8ix#126f7e53b9b0f464_QDY 
        href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=1&amp;ik=8ddc43ae4a&amp;view=cv&amp;search=inbox&amp;th=126f7e53b9b0f464&amp;ww=950&amp;cvap=3&amp;qt=&amp;zx=yk14g6-pzh8ix#126f7e53b9b0f464_QDY" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Put single payer back on the 
        table</FONT></A>," appeared at The Huffington Post.&nbsp; This weekend, 
        PNHP President <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=wCEYlzvaNzpaGR9qoLC220m+s/jFZHOl 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=wCEYlzvaNzpaGR9qoLC220m%2Bs/jFZHOl" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Dr. Oliver Fein had an 
        op-ed</FONT></A> in the Huntsville (Alabama) Times in anticipation of 
        his visit there later this week to give several talks. 
        </SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PNHPers <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=p4qtGvpCubzzn0CwsBykoL8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=p4qtGvpCubzzn0CwsBykoL8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Dr. George Jolly</FONT></A> (Saratoga, 
        N.Y.), <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=goUl77Z3Xb3qbc/b2nWKFb8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=goUl77Z3Xb3qbc/b2nWKFb8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Dr. Rob Stone</FONT></A> (Bloomington, 
        Ind.), <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=F/sYlqZQL+WUuDUQlMME0r8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=F/sYlqZQL%2BWUuDUQlMME0r8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Dr. Anne Courtwright</FONT></A> 
        (Pueblo, Colo.) and Dr. Elinor Christiansen (Denver), who was 
        interviewed by Colorado Public Radio, have also helped garner media 
        coverage for single-payer recently.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Last week in Denver, Obama was 
        greeted by throngs of grassroots single-payer supporters from Health 
        Care for All Colorado and <A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=gdhTWCavpEIgj0IBj5v7N78pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=gdhTWCavpEIgj0IBj5v7N78pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Dr. Flowers with "Medicare for All" 
        signs</FONT></A> outside (and even inside!) his events.&nbsp; 
        <BR></SPAN></SPAN><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PNHPers can help with the following 
        actions:</SPAN></SPAN></B><BR>
        <OL>
          <LI><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
          style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Call the White House at 
          202-456-1111 and ask that single payer, Medicare for All be "on the 
          table" at the summit this Thursday and that PNHP congressional fellow 
          and Baltimore pediatrician Dr. Margaret Flowers be 
          admitted.</SPAN></SPAN><BR>
          <LI><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
          style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">If you live in the DC-area, 
          attend the "<A 
          title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=3vcYgCnZR8lkSpBHhfb07b8pNtRBX6+Z 
          href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=3vcYgCnZR8lkSpBHhfb07b8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
          target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>sidewalk summit</FONT></A>" in your 
          white coat and be prepared to speak to media on site about single 
          payer.</SPAN></SPAN><BR>
          <LI><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
          style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">If you live outside DC, please 
          send letters and op-eds to your local paper or try to link up with one 
          of the local actions (<A 
          title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=DI7/9MdzbDeF33sLPKT/w78pNtRBX6+Z 
          href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=DI7/9MdzbDeF33sLPKT/w78pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
          target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>Healthcare-Now</FONT></A> is keeping 
          a list of these).&nbsp; A sample letter-to-the editor that you can 
          modify is <A 
          title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=GNof7xiU+u9r8y7vmyBFpb8pNtRBX6+Z 
          href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=GNof7xiU%2Bu9r8y7vmyBFpb8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
          target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>here</FONT></A> and several sample 
          op-eds are linked above.<BR></SPAN></SPAN><BR></LI></OL><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">In 
        solidarity,</SPAN></SPAN><BR>
        <TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=550 border=0>
          <TBODY>
          <TR>
            <TD><IMG alt="Ida Hellander Signature"></TD>
            <TD><IMG alt="Mark Almberg Signature"></TD></TR>
          <TR>
            <TD><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
              style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Ida Hellander, 
              MD<BR>Executive Director</SPAN></SPAN></TD>
            <TD><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><SPAN 
              style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Mark 
              Almberg<BR>Communications 
        Director</SPAN></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
        <HR>
        <B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: large"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A 
        name=126f7e53b9b0f464_QDY></A>Put Single Payer Back on the 
        Table</SPAN></SPAN></B><BR>
        <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><STRONG>By Dr. Quentin 
        Young</STRONG><BR><EM>The Huffington Post<BR>February 22, 
        2010</EM></SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">One 
        year after its much-ballyhooed launch, the Obama administration's 
        approach to health reform is now in serious 
        disarray.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=WruwIn96ZsBv/Q6jS7kkWb8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=WruwIn96ZsBv/Q6jS7kkWb8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>The president's health 
        care summit on Feb. 25</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> is 
        being portrayed as a last ditch bid to find some common ground with his 
        "just say no" Republican opposition. He also faces an increasingly wary 
        group of disgruntled Democrats, whose memory of the Massachusetts 
        massacre -- the election of a Republican to Sen. Edward Kennedy's seat 
        -- remains fresh.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">The 
        summit proceedings, which will be televised in the name of 
        "transparency," will no doubt be laden with a formidable amount of 
        stagecraft. They will be preceded by the unveiling of </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=JL4X8LioGAmK5/pwclcmhr8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=JL4X8LioGAmK5/pwclcmhr8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>the president's own 
        legislative proposal</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> -- 
        presumably the odious Senate bill with some tweaks -- a few days 
        before.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">But 
        it's almost certain that this latest White House initiative, undertaken 
        with the stated goal of salvaging and passing at least some elements of 
        the stalled congressional bills, is foredoomed.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">The 
        House bill, contrary to many who believe otherwise, is disastrous. And 
        if such a thing is possible, its Senate counterpart is even worse. Both 
        would shovel hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars into the coffers 
        of the private health insurance industry. Both would make it a federal 
        offense, with fines, for a person to fail to buy the insurers' shoddy 
        products.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Even so, at least 23 million people would 
        remain uninsured under the new law. And those who have insurance would 
        remain vulnerable to extort premium increases, not unlike Anthem Blue 
        Cross' recently announced premium hikes of up to </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=aVExFaJq8wBtgltt84Ejf78pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=aVExFaJq8wBtgltt84Ejf78pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>39 
        percent</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> in 
        California.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium">While one could imagine the enactment of 
        certain piecemeal measures that might ameliorate our condition -- e.g., 
        a simple prohibition of insurance company denials of coverage because of 
        pre-existing conditions -- these are precisely the stand-alone measures 
        most stubbornly opposed by Republicans, conservative Democrats and their 
        corporate patrons. Such concessions, in their eyes, must be linked to 
        shoring up the very culprits who are most responsible for our health 
        care mess.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">The 
        presence of the for-profit health industry -- the private health 
        insurance conglomerate and the Big Pharma drug companies in the first 
        place -- in the legislative process has certainly been "transparent" 
        from the get go. Through their </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=4i5BNsZA3nl5TIFxMkuYfL8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=4i5BNsZA3nl5TIFxMkuYfL8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>lobbyists and campaign 
        contributions</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">, 
        they shaped a bill that would enhance their domination of our health 
        system. They are at the root of the catastrophe that passes for health 
        care financing in the United States today.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Of 
        course, the conspicuous omission in the debate has been </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=ZzPQz/JR2hAcn6PM6/Au/b8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=ZzPQz/JR2hAcn6PM6/Au/b8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>single-payer national 
        health insurance proposal</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">, 
        an improved Medicare for All. This was assured on the Senate side when 
        the powerful chairman of its Finance Committee, Max Baucus, D-Mont., 
        informed the world that everything was on the table but single 
        payer.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium">How the chairman of a congressional committee, 
        however powerful, can set the terms of debate in a democratic society by 
        excluding such a popular and well-substantiated solution is hard to 
        rationalize. Baucus did, of course, prevail, and what came out of the 
        Senate was execrable. Like the House bill, it fails the three tests of 
        genuine reform: universal coverage, quality improvement and cost 
        control.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">One 
        can reasonably suspect that President Obama now wants something -- 
        anything -- to pass in Congress as evidence of the fulfillment of his 
        campaign pledge to accomplish health care reform. But if he looks to the 
        House and Senate bills as the starting point, his efforts will be in 
        vain.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium">It's not too late for the president to 
        re-embrace his earlier support for </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=Tj0aGyjaaeYY4Ak7Dk+bcb8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=Tj0aGyjaaeYY4Ak7Dk%2Bbcb8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>single-payer national 
        health insurance</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> 
        and set the nation on the right path. Were he to lay out the facts to 
        the American people and provide energetic leadership for this eminently 
        rational proposal, he would get strong, grassroots support from the 
        public.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium">We're now spending $8,000 per capita annually 
        on health care, $2.5 trillion in total. </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=rxlNmWz05Tqw/SPcy2A28L8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=rxlNmWz05Tqw/SPcy2A28L8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>That's nearly one-fifth of 
        our GDP</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">. 
        Yet our health outcomes rank among the lowest in the industrialized 
        world. Some 45,000 people die each year chiefly because they have 
        </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=FfdPQMyceOG0v8odO7No/L8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=FfdPQMyceOG0v8odO7No/L8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>no health 
        insurance</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">, 
        and medical bills and illness are now linked to </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=L4fsN9nPk8sRkug5xHifTr8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=L4fsN9nPk8sRkug5xHifTr8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>nearly two-thirds of 
        personal bankruptcies</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">. 
        This reality in the richest country in the world is unnecessary and 
        intolerable.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">I 
        suggest the president look to an improved and expanded Medicare program 
        as the solution. Medicare, which was enacted in 1965 and which has 
        served our elderly and the totally disabled so well, is a solid 
        foundation to build upon.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Enactment of an improved Medicare for All 
        would save our nation $400 billion annually by eliminating the 
        </SPAN></SPAN><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=7iOgEj2wP3EyYPVJdD3Ljb8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=7iOgEj2wP3EyYPVJdD3Ljb8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT color=#0068cf>bureaucracy and 
        paperwork</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> 
        inflicted on our system by the private insurers. That's more than enough 
        to provide universal, comprehensive care to everyone and to eliminate 
        all co-pays and deductibles. A single-payer system would also allow us 
        to rein in costs and better allocate resources.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">We 
        have a talented health care workforce. But to fully unlock their 
        potential, we need to get out from under the greedy dictates of the 
        health industry.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><SPAN 
        style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Mr. 
        President, it's time to put single payer back on the 
        table.</SPAN></SPAN><BR><A 
        title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=/Xf4Ts0N6QvrZgr5E0GHEr8pNtRBX6+Z 
        href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=/Xf4Ts0N6QvrZgr5E0GHEr8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
        target=_blank><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><SPAN 
        style="FONT-SIZE: medium"><FONT 
        color=#0068cf>http://www.huffingt<WBR>onpost.com/<WBR>dr-quentin-<WBR>young/put-<WBR>single-payer-<WBR>back-on_b_<WBR>471811.html</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></A><BR></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR>
  <DIV><STRONG>Physicians for a National Health Program</STRONG><BR>29 E Madison 
  Suite 602, Chicago, IL 60602<BR>Phone (312) 782-6006 | Fax: (312) 
  782-6007<BR><A 
  title=http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=/0tX58jYLacM/QcJZi22hb8pNtRBX6+Z 
  href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&amp;c=/0tX58jYLacM/QcJZi22hb8pNtRBX6%2BZ" 
  target=_blank><FONT color=#0068cf>www.pnhp.org</FONT></A> | <A 
  title=mailto:info@pnhp.org href="mailto:info@pnhp.org"><FONT 
  color=#0068cf>info@pnhp.org</FONT></A><BR>© PNHP 
  2010</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT></FONT></DIV></DIV><BR>
<HR>
Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. <A 
href="http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469228/direct/01/" target=_blank>Get it 
now.</A> </DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_2_3c16c870-c661-426d-9f28-7384219f8580 -->
<STYLE>.AOLWebSuite .AOLPicturesFullSizeLink { height: 1px; width: 1px; overflow: hidden; } .AOLWebSuite a {color:blue; text-decoration: underline; cursor: pointer} .AOLWebSuite a.hsSig {cursor: default}</STYLE>
<LINK href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/30724/css/microformat.css" 
type=text/css rel=stylesheet></DIV></FONT><br />-- 
<br />This message has been scanned for viruses and
<br />dangerous content by
<a href="http://www.mailscanner.info/"><b>MailScanner</b></a>, and is
<br />believed to be clean.
</BODY></HTML>