Healthcare Advocacy - May 22, 2023
News and Actions
Happy Monday Healthcare Advocates
Please send research suggestions to me by clicking the comment button at the bottom of the page. Items in work include rural healthcare, prison healthcare, and pharmacological costs.
Today’s News
There is an issue with money in politics that makes significant change difficult. Today I read that the previous Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, was given an award for her incredible efforts in advancing healthcare by a top hospital lobbying group. She fulfilled their goals by maintaining the status quo and blocking Universal Healthcare. A quick review of opensecrets.org shows that healthcare providers and related PACs gave her $ 544,877 in 2021-2022.
Since I was on the site I decided to see how much money is spent by the healthcare industry lobbying and in support of political shenanigans to maintain the status quo. For 2021-2022 it was 278,276,43. Almost 1/3 of billion dollars. Its no wonder we we have an uphill fight.
On the good news side, 112 Congressional Representatives co-sponsored HR3421, Improved Medicare for All, submitted by Rep. Jayapal (WA). That’s about 25% of the total House of Representatives!! Sen. Sanders’ similar bill S. 1655 has 14 co-sponsors already.
I’m still waiting for the text of these bills to show up at congress.gov so we can investigate the particulars.
Here are some of the issues of interest:
Building up the rural healthcare infrastructure
Education support for providers
The overall implementation plan
Safe staffing levels in hospitals
Support for those whose jobs are impacted by the conversion to Universal Healthcare
As soon as the text is available I will begin investigating.
Universal Healthcare FUN FACT. According to Robert Reich more than 370,000 of the 1.1 million COVID deaths in the United States to date have been linked to a lack of health insurance.
The next time we have elections it is a good idea to make sure you know where the candidates stand on Universal Healthcare. If we don’t representatives in place who prioritize our needs, our needs will never be met.
Healthcare News Today
More women have joined the lawsuit against the state of Texas regarding their oppressive abortion laws. Here is a link to the story. One woman had to carry her baby that was missing much of her skull and would die at birth. An OB-GYN found herself secretly traveling out of state to abort her much wanted pregnancy, marred by the diagnosis of a fatal fetal anomaly. These women were told they could not end their pregnancies in Texas. They're asking a Texas court to put an emergency hold on some abortion restrictions, joining a lawsuit launched earlier this year by five other women who were denied abortions in the state, despite pregnancies they say endangered their health or lives.
ACTION
Quoting Robert Reich, “Under the Medicare for All Act, total costs including premiums, co-payments, deductibles, and taxes, are lower because hospitals, doctors, and pharmaceutical companies are reimbursed directly, eliminating the bloat of for-profit insurance. The Urban Institute estimates that households and businesses would save about $21.9 trillion over ten years, and state and local governments would save $4.1 trillion.
References
Find My Elected Officials
Contact the White House https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Contact State and Federal Representatives
https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare
Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Organizations to Contact
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Planned Parenthood
Physicians for a National Health Plan
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision
Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water Resistbot write up
Thanks Lori. This is great. I really appreciate it. .
Thank you Lori - I so appreciate this!!! Now to get to reading.