Onely.Org

TAKE ACTION: Speak Up For Health Care Reform August 8, 2009

Check out yet another thorough and engaging post from Clever Elsie at Singletude, this time about the upcoming vote on HR 676, a bill supporting a single payer health care system, where we are all covered by ONE taxpayer-funded public source. (Ooh, how very Scandinavian!) As always, Singletude has done her research and explains why she is a fan of this bill. I am a fan of single-payer too, but my reasoning is based more on my gut than my head, so I encourage our Copious Readers to go to Singletude for more details. 

Singletude is not a fan of simply adding a “public option” along with private insurance companies–because (to name one reason) this plan also mandates that everyone purchase insurance either through the public or private options, and although it subsizies lower income individuals, single people making a bit over 40,000 dollars will not get subsidies (if I read correctly). Thanks to Elsie for flagging this new information to me! Having once made under (waaaaaay under) 40,000 dollars myself, I know how hard it might be to afford health insurance–even the public option!–on that kind of salary.

So on the heels of that shock, I wanted to flag Singletude’s post for our dear Onely readers and also repost her excellent list of action-items and informative links below. Have a look at them, as they are a good resource regardless of what kind of health care reform you support (what DO you support? Onely wants to know!). Thanks again, Singletude.

–Christina

When the House reconvenes, our representatives will finally be voting on H.R. 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act, which would create a single-payer health care system for all Americans. A health care system that doesn’t discriminate based on marital status! No longer would any of us have to feel pressured to get married or stay married for access to medical care. No longer would our salaries subsidize the health benefits of married employees. What a monumental breakthrough a single-payer system would be, not even just for health care but as a precedent for dismantling legalized discrimination against singles!

Here’s what you can do to spread the word about H.R. 676:
–Call and/or write to your representative.
–Write to President Obama.
–Write a letter to the editor of your local paper.
–Distribute flyers at a busy place in your town.
–Canvas door to door or on the phone.
–Write about it on your blog or web site.
–Leave comments about it on political web sites and blogs.
–Talk to your friends and family about it.
—Sign petitions.

To find out more about H.R. 676, including what you can do to help raise awareness about single-payer health care, check out these links:

Change.org: Free Single Payer Health Care
Dennis Kucinich: Universal Health Care
HR676.org
HR676.org Blog
Healthcare-NOW!
John Conyers, Jr.: Healthcare
SiCKO: What can I do?
PNHP (Physicians for a National Health Program)
Unions for Single Payer Health Care