HUGE Rally for Single-Payer Healthcare - RNs, teachers, seniors, consumers demand SB 840 and genuine healthcare reform

A coalition of registered nurses, physicians, and consumer groups will rally this Saturday in Oakland in support of Sen. Sheila Kuehl's groundbreaking SB#840, which proposes guaranteed healthcare for California on a single-payer model. The Oakland event is part of 365 local events held around the state this year, in support of single-payer healthcare, one every day. 

Rally for Single Payer Universal Healthcare
Date:  Saturday, August 4th
Time:  1:30 p.m.
Place: Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland City Hall

 "I take care of children with cancer, and I want to concentrate solely on providing them the best care I can," said Martha Kuhl, a Childrens Hospital RN and member of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee board of directors. "SB 840 is the only bill before the legislature that will truly provide healthcare for all and eliminate the for-profit health insurance industry from our healthcare system and guarantee universal coverage for all residents."

"I want parents to be able to focus 100% on their sick child, without having to worry about how the medical bills will be paid.  I'm tired of seeing children come into the hospital later than they should and sicker than they should because their parents delay care as a result of cost.  Many will agree with me that all children deserve healthcare but how can a child get the care he or she needs if their parents can't get the care they need?"

SB 840 establishes a guaranteed healthcare system similar to "Medicare for All" with genuine universal coverage, comprehensive and uniform benefits, effective cost controls, and an end to insurance industry interference with delivery of care. All private and public insurance funding would be consolidated into one publicly run insurance plan that would cut overhead costs by up to 18%. According to independent Lewin Group study data, administrative savings will enable free choice of doctors and full coverage for all needed care for all California residents at no added total cost.

Many of the reforms proposed in the healthcare debate in Sacramento mandating the purchase of private insurance, as has been advocated by governors Mitt Romney and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others, only increase the percentage of care dollars going to industry overhead, while subjecting patients to an industry built on the denial of care. 

By contrast, a single-payer reform will allow patients to choose from among private doctors and hospitals who are paid from a national, nonprofit fund.  As has been proven in developed nations around the world, this is the only way to guarantee healthcare for all.
 
Saturday's rally is organized by the OneCareNow campaign, which is co-sponsored by the Consumer Federation of California and CNA/NNOC. An Aug. 11 rally, in Los Angeles, will mark the one year anniversary of the OneCareNow statewide educational campaign for SB 840, launched on August 12th, 2006 in Morro Bay. During the year- long campaign leading up to the L.A. rally, local events in 365 cities have brought the message of healthcare rights to tens of thousands of Californians.

Speakers include:

Sara Rogers, Senator Sheila Kuehl's office
Daniela Quintanilla, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee's office
Sandre Swanson, CA Assemblymember
Representative from CA Assemblymember Loni Hancock's office
Martha Kuhl, RN, California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee
Dan Hodges, Health Care for All/Vote Health
Richard Quint, MD, MPH California Physicians Alliance
League of Women Voters
California Teachers Association
Pauline Brooks, California Alliance for Retired Americans