Washington Press Conference Wednesday - Nurses, Doctors, Patients Respond to Bush Health Proposals, Unite In Call for Real Universal Healthcare - Legislators Introduce Key Single-Payer Health Bill

Physicians, registered nurses and patients will join together in a Washington press conference Wednesday to respond to President Bush’s State of the Union healthcare proposals – and to promote legislation for the only healthcare reform that would assure universal coverage, control cost, and end insurance industry interference with care.

WHERE:  National Press Club, Zenger Room, 529 14th St. NW, Washington
WHEN:  Wednesday, January 24
TIME: 1 p.m.

In addition to commenting on the President’s healthcare initiatives, the physicians and nurses will describe a stepped up campaign on behalf of HR 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act. HR 676, introduced by U.S. Reps. John Conyers and Dennis Kucinich with 78 co-sponsors, is being re-introduced in the new Congress. HR 676 is also supported by 227 labor organizations across the nation.

The press conference is sponsored by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, and the Physicians for a National Health Program. Also participating will be Reps. Conyers and Kucinich, Healthcare-NOW, and the United Methodist Church.

 “There are only two real choices in the present healthcare debate, those commercially-based models which reinforce the insurance industry and fail to provide genuine universal and comprehensive care, and HR 676, a patient-based model which caregivers know is the most effective, humane approach,” said Deborah Burger, RN, president of the 75,000-member California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee.

“Solutions to the healthcare crisis based on increasing our reliance on private health insurance companies are bound to fail,” said Dr. Oliver Fein, director of the 14,000-member Physicians for a National Health Program. “Insurance companies limit patients' choice of doctor and hospital, and take money out of patient care and put it into marketing, bill collectors and claims deniers. This situation is morally repugnant. We need a National Health Insurance program. We need HR 676.”

Contacts:  CNA/NNOC: Charles Idelson, 510-273-2246, 415-559-8991 (cell)
               PNHP: Nick Skala, 312-782-6006, 773-220-9268 (cell)