From:
“Unions for Single Payer HR676″ <Editor@UnionsForSinglePayerHR676.org>
To:
“Single Payer News” <SinglePayerNews@UnionsForSinglePayerHR676.org>
Philadelphia Healthcare Union Endorses HR 676
Philadelphia, PA The Delegates’ Assembly of District 1199C,
Philadelphia Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees (AFSCME), voted
unanimously October 8th to endorse HR 676, the national single payer
health care bill introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D MI).
Following the vote 1199C President Henry Nicholas said: “No one has been
more out front on single payer than our union. More than 77 million
people will be without health care insurance as a result of the current
economic collapse. We need HR 676 now more than ever.”
Walter Tsou, MD, a past national president of Physicians for a National
Health Program (PNHP) and past president of the American Public Health
Association, addressed the Delegates Assembly on the issue of single payer
prior to the vote.
District 1199C represents 17,000 workers in major hospitals and other
health institutions in the Philadelphia area.
#30#
HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system in the U.S. by
expanding a greatly improved Medicare system to every resident.
HR 676 would cover every person in the U. S. for all necessary medical
care including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient
services, primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental
health, home health, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for
substance abuse), vision care, chiropractic and long term care.
HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments. HR 676 would save billions
annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the private
health insurance industry and HMOs.
HR 676 currently has 93 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers. Co-sponsors
and bill text are here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.00676:
HR 676 has been endorsed by 469 union organizations in 49 states including
116 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state
AFL-CIO’s (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO,
MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA, AK, MI,
MT, NE, NY, NV & MA).
For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample
endorsement resolution, contact:
Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care–HR 676
c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 636 1551
Email: nursenpo@aol.com
10/21/08