Spring 2008 issue of "CommonHealth," the biannual newsletter of the Universal Health Care Education Fund (UHCEF) and Mass-Care.

1. CommonHealth Volume 2, Number 6 ~ Spring 2008
Universal Health Care Education Fund
Report from Co-Chair Pat Berger Report from Co-Chair Jackie Wolf
This election year is the year to promote single payer Mass-Care is teaming up with the Amherst League of
locally, statewide and nationally. This is the year to elect Women Voters addressing Rotary Clubs all over the
Single Payer candidates and to show our legislators that Commonwealth. The talk we present is entitled “The
we support an equitable health care system that covers Massachusetts Medical Miracle? No, a Mess.” The focus
everyone. of the talk is not just the problems with Chapter 58. We
explain the Massachusetts Health Care Trust and end our
Locally Mass-Care, in collaboration with the Green- remarks with a charge to the audience to talk with their
Rainbow Party, hopes to have a non-binding ballot question legislators about this real solution to the healthcare crisis.
in many towns across the Commonwealth that would
instruct legislators to support the Single Payer Health This effort started three years ago when League members
Care Trust Bill. In order to accomplish this, we need to Diana Stein and I addressed the Amherst Rotary Club. The
collect 200 valid signatures in each targeted legislative “campaign” really got going when Jim Herbert stepped in.
district. Once the signatures are verified, local Mass-Care Jim is a Winchester Rotary Club and Mass-Care member.
supporters can write letters-to-the-editor, pass out He took charge of the effort and spent hours on the
leaflets and speak with neighbors to get voter approval phone lining up Rotary Club invitations. In the east, we
for the ballot question in November. have talked to Rotarians in Winchester, Everett, Dedham,
Peabody, Wakefield, Danvers, Malden, Burlington and many
Statewide we need to support candidates who will vote for other municipalities. In the west, we have talked to the
Single Payer. When candidates have debates or meetings, Rotary Clubs of Greenfield, Ludlow and Northampton. We
we should ask questions about whether they support single are in line to speak in Ware, Springfield, Palmer, Holyoke,
payer and what they will do about our present health care North Adams/Williamstown, and Easthampton. The
law Chapter 58, which does not provide universal coverage, audiences are attentive and receptive to the message.
is not sustainable due to rising costs, but does fine the Sure, we get people who ask challenging questions – but we
many vulnerable people who can’t afford to buy like that. We are prepared, and enjoy discussing these
commercial insurance. When we are asked to donate to issues. It is most heartening when members of the
legislative campaigns, be sure to ask where the candidate audience say, “This is terrific; we should have single
stands on Single Payer health reform. payer,” and when doctors come up after the talks to shake
our hands and encourage us to keep informing the public.
Nationally none of the remaining presidential candidates
is supporting a Single Payer system. Clinton, Obama and Talking to people around the state is vital to our effort.
McCain retain the present private commercial insurance If you are a member of an organization that invites
system that has demonstrated for years that it can’t speakers, please contact Ben Day at Mass-Care (617-723-
provide universal coverage, can’t control spiraling costs 7001). We will be delighted to make arrangements to send
and can’t provide quality care. All three candidates a speaker; I assure you, it will be worthwhile.
support tax credits, which cannot cover escalating
premiums costs, We need to elect new progressive
members of Congress to pass Conyers bill HR.676,
This issue: Executive Director Benjamin Day; editor, Sandy
Medicare for All, and we need keep up the pressure on
Eaton; copy: Pat Berger, Linda Delman, Judy Deutsch, Sandy
those members of our Congressional delegation who do not Eaton, John Horgan, Stephen Lewis, Grace Ross, Rand Wilson,
yet support this bill. This election year, we must Jackie Wolf; photos: Sandy Eaton, Rand Wilson; printing
confront the health care crisis as a matter of social compliments of the Massachusetts Nurses Association.
justice, medical necessity and economic urgency.

2. Judy Deutsch & Grace Ross: Tenth Ben Gill Gala Roaring Success
Healthcare Reform That Works
The question for Mass-Care as we struggle to achieve true
healthcare reform is: Should we simply identify Single
Payer as our ideal and settle for nothing less? Mass-Care
thinks not, given the current reality of Chapter 58. Our
best approach right now is to support policies that
embody Single Payer reform. Mass-Care is supporting
three cost control measures that are actual component
parts of Single-Payer, demonstrating our role as
knowledgeable and constructive problem solvers. Cost
control policies that are compatible with a Single Payer
health care system are moving forward at this moment.
Uniform billing is one of the big money savers in single
payer health care and is a building block for single payer.
Mass-Care is backing the uniform billing section in Senate
President Therese Murray’s Cost Containment bill S.2660. Senator Pat Jehlen, honoree
This bill is likely to pass this year.
Ryles Jazz Club in Inman Square, Cambridge, once more
Bulk-buying of prescription drugs is also a big money played host to the Mass-Care/UHCEF spring fund-raiser
saver, and shows that savings don’t have to mean cuts in and confab. With music by the Consortium for
care. Long ago legislation was passed that gave the Psychotherapy’s jazz combo and food by S&S Deli, the
Governor the power to establish a bulk purchasing system. atmosphere was just right to honor Senator Pat Jehlen,
Mass-Care is leading the effort to get all Massachusetts Nobel laureate Bernard Lown and Mass-Care’s own Tim
state agencies that purchase pharmaceuticals to do so at Macchio. Keynote speeches by Representative Jamie
the lowest costs possible through one bulk purchasing Eldridge and former Secretary of State candidate John
system. Mass-Care is gathering figures on actual savings Bonifaz highlighted the urgency of expanded democracy
through nonprofit purchasing agents that could apply to to win the fight for a just healthcare system. There was
all the agencies, and will lobby the Governor’s office to good representation from the Alliance to Defend Health
implement bulk purchasing policy. Care (formerly the Ad Hoc Committee), with its chair
emeritus Dr. Bernard Lown being honored. Unfortunately,
Capping the amount of our health premium dollars that both Dr. Lown and Tim Macchio were unable to be there in
insurance companies can spend on overhead (including person. Grassroots organizations from right across
everything from CEO salaries to advertising) will help Massachusetts were present.
control the spiraling costs of health care premiums. Mass-
Care has been working in support of Senator Jehlen’s bill
to cap the insurance industry’s non-medical expenditures.
This “Care Share” bill has not yet moved out of
committee, but Mass-Care is thrilled that we will soon have
an interactive web site which will be a key educational
tool exposing the waste in the insurance industry. The web
site will demonstrate how much of the health premium
dollar is going to profits and overhead, and will allow
individuals, small businesses, municipalities, unions and
providers to tell their side of the healthcare crisis.
These cost control bills can play a critical role in creating
real changes now that will improve health care, control
costs, support Single Payer healthcare reform and
position us as effective and knowledgeable advocates in Sarah Bennett, Zach Weltman, John Goodson
the larger battle still to come! ¡Alante! & Leo Stolbach sing along (ADHC in action)

3. Linda Delman & Stephen Lewis: SEIU Local 509 Rand Wilson: Health Care Action Day Events
This winter Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick About 500 Verizon workers across Massachusetts rallied
proposed a rise in health care premiums for state workers on May 22 to promote health care reforms that will cover
to help close the one billion dollar budget shortfall. Some everyone, control costs and improve the quality of care.
workers’ premiums would increase by as much as 10%. Over And throughout the day many thousands more wore
a few weeks time SEIU Local 509 contacted its members stickers on the job calling for "No Cuts in Our Benefits.
by email, urging them to contact their legislators to voice Let's Fight for Health Care for All!"
their concerns. This effort was met with overwhelming
success because thousands of emails and phone calls were Most of the events featured a short presentation about
made. The proposal was defeated in the House on May 5, how best to solve the problem of rising health care costs.
2008. A similar success is anticipated in the upcoming Workers held signs and passed out educational leaflets.
vote in the Senate. In spite of what we hope will be a
successful effort to prevent an increase in the Verizon, like so many companies, is once again attempting
percentage of the premium we pay as state workers, this to pressure its employees to pay more for the cost of
is neither the first nor last time that our healthcare costs their health insurance. Union members endured a bruising
will be under attack. We will continue to be under the gun 17-week strike in 1989 to stop concessions and preserve
until something is done about the uncontrollable increases quality health care.
in health care insurance costs.
"Shifting premium costs to employees is not a solution. It
won't hold down skyrocketing healthcare costs or improve
the quality of care," Dr. David Himmelstein from
Physicians for a National Health Program told a group in
Watertown. "It only lets employers avoid their
responsibility to work for real solutions."
"When workers stand up to their employers to prevent
shifting benefit costs, it puts pressure on management to
begin working for a real national solution," said former
gubernatorial candidate Grace Ross. "All working people
need secure, affordable health care coverage, even if
they get laid-off, change jobs or work part time. Only a
'Medicare for All' reform that would improve and expand
509’s Stephen Lewis with Verizon workers on May 22nd our national Medicare program can provide that kind of
coverage."
In March 2008, the AFL-CIO sent out an online health
care survey and received more than 26,000 responses. Events were held in Boston, Woburn, Braintree, Weymouth,
There were many personal accounts of health care Dedham, Dorchester, Watertown, Andover, Methuen,
shortcomings. One astounding figure is that 46% of all Lawrence, Lynn, Lowell, Brockton, Taunton, Marlboro,
respondents say their out-of-pocket health care costs last Boylston and Springfield.
year were between $1000 and $5000, while 17% with health
care coverage paid out more than $5000. Seventy-nine In addition to Himmelstein, Ross and many shop stewards,
percent (79%) of respondents report that health care will there were speakers from healthcare reform groups
be a major issue in the 2008 presidential and including: Dr. Pat Berger and Ben Day from Mass-Care;
congressional campaigns. Ninety-six percent (96%) of Jeff Crosby, North Shore Labor Council; and Dr. Cheryl
insured respondents reported fear of being unable to Hamlin, Physicians for a National Health Program.
afford coverage during the next few years and 97% say
they plan to vote this fall. Verizon workers in Massachusetts are united in the IBEW
and CWA. Jobs with Justice is a workers’ rights coalition.
Health care will be a major issue in this election year. Its health care campaign links workers’ struggles against
SEIU Local 509 recommends contacting your legislators insurance cost shifting and cuts in health care services to
to make your opinions on quality affordable healthcare help build a larger movement for comprehensive reforms.
known. Learn more at www.massjwj.net.

4. Mass-Care Needs You! John Horgan: Triple-Header April 28th
You may not realize it but you have the talents needed to Healthcare activists from across the country gathered in
achieve a Single Payer universal health care system! Boston to learn about the recently enacted Massachusetts
healthcare reform law. The day was broken up into three
Mass-Care needs: segments highlighting the problems our current system of
health insurance presents.
• Office volunteers to make phone calls, write
letters, stuff envelopes and collate signatures for a The morning consisted of a panel presentation on the
ballot initiative. Chapter 58 and its health insurance mandates. Local
• Volunteers to work on our Legislative Committee, reform activists Sandy Eaton, Janet Hand, Ann Malone,
organizing our members to speak to their Susan Sered and Robert Gaw informed an audience of
legislators, going to the legislature to testify or out-of-towners on the history of Massachusetts reform
lobby, developing legislative strategy. attempts. They explained how Massachusetts (of all
• Fundraising volunteers to write grants and to plan places) came to enact health insurance mandates. The
events such as “SiCKO” house parties and local presentation also focused on the many flaws with Chapter
fundraisers. 58 and how people are actually being harmed by this type
• Volunteers for our Speakers’ Bureau. We are of reform. Testimonials were presented by Elisa McKernan
invited to gives presentations all around the state. and Joseph Parker of the Boston Liberation Health Group
We are planning a speakers’ training session in the on exactly how this reform is hurting their families and
fall. clients.
• Contacts with the media. We need contacts with
radio, TV, newspapers; we need letters-to-the- A Q&A session followed. Michael Lighty from California
editor, op-eds and a songwriter to make a Single Nurses spoke on how California was able to stop
Payer public announcement ad. individual-mandate legislation and helped Ray Stever (IUC
• Support for Single Payer candidates. Mass-Care New Jersey) develop strategies to stop this from
will be sending out questionnaires to all candidates happening in New Jersey. Kay and Walter Tillow from
about their position on health care reform so Kentucky encouraged attendees to join the fight to pass
voters will know who is a Single Payer candidate. HR.676, Representative Conyers’ single-payer bill. Much
• Volunteers to gather signatures for a ballot was shared in this morning session before we broke for
question instructing legislators to support Single lunch and our trip to the State House for a showing of
Payer and vote down the individual mandate. “SiCKO” in Gardner Auditorium.
Contact Mass-Care at 617-723-7001 or email We were greeted there by Benjamin Day, Mass-Care and
info@masscare.org to lend us your talents. the crowd from Massachusetts Senior Action Council,
joined by State House staffers who were able to attend.
Check out Mass-Care’s new web site! The movie is a must-see for those who care about real
reform. We had the pleasure to meet and hear from
Our web site has been completely revamped, thanks to Adrian Campbell and Donna Smith, who shared their
your generosity, but the address has remained the same. firsthand accounts of what they went through and how
Navigation tools will get you to the information you want they have turned their experience into the motivation to
quickly. The home page has a handy calendar of events work for a single-payer national healthcare system.
and two single-payer news feeds. Tell us what you think.
The day finished with a rally in the rain with Tom Morello
Universal Health Care Education Fund (UHCEF) and his Axis of Justice tour. We marched from the State
c/o Mass-Care House to the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common,
33 Harrison Avenue, Fifth Floor where we joined Tom, Boots Riley, State Radio and Gary
Boston, MA 02111 for a concert for healthcare-now.org. It was an action-
P: 617-723-7001 filled day with many groups coming together: IBEW Local
F: 617-723-7002 2222, MNA, CNA, JwJ, HC-NOW, Mass-Care, Boston
info@masscare.org Liberation Health Group, Tom Morello and Donna Smith.
www.masscare.org