Survey says 4 of 5 doctors took gifts from sales reps

Survey says 4 of 5 doctors took gifts from sales reps
Drug companies spend too much advertising in the media for prescription meds that should be outlawed. Giving kickbacks and pay offs so Dr's. use certain drugs should be outlawed too. Single payer universal health care would help remove this as a problem.

Craig Brooks

Single payer idea has a long way to go

Just 33%favor National Health Insurance. The need to educate about single payer is still the most important thing we can do.

Community Conversations

Community Conversations: "LACRESCENT/WINONA/LACROSSE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON HEALTH CARE

See pictures of the LaCrescent meeting!"

Incremental Health Reform: Whose Life Doesn't Count?

The Blog | Rose Ann DeMoro: Incremental Health Reform: Whose Life Doesn't Count? | The Huffington Post:
"Incremental Health Reform: Whose Life Doesn't Count?"
"American history is filled with examples of fundamental, democratic change brought about by mass action and public pressure against the counseling of the go slow crowd. We can and must achieve that in healthcare as well."

Prescription for change? State lawmakers working slowly toward universal health care

Winona Daily News - 6.0 Front Page Coverage! Of our April 22nd public education event.
Check it out and add comments to the end of the article.

Sunday April 22nd Event in La Crescent - Part of Cover the Uninsured Week

A Community Conversation on Universal Health Care

Lawmakers describe current legislative proposals at La Crescent forum

Citizens of Minnesota and Wisconsin are invited to a conversation about single-payer health care and what state legislation is currently being considered, as lawmakers participate in “A Forum on Single Payer—The Solution with NO Fine Print,” Sunday April 22 at La Crescent High School, 1301 Lancer Blvd. from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Dr. James Hart, a member of Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition (MUHCC) and Physicians for a National Health Program, will give an introduction to Single Payer health care to open the conversation. Participants will then share stories about their personal challenges with our health care system, after which elected officials, including Sen. Sharon Ropes and Rep. Ken Tschumper, will describe legislative proposals pending in Minnesota and Wisconsin. A question and answer session will conclude the forum.

“We need to educate ourselves and make our voices heard,” said Craig Brooks, an organizer of the event. “If we don’t let them know what citizens want, the lobbyists will control the outcome. We hope to raise awareness as to the benefits of a single-payer health care system.”

The event is co-sponsored by the Great Northern States Health Care Initiative and MUHCC. Interested persons are invited to contact Craig Brooks at 507-459-0237 for further information.

With fervor, House tackles $9.9 billion health bill

With fervor, House tackles $9.9 billion health bill
The Minnesota Legislature just may be able to pass some steps toward major changes in our system. Let's hope, let's encourage them and let's tell the Governor we don't want him to veto it.

Bill allowing Negotiations for Medicare drug prices fails

Senate Minority, Drug Lobby Obstruct People's Will

Last Wednesday, the Senate failed to pass a bill to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. Read more through the above link.

Health care for America

A proposal for guaranteed, affordable health care for all Americans building on Medicare and employment-based insurance.

Follow the link to Jacob Hacker's proposal.

Negotiating drug prices could save billions

The Waste and Inefficiency of the Bush Prescription Drug Plan
The Republicans' prescription drug program sell-out to insurance and drug companies made a law prohibitting Medicare from negotiating for lower drug prices. If Congress repeals this law and allows the government to use its bulk purchasing power, American taxpayers and seniors could save more then $30 billion annually.

Waste and inefficiency in the Bush
Medicare prescription drug plan:
Allowing Medicare to negotiate lower
prices could save Minnesota
$582 million a year


Waste and inefficiency in the Bush
Medicare prescription drug plan:
Allowing Medicare to negotiate lower
prices could save Wisconsin
$497 million a year

Health care costs jumped 12% in 2006

Health care costs jumped 12% in 2006: "one of the key reasons for higher costs is the number of uninsured patients seeking hospital services"

Editorial: Let Medicare bargain for better drug prices

Editorial: Let Medicare bargain for better drug prices: "Part D: It is the biggest new federal entitlement since the Great Society"

Please let you Congress members know what you think of this subsidy for big business at the expense of the low and middle income Medicare beneficiaries.

Injured soldiers face unacceptable obstacles to treatment, commission says

Injured soldiers face unacceptable obstacles to treatment, commission says
If we had REAL universal access to health care via a single payer system, this would not happen.

JS Online: State asks to keep SeniorCare drug program through end of year

JS Online: State asks to keep SeniorCare drug program through end of year
States wouldn't have to try to get permission to continue to spend state tax money to help with drugs for seniors if Medicare were allowed to negotiate prices and seek bids like the VA can. Contact your US Senator to ask them to not renew the legislation for Part D that prohibits negotiation on price.

Editorial: Health care cuts prove pound-foolish

Editorial: Health care cuts prove pound-foolish
Not providing coverage drives cost up for all. The original article referred to in this editorial can be seen at the Mpls. Trib.
An article about how Minn. hospitals are having to accommodate people who can't pay their bills is at the Winona Daily News.
High deductibles and reducing coverage only drives up cost for all of the system and all of us. It makes the vicious circle worse.
Quote I heard today -- "When an Apple a Day Isn't Enough"
The efforts to help pay for premiums with high deductibles isn't enough. We know it will cost too much and provide too little.

Burden of hospitals' charity is growing

Burden of hospitals' charity is growing
The cost of uncompensated care keeps increasing as a part of health care inflation. We all know that Single Payer is a way to deal with this as well and this is one of the many reasons Single Payer is affordable.

April 22, 2007 Public Forum

Community Conversation

on Universal Health Care

“A Forum on Single Payer

– The Solution with NO Fine Print”

Hosted by the Great Northern States Health Care Coalition and

the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition

Sunday April 22nd, 2007

1:00 to 3:00 pm

LaCrescent High School

1301 Lancer Blvd., Lacrescent, MN

Agenda

Introduction to Single Payer

Testimonials

Elected Officials – What’s in the Works

Q & A

"Of all the forms of inequality,

injustice in health care

is the most shocking and inhumane."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Minnesota can't afford to ignore dental care

Dick Wiberg: Minnesota can't afford to ignore dental care
This is one of many stories about what happens when access to basic health care is denied.