July 17, 2009

The group here in DC (visiting PNHP members and interns) has done many visits to Congressional offices this week. Most have been with the health legislative aides (LA’s) who vary in their backgrounds and experience. A few are new and need basic information on single payer but most are quite knowledgeable of the issues. A few even have health profession backgrounds. We have generally had good interactions with the LAs, who have expressed a lot of appreciation for our visits. One does get the impression that the LAs have an important role with their bosses. It also seems that interest in single payer is increasing over the past few days.

Yesterday we met with LAs and two Representatives. One of the Representatives came out of a committee that is marking up the House bill agreed with us that the main objective in the long run is to make health care a right, and that we need single payer reform, but he saw no way to get further than the current proposal now. In the committee, the Republicans were using delaying tactics, taking 5 minutes each for each of the 50 plus amendments, and making absurd statements.

I have been impressed with the grassroots movement for single payer across the country. Our message has been that single payer reform is necessary because the for-profit insurance industry will always be able to game the system to their advantage. While the Congress is increasingly aware that grassroots support for single payer is massive and growing, a major problem continues to be the huge distribution of money from the industry to politicians and organizations that have subverted and compromised the present reform movement. While our movement lacks their deep pockets, we have the support of the public. So it was nice to end the week with a victory for single payer: Representative Kucinich’s amendment to allow states to adopt single payer programs passed the Education and Labor committee today. While we have a long way to go before we have a single payer health care system at the state or national level, this was a start.

- Submitted by George Pauk, MD