The Clark Fork Chronicle
Wednesday, April 22 2009
A new statewide group has formed to affect the current national debate on health care reform. Montanans for Single-Payer is committed to true universal health care, a Medicare-type system where everyone is in and no one is out, according to the group’s spokesman, Phil Campbell.
Campbell said that Montanans for Single-Payer is convinced the only way to assure quality health care for all Montanans and all Americans is to implement a single-payer system that can contain costs, allow individuals to choose their own doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, and integrate wellness programs throughout the nation’s health care. “Currently we have an inefficient, wasteful, and expensive patchwork, not a true health care system,” Campbell said. “Only a single-payer approach can provide a true system for health care delivery.”
Montanans for Single-Payer is reaching out to Montanans providing information about the single-payer approach and how it can bring real change to American health care. The group has a contact person in all 56 counties and can already notify 14,000 Montanans of developments in health care reform, with plans to increase that number by a third every two weeks.
Campbell said, “We recognize Montanans have a unique opportunity to help shape the future of health care in America because Senator Max Baucus is a key player in that effort. We believe he will listen to the voices of Montanans so Montanans must make clear that we want a single-payer health care system. We plan to activate a network of Montanans whenever there is a decision on health care reform coming up in Washington, D.C. urging Montana citizens to contact Senators Baucus and Tester, Representative Denny Rehberg, and President Barack Obama.”
Campbell concluded, “There are many single-payer grassroots efforts throughout Montana who share the belief that a national, single-payer system is the reform most likely to solve our current health care crisis. We are reaching out to all single-payer advocates, groups and individuals, in order to unify Montana’s single-payer voice.”
For more information, to promote single-payer in your community or to find out how you or your group can join efforts with Montanans for Single-Payer, see http://www.montanansforsinglepayer.org.