The Occupy Wall Street movement and single payer

By Katie Robbins

I am writing this on the bus to Washington, D.C., for the launch of the October 2011 movement. The past few weeks have been exhilarating to watch the growing Occupy Demonstrations gain momentum with increased solidarity from labor, faith groups, peace and justice organizations, and of course the health justice community.

Some people have been asking about how to engage with the Occupy Wall Street solidarity actions around the country, particularly around health care. I will share our experience in New York City.

The Occupy Wall Street Demo at Zuccotti Park is happening across the street from the offices of WellPoint, the largest health insurance company in the U.S. Two years ago, we held a sit-in at the offices of WellPoint to protest the obscene profits and patient abuse, while pointing to the need for single-payer health care.

Healthcare-NOW! NYC members have been petitioning, leafleting, and talking to human beings about single-payer health care regularly. The response has been excitement about our positive message and how to improve our society in a just and equitable way. People approach us to talk about our signs that say “Medicare for All” and “Health Care is a Human Right.”

Last night, a contingent of single-payer health care supporters joined 20,000 New Yorkers in a solidarity march with the Occupy Wall Street demonstration. [PNHP note: a 1-minute video showing the participation of physicians in yesterday’s action is available here, courtesy of Dr. SteveB at Daily Kos.] Some of the Wall Street demonstrators then made it to our public forum on single-payer health care at Church of the Ascension on the Upper West Side.

You don’t have to participate in civil disobedience to join the Occupy Demonstrations or sleep outside. You do have a responsibility to educate and share information about the movement for health justice and talk to people about how the health crisis affects them and their families.

You might consider bringing food, clothes, and card board for signs for those who are sustaining this peaceful occupation.

Together, we can show solidarity and create the kind of movement to meet the needs of the 99 percent, including winning a just and equitable health care system. Let me know if you’d like to talk about any other ideas to link up single-payer health care advocacy and #OccupyTogether actions. There are 503 cities participating in this movement as of right now. Find an event near you here: http://www.occupytogether.org/

Katie Robbins is national organizer for Healthcare-NOW! She can be reached at katie@healthcare-now.org.