Feb. 9-13: Nurses Union Kicks Off 'MEDICARE FOR ALL' National Week of Action
- 'To Galvanize Local Organizing for Medicare for All, Nurses Union to Kick Off Nationwide 'Barnstorms' This Weekend.'
"I know people with diabetes literally dying because they cannot afford their insulin." Common Dreams, Feb. 8, 2019.
Building on rising public support for scrapping the nation's for-profit healthcare system and replacing it with Medicare for All, the nation's largest nurses union—along with progressive allies—on Saturday will kick off a week of barnstorms in cities and communities across the United States. "Any Democratic politician worth their salt needs to get behind Medicare for All. People want it. If you're not behind it, you need to get out of office." —Emily Hibshman, barnstorm volunteer
Volunteers nationwide, coordinated by National Nurses United (NNU), are planning more than 150 events from Feb. 9 to Feb. 13. As NNU executive director Bonnie Castillo explained, "The barnstorms are about harnessing that momentum and continuing to build it out even further, into every community, conversation by conversation, neighbor by neighbor—until the people's will for Medicare for All becomes the political will to get it done."
At the events, according to organizers, "you'll gather with volunteers near you, talk about the plan to win, and begin organizing to knock doors, make phone calls, and more in your community."
> Find an event this week in your community here: (map in the article).
Recent polling has shown that 70% of Americans support a Medicare for All system called for by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and a growing number of Democrats in Congress. The barnstorms come as Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) is set to introduce the Medicare for All Act of 2019 in the House as early as next week. Not only is a single-payer system increasingly popular with the public and progressive lawmakers, it also is expected to dramatically improve Americans' healthcare experiences.
A new Public Citizen analysis, as Common Dreams reported Monday, found that Medicare for All would "significantly cut healthcare costs, increase systemic efficiency, and improve coverage—while expanding it to everyone."
*Public Citizen: The Case for Medicare-for-All, https://www.citizen.org/case-for-medicare-for-all
"I know people with diabetes literally dying because they cannot afford their insulin...Having healthcare tied to your occupation holds everybody back. In what should be the greatest country in the world, there's no excuse for this." —Briana Moss, barnstorm volunteer
As patients and healthcare providers nationwide can attest, for those who are living with dire conditions but struggle to afford high quality care, the proposed overhaul can't come quickly enough—which has inspired some of them to join the grassroots movement for Medicare for All. Briana Moss' fight to maintain insulin for her Type I diabetes motivated her to host the Dubuque, Iowa barnstorm, according to a statement from NNU...- MORE.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/02/08/galvanize-local-organizing-medicare-all-nurses-union-kick-nationwide-barnstorms
> WATCH, '5 Myths About MEDICARE- FOR- ALL' (Public Citizen Report)
= new reply since forum marked as read
Brianna Ross, 30, with the supplies she needs to survive diabetes type 1.
Excerpt: "As the Medicare for All week of action ramps up Feb. 9–13, with 150 “barnstorm” organizing events across the U.S., meet some of the young people who are leading the fight for Medicare for All. (And click here to find the date and time of your local barnstorm!). Briana Moss, 30, grew up in Dyersville, Iowa, site of the “field of dreams” (from the 1989 movie). Despite the reputation of her hometown, her own life dreams feel on hold. At age 30, when many young people are getting their careers off the ground, Moss’ life choices are guided by one thing: the need for insulin.
“I know of people with diabetes literally dying because they cannot afford their insulin. It’s very scary and very real,” says Moss, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 12. She hadn’t yet finished college when her family insurance ended at 26, and after a few frantic months of insulin rationing, she found coverage through Iowa Medicaid. That’s where she remains, doing secretarial work at a family business, afraid to make any big life changes — which could be deadly."...More.
"Profit-Driven Healthcare Is Killing the Dreams of Young People. Young People Are Fighting Back." "I feel so passionate about this movement and winning Medicare for All. People shouldn't be going bankrupt and dying. We're the generation that's going to get this done." By National Nurses United, Common Dreams, Feb. 9, 2019.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/02/09/profit-driven-healthcare-killing-dreams-young-people-young-people-are-fighting-back