In this eBulletin: Health Care Champions elected, 2019 Legislative priorities, annual meeting recap, and more!
Election of Healthcare Champions Energizes the Fight for Single Payer in Washington
Thanks to Washington voters, there will be a lot of pressure on the state legislature to deliver a path to single payer universal health care in the 2019 Legislative Session.
Here's what happened in the historic 2018 Midterm Election:
★ 7 NEW HCFA-WA HEALTH CARE CHAMPIONS and 24 INCUMBENT CHAMPIONS WERE ELECTED. Full list here.
★ 6 additional Legislative Districts now have a Champion for state-based single payer universal health care.
★ Democrats now have a solid majority in the Legislature -- by 8 Senators and 16 Representatives.
★ We have a potential for over 40 co-sponsors for our bills.
Read more on the 2018 Midterm Election Results here.
The voters have spoken and now we need YOU to keep up the massive voter pressure and visibility throughout the 2019 Session. Be loud and proud!
To get the ball rolling, we are organizing In-District meetings with Legislators now. Click here to email Ronnie Shure, our Political Action Committee Co-Chair to sign up.
Tell them your personal story and why single-payer universal health care is important to you. Ask them to co-sponsor the Bridge and WHST bills (see below) and push for hearings in both the House and Senate in 2019. They need to know you will 'have their back' and continue to support them if they act on their belief that health care is a basic human need -- and a matter of life or death for too many Washingtonians. Visits, calls, email, and letters are all important ways to reach out.
HCFA-WA 2019 Legislative Priorities - How we can GET THERE...from Here
HCFA-WA has adopted the Three Legislative Priorities for 2019:
1) 2019 Bridge Bill
A bridge to single-payer bill this session sponsored by Rep. Macri and Sen. Frockt that would take immediate steps toward providing affordable coverage for all and lay the foundation for the WHST, a true state-based single payer system.
2) Washington Health Security Trust (WHST) Bill
Our bill for state-based, publicly financed and administered, but privately delivered medical care for all Washingtonians sponsored by Rep. Sherry Appleton.
3) State-Based Universal Health Care Act (SBUHC, currently HR 6097)
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal's federal bill would give states the funding and regulatory tools to build universal state plans.
Please see this blog post for the context behind these legislative priorities.
2018 HCFA-WA Annual Meeting THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for the successful 2018 HCFA-WA Annual Meeting! We had an excited and enthusiastic gathering of activists wanting to learn more about our plans for the 2019 Legislative Session. A recap...Healthcare News You Can Use
Heart Treatment Denied! Unless You Raise $10,000 on GoFundMe
You can not predict if or when you, or someone you love, will have a condition that your regular health insurance will not cover. When should you start your GoFundMe appeal?
Health Insurers Spying on Sleepers To Deny Sleep Apnea Machines
"Experts who study health care costs say insurers' CPAP strategies are part of the industry's playbook of shifting the costs of widely used therapies, devices and tests to unsuspecting patients," from the NPR report here.
HCFA
From our friends at Healthcare-NOW:
"The coverage seniors receive currently under Medicare -- while guaranteed and often better than private insurance -- is not nearly as comprehensive as that offered by countries with single-payer healthcare, and seniors stand to gain more from an improved Medicare for All plan than just about any group in the country."
Upcoming Events
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Wed, Dec 19 |
Physicians for a National Health Plan Western Washington Monthly Meeting - Seattle |
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Wed, Dec 19th - Tues, Jan 1 |
HCFA-WA Enjoying the Holidays |
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Jan, TBD |
HCFA-WA Mobilization Blitzes |
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Mon, Jan. 14 |
Washington State 2019 Legislature Convenes |