Support the Affordable Care Act

As we prepare to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act, Keystone Progress Education Fund is joining with Know Your Care preparing events and actions across Pennsylvania, leading up to the anniversary on Friday, March 23rd. We’ve been working with our partners to capitalize on this great opportunity to make sure that people understand the benefits that are now available to them as a result of the law and to celebrate the millions of Americans who are already benefiting.

We’re asking people to join us by signing our online petition to support healthcare reform: “I support the Affordable Care Act in Pennsylvania because no government or corporation should deny my rights to quality, affordable health care.”

We are partnering with dozens of organizations to host educational and celebratory actions that are targeted at Pennsylvania citizens who will benefit from the law.

From a trip to the White House on Friday by 150 Pennsylvanians organized by Keystone Progress, to events organized by PennAction in Bucks County and the NEPA Area Labor Federation, our members and allies are spreading the word about the Affordable Care Act and the many benefits it provides.

Our message throughout the week is that #HealthCareWorks, and we’ll be using the stories of real people to educate their peers about the benefits of the law. Follow us on Twitter at @KnowYourCarePA

• Health care works for women, children, seniors – everyone. More than 86 million Americans received preventive care  such as mammograms and colonoscopies for free in 2011.

• Health care works for young adults: 2.5 million young adults are now insured because of the new health care law.

• Health careworks for seniors: 3.6 million Medicare beneficiaries saved more than $2.1 billion on prescription drugs because of the new health care law.

• Health care works for those with pre-existing conditions. Expanded coverage for those with pre-existing conditions: Nearly 50,000 Americans who were denied coverage now have insurance through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.

• Health care works for small businesses: A growing number of businesses offering health care coverage are taking advantage of tax credits available under the law.

Take your stand to support Healthcare Reform by signing our petition or attending one or more events across Pennsylvania.

In Celebration of Healthcare Reform,

Mike, Jamie, Dan, David
For the Keystone Progress Education Fund Team

Northwest PA Catholics United members defend Rep. Dahlkemper's cote on healthcare reform bill

Northwest Pennsylvania Catholics United Members Defend Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper’s Vote on Health Care Reform Bill

Posted August 16, 2010

People of Faith Aim to “Set the Record Straight” about Abortion Funding Myth

Local members of the group Catholics United joined other members of the faith community at a public gathering today to support Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper's vote for health care reform, and to debunk the false claim that the reform act allows federal funding of abortion. This event responded to an earlier event held by the Republican-affiliated Susan B. Anthony List, which falsely claims that elective abortions are being funded through health care reform legislation passed earlier this year.

Read the entire story here:Northwest Pennsylvania Catholics United Members Defend Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper’s Vote on Health Care Reform Bill

PA's high risk insurance pool starts tomorrow

Pennsylvania's High Risk Pools, or the PA Fair Care Program, starts accepting applications tomorrow.

To qualify you will need to have been without health insurance for 6 months, have a pre-existing condition over which you were denied coverage or over-charged and live in PA legally.

You can apply on line at www.PAFairCare.com after 8:30 AM tomorrow, August 4th.

PHAN will be running a call at 10:00 AM to help people with that process.

We will now also be running two additional calls around PA Fair Care at 12:00 Noon and 3:00 PM.

For dial-in number or more information email Athena at aford@pahealthaccess.org

What's Tom Hiding?

Corbett stalls again on Right to Know Request
filed by Keystone Progress

“What’s Tom Hiding?” website created to highlight his lack of openness.

(HARRISBURG)—Keystone Progress (KP) filed a detailed and specific Right to Know Request with Tom Corbett’s Office of Attorney General, seeking information on correspondence concerning Corbett’s politically motivated suit to overturn the federal healthcare reform legislation. Once again, Corbett’s office has refused to honor that request, using a legal loophole to delay providing the information for another 30 days..

The request seeks all correspondence concerning that suit between the OAG and numerous political operatives and organizations. This is KP’s second request for this information. The first was turned down by Corbett’s office.

This request sought more specific information, including emails between his office and the Republican State Leadership Conference (RSLC) and other Republican Party campaign operatives.

Emails released by the Wisconsin Attorney General revealed that Corbett’s office received emails from RSLC, which was organizing the lawsuit. The RTK request is seeking those and similar correspondence. RSLC describes itself as “the only national organization whose mission is electing Republicans to the office of Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State Legislator.”¹ RSLC is organized as a 527 organization which has contributed over $58 million to elect Republicans at the state level.

RSLC was Corbett’s largest contributor during his race for reelection as attorney general, giving him $691,000, according to the PA Department of State.²

“We’re beginning to think that Corbett is delaying because he thinks no one cares about this,” said Michael Morrill, executive director of Keystone Progress. “That’s why we’ve started another petition; this time to get Corbett to tell the truth.”

The website, www.WhatsTomHiding.com, has a simple petition that allows people to express their outrage at Corbett’s stonewalling.

The website has a “Corbett Disclosure Clock,” which shows the time since the initial request, now at 75 days.

The test of the website reads:

Attorney General Tom Corbett is thumbing his nose at routine requests for basic information that he is required to provide under Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law. Keystone Progress has been seeking information about illegal contacts between the Office of Attorney General and Republican Party and campaign operatives about his politically-motivated lawsuit that will deny healthcare coverage to Pennsylvanians. So far, Corbett has refused to comply with this simple request, stretching deadlines, using legal loopholes and refusing to accept a hand delivered request.

Voters across Pennsylvania are demanding that Corbett come clean immediately. Join us by signing our petition. Tell Corbett to come clean now!

The petition will be delivered to Corbett in the near future.

¹ Republican State Leadership Committee website http://www.rslc.com/about-rslc/
²Pennsylvania Department of State http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/ContributionSearchResults.aspx?RequestID=346769&StartRow=1&RowsPerPage=10&SortOrder=0

Keystone Progress is Pennsylvania’s largest online progressive network with over 200,000 subscribers. Keystone Progress is also a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.

###

Keystone Progress re-files Right to Know Request concerning Corbett’s suit to overturn healthcare reform

Keystone Progress re-files Right to Know Request concerning Corbett’s suit to overturn healthcare reform

First request was denied. Keystone Progress seeking more specific information after
Corbett’s office tried to hide correspondence with his major political funder.

(HARRISBURG)—Keystone Progress (KP) has filed a detailed and specific Right to Know Request with Tom Corbett’s Office of Attorney General, seeking information on correspondence concerning Corbett’s politically motivated suit to overturn the federal healthcare reform legislation.

The request seeks all correspondence concerning that suit between the OAG and numerous political operatives and organizations. This is KP’s second request for this information. The first was turned down by Corbett’s office.

Keystone Progress recently uncovered emails that revealed Corbett’s office has been working with a Republican campaign organization to plan to overturn the recently enacted federal healthcare reform law. KP uncovered the relationship in a series of emails released by the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice under a similar request by One Wisconsin Now.

Fourteen state attorneys general have filed suit to overturn the Affordable Healthcare for America Act, the federal healthcare reform law. Corbett has repeatedly denied that his efforts are political, despite the fact that he agreed to join the suit even before he had read the healthcare reform law. The lawsuit was filed just seven minutes after President Obama signed the bill into law.

The staff of the attorneys general have been working with the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC). RSLC describes itself as “the only national organization whose mission is electing Republicans to the office of Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State Legislator.”¹ RSLC is organized as a 527 organization which has contributed over $58 million to elect Republicans at the state level. RSLC was Corbett’s largest contributor during his race for reelection as attorney general, giving him $691,000, according to the PA Department of State.²

-MORE-

“At the risk of getting subpoenaed or being subjected to retaliation by Attorney General Corbett, we are filing another request for this correspondence,” said Michael Morrill, Keystone Progress’ executive director. “The Wisconsin emails reveal what we believe is the tip of the iceberg concerning the involvement of the OAG and political operatives in this suit. Corbett’s office should comply with this request as the AG’s office in Wisconsin did.”

The request seeks all correspondence between OAG and the following:

• Republican State Leadership Committee
• Republican Attorneys General Association
• Republican Party of Pennsylvania
• Republican National Committee
• American Justice Partnership
• Caleb Consulting
• Tom Corbett for Governor
• Tim Barnes, Chairman, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Scott Ward, President, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Ben Cannatti, Political Director, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Erin Berry, Associate General Counsel, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Casey Phillips, Regional Political Director, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Michael Luethy, Regional Political Director, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Adam Temple, Press Secretary, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Robert Sechrist, Director of New Media, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Michael Steele, Chairman, Republican National Committee
• Karl Rove
• Chirag Shah, Campaign Manager for JB Van Hollen WI Attorney General
• Rob Gleason, Chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania
• Joyce Haas, Vice-Chair of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania
• Christine J. Toretti, Republican National Committeewoman
• Robert Asher, Republican National Committeeman

¹ Republican State Leadership Committee website http://www.rslc.com/about-rslc/
²Pennsylvania Department of State http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/ContributionSearchResults.aspx?RequestID=346769&StartRow=1&RowsPerPage=10&SortOrder=0

Keystone Progress is Pennsylvania’s largest online progressive network with over 200,000 subscribers. Keystone Progress is also a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.

Emails link Corbett’s AG office to Republican campaign group in suit to overturn healthcare reform

Keystone Progress uncovers coordination between Corbett’s office and Republican State Leadership Committee, Corbett’s largest campaign donor.

Corbett’s office tried to hide relationship by denying Right to Know Request.

(HARRISBURG)—Tom Corbett’s Office of Attorney General has been working with a Republican campaign organization to plan to overturn the recently enacted federal healthcare reform law. Keystone Progress uncovered the relationship in a series of emails released by the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Keystone Progress had attempted to get this information through a Right to Know request, but Corbett’s office opted to keep the correspondence secret.

Fourteen state attorneys general have filed suit to overturn the Affordable Healthcare for America Act, the federal healthcare reform law. Corbett has repeatedly denied that his efforts are political, despite the fact that he agreed to join the suit even before he had read the healthcare reform law. The lawsuit was filed just seven minutes after President Obama signed the bill into law.

The emails reveal that the staff of the attorneys general have been working with the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC). RSLC describes itself as “the only national organization whose mission is electing Republicans to the office of Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State Legislator.”¹ RSLC is organized as a 527 organization which has contributed over $58 million to elect Republicans at the state level.

RSLC was Corbett’s largest contributor during his race for reelection as attorney general, giving him $691,000, according to the PA Department of State.²

The emails list David Sumner, Senior Deputy Attorney General and Ann Marie Kaiser, Director of Legislative Affairs as participants in the email exchange that included Ben Cannatti, the Political Director of RSLC.

Cannatti is described on the RSLC website as “the RSLC’s Political Director since the group’s inception in 2002. Working with the RSLC political staff, Ben oversees the expenditure of millions of dollars each year and developing the committee’s political strategy and tactics in attorneys general, state legislative, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state races across the country.”³

The email exchange was obtained by Keystone Progress from One Wisconsin Now (OWN). OWN got the emails by filing a public records request with the Attorney General of Wisconsin, J.B. Van Hollen.

Keystone Progress asked for the same information from Attorney General Tom Corbett’s office, but was denied. “Now we know why Corbett refused to comply with the Right to Know Law,” said Michael Morrill, Executive Director of Keystone Progress. “He wanted to keep these emails secret.”

The emails that were released do not reveal much detail about strategy, but they expose the long-denied political motives of the suit.

“We believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg,” added Morrill. “There are undoubtedly going to be more revelations about the political nature of this suit. Corbett should learn from history and release all related correspondence now. The cover-up is always worse than the original act.”

¹ Republican State Leadership Committee website http://www.rslc.com/about-rslc/
²Pennsylvania Department of State http://www.campaignfinance.state.pa.us/ContributionSearchResults.aspx?RequestID=346769&StartRow=1&RowsPerPage=10&SortOrder=0
³ http://www.rslc.com/rslc-staff

# # #

Keystone Progress is Pennsylvania’s largest online progressive network with over 200,000 subscribers. Keystone Progress is also a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.

Corbett trying to kill healthcare reform

Just hours after Congress passed health insurance reform, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett joined a lawsuit to block it. He joined 10 other Republican attorneys general who are pledging to take it to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Tom Corbett is using our tax dollars to sue the United States in an effort to block health care reforms that offer huge benefits to the people of our state. Who is he representing?

We know Corbett isn't representing the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions who will be guaranteed coverage, or the 151,000 small businesses who will receive tax credits and other assistance to help them afford coverage, or the 2.2 million people who will receive improved Medicare benefits, or the 10.7 million residents with health insurance who are now protected from arbitrary premium hikes and insurance cancellations if they get sick.¹

Does Tom Corbett represent you?

If you don't want Attorney General Corbett to file this suit in your name, now is the time to speak out! We need Tom Corbett to hear from thousands of people across the state: don't sacrifice Washington's health for partisan politics. Please click on the link below to sign our petition. Then forward this email to your friends and ask them to sign as well.

http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/s/pacorbett1

This reform will benefit nearly every family in Pennsylvania. A congressional analysis found that this bill will:

* Protect 10.7 million residents with health insurance from arbitrary premium hikes and insurance cancellations if they get sick.
* Provide tax credits and other assistance to up to 904,000 families and 151,000 small businesses in PA to help them afford coverage.
* Improve Medicare for 2.2 million people in PA.
* Extend insurance coverage to 1.3 million uninsured residents.
* Guarantee that the more than 500,000 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
* Reduce the national debt by over $1 trillion over the next 20 years.²

Despite these benefits for the people of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett is putting partisan politics above good policy by trying to maintain the status quo of our broken health care system.

He thinks this will help him win his campaign for governor. We need him to hear from thousands of people across the state: don't sacrifice Pennsylvania's health for partisan politics.

Help us make sure Tom Corbett understands that he does not represent the people of Pennsylvania if he continues to pursue this suit. Please click on the link below to sign our petition, and then forward it to your friends.

http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/s/pacorbett1

Michael Morrill

How does the Healthcare Reform Bill affect your district?

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce has produced a district-by-district review of how the pending legislation would affect people.

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1924:benefits-of-health-care-reform-district-by-district-impact&catid=169:legislation&Itemid=55

How many people will die from lack of healthcare due to Republican inaction?

Congressional District	Incumbent	No. of Dead
Pennsylvania 5	Glenn Thompson	64
Pennsylvania 6	Jim Gerlach	49
Pennsylvania 9	Bill Shuster	83
Pennsylvania 15	Charles W. Dent	54
Pennsylvania 16	Joseph R. Pitts	77
Pennsylvania 18	Tim Murphy	40
Pennsylvania 19	Todd Russell Platts	51

While Republican Members of Congress oppose any meaningful healthcare reform, here are the numbers of people who will die in their districts this year.

Thanks to Rep. Alan Grayson (D,FL) for the list. To view the entire list, go to:

http://grayson.house.gov/Deaths%20by%20Congressional%20District.doc

Great new video on healthcare reform with Will Ferrell

From MoveOn.org

You have to check this out: Will Ferrell on health care reform, along with Jon Hamm from "Mad Men," Donald Faison from "Scrubs," Olivia Wilde from "House," and a whole cast of amazing, funny actors.

Click here to see the video—and if you like it, pass it along to your friends:

http://pol.moveon.org/insurance_execs/?id=17290-10028196-XdKIftx&t=2

Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Laura, Stephen, Marika, and the rest of the team

P.S. Special thanks to all the actors who participated in this video: Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm of "Mad Men," Olivia Wilde of "House," Thomas Lennon of "Reno 911," Robert Ben Garant of "Reno 911," Masi Oka of "Heroes," Jordana Spiro of "My Boys," Linda Cardellini of "ER," and Donald Faison of "Scrubs."

AFL-CIO Convention Endorses Single Payer Healthcare

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor federation representing 11.5 million workers in 57 international and national unions, has endorsed a single payer health care system as the best way to guarantee healthcare to everyone. The unanimous vote in favor of Convention Resolution 34, The Social Insurance Model for Health Care Reform, came immediately after President Obama had addressed the Convention last Tuesday.

The resolution states: “The experience of Medicare (and of nearly every other industrialized country) shows the most cost effective and equitable way to provide quality healthcare is through a single-payer system.” It continues: “We reiterate our longstanding call for congressional leaders to unite behind such a plan.”

Resolution 34 singles out HR 676 as one of a number of single-payer bills introduced in Congress and states: “The single-payer approach is one the AFL-CIO supports and that merits dedicated congressional support and enactment.” The Resolution concludes by stating: “Whatever the outcome of the current debate over health care reform in the 111th Congress, the task of establishing health care as a human right, not a privilege, will still lay before us.”

The Convention adopted Resolution 34 after a thirty minute debate in which 12 delegates spoke in favor of the resolution and a number of delegates who wished to speak were still standing at the four floor microphones when the time allotted to debate ran out. No one spoke against the resolution.

Those who spoke for the single payer resolution included three members of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, the Presidents of two state AFL-CIO federations, four Presidents or Executive Officers of Central Labor Councils, a high ranking official of the AFT who was chosen to speak in favor of the resolution by the AFT caucus and delegates from AFSCME and ILWU.

Rich Trumka, in his speech to the delegates immediately after being elected President of the AFL-CIO the following day, reiterated his support for single payer healthcare telling the delegates: “Now, I know that a lot of us would prefer a single payer plan. I sure would.”

Over 70 resolutions, an unprecedented number, were submitted to the Convention calling on the AFL-CIO to endorse single payer healthcare.

More than 575 labor organizations, including 136 Central Labor Councils, 22 international and national unions, and 39 state AFL-CIO’s have endorsed HR 676, single payer legislation which has 87 sponsors in the House of Representatives.

All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676 c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 636 1551
Email: nursenpo@aol.com
http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org

Health Care for America Now Calls Baucus Bill A Failure

Calls on Senate Finance Committee to Fix It

Washington, DC – Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign – released the following statement today on Senator Max Baucus’ health care bill:

Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now:

““The Baucus bill is a gift to the insurance industry that fails to meet the most basic promise of health care reform: a guarantee that Americans will have good health care that they can afford. The Baucus bill would give a government-subsidized monopoly to the private insurance industry to sell their most profitable plans - high-deductible insurance - without having to face competition from a public health insurer.

Under the Baucus bill, employers would have no responsibility to help pay for their workers’ coverage and would be given incentives to have workers pay more for barebones insurance. Americans who don’t get health benefits through work would still not be able to get good, affordable coverage.

We urge Senators on the Finance Committee to replace the Baucus plan with legislation that will do what the Senate HELP Committee and three House committees have done: guarantee that Americans have good health insurance that they can afford with the choice of a strong national public health insurance option.”

Contact:

Jacki Schechner 202-454-6196

Doug Gordon 202-822-5200

Insurance company has activist arrected

Anthem (WellPoint Virginia)Takes Executive Director of the Virginia Organizing Project to Court Next Tuesday for Trespassing

Is it hubris?

Is it a giant PR mistake?

Or is it the health insurance industry showing its true colors?

At a time when health insurance industry malfeasance is a daily focus of the evening news, Anthem, the Virginia WellPoint subsidiary, has boldly decided to put their own customer on trial for asking to speak to a representative about their rates.

On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, Joe Szakos, executive director of the state-wide social justice organization, the Virginia Organizing Project, will stand trial to defend against trespassing charges brought against him by Anthem.

Szakos was charged with trespassing on Anthem’s property in Richmond on July 24, 2009. He and three Virginia Organizing Project board members attempted to meet with Anthem officials to discuss their concerns about a 14.1 percent insurance premium increase and Anthem’s anti-reform lobbying activities. Anthem officials locked the front door to their corporate headquarters when the group approached the building, and called the police to have Szakos arrested.

Anthem declined opportunities to drop the charges. Szakos’s legal defense team has subpoenaed Anthem’s CEO C. Burke King and director of public relations Scott Golden to appear in court on Tuesday.

The Virginia Organizing Project will be holding a press conference prior to the trial where community members will share their own Anthem horror stories and call for their members of Congress to take action on health care reform.

The Virginia Organizing Project is a statewide, multi-issue grassroots organization committed to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives.

www.virginia-organizing.org

Violence at Town Halls is the same as on last fall's campaign trail

This video, including some of the footage shot last fall by Keystone Progress, shows the same tactics and rhetoric by the "Birthers," the "Teabaggers," and the fringe from last fall's presidential campaign. Now they are turning their focus to helathcare and the town halls organized by members of Congress.

Don'l let this angry minority hijack reform.

Priceless. John Stewart gets William Kristol to admit government can run 1st classs healthcare system

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Join HCAN in DC on June 25 for Healthcare Reform

Healthcare for all rally in Harrisburg, June 11

Healthcare for All PA, and a coalition of like-minded organizations that includes the Pa. AFL-CIO; Pa. Council of Churches; Pa. Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP); The American Medical Student Association (AMSA); Pa. League of Women Voters, and others invites you to join us in Harrisburg on Thursday, June 11 from 11AM to 12:30 PM for a RALLY FOR SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE FOR ALL on the Capitol Steps. Entertainment kicks off at 11 AM followed by speakers you won’t want to miss beginning at 11:30 AM. Speakers will include Donna Smith (star of Michael Moore’s “SiCKO”); Bill George (President of the Pa. AFL-CIO); Walter Tsou (nationally recognized expert and consultant on public healthcare reform and former Philadelphia Health Commissioner); Chuck Pennacchio (Executive Director of HealthCare For ALLPA and 2006 Primary candidate for the Pa. Democratic Senate race) and several more including some to be announced.

Help us spread the word far and wide. Let’s fill those Capitol steps and send a real message to the Legislature and the media that we are a mass movement that wants real healthcare for all NOW!! EVERYBODY IN. NOBODY OUT!

Click here for rally flyer, click here for Harrisburg driving and parking directions, and click here for bus and rail service. 

Email action@healthcareforallpa.org with questions, need a ride, or have room for passengers.

Taking on the Big Boys, Taking Back Our Health Care System
The savings the taxpayers in each county of Pennsylvania will see under the passage of the Family and Business Health Security Act are listed here.

Healthcare for All Pennsylvania is proud to announce the launching of our 'Print-and-Post' flier campaign to spread the good word about the only proven answer to our healthcare crisis: the Single Payer Solution. SO GO WILD! Print-and-then-Post wherever you work, play, and socialize. Click here for your copy of our flier.

N.H. House backs single-payer health plan

N.H. Business Review: http://nhbr.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090325/NEWS06/903259997 

N.H. House backs single-payer health plan

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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The New Hampshire House went on record in favor of a single-payer national health-care system Tuesday, in a last minute, 192-150 roll call vote.

Rep. Jill Shaffer Hammond, D-Peterborough, spoke for the resolution, HCR2, which supports the federal National Health Insurance Act and calls for similar coverage offered in other industrialized nations. The federal act, currently languishing in Congress, goes far beyond what President Obama, and most Democratic candidates running to the left of him, proposed in the last campaign. The act would increase the Medicaid payroll tax to 4.5 percent from 1.2 percent, allowing the federal government to insure everyone not currently insured, said Shaffer Hammond – an amount, she contended, that is far lower than the amount most people currently pay for health insurance.

Already, she said, the government pays for veterans, elderly and the poor, and all high-risk groups with expensive coverage.

Add on government workers, and “we are more than 60 percent there already,” she said.

“No more would the small-business owner faced with a 23 percent increase in insurance premiums have to negotiate a 16 percent increase and then talk to their employees about doubling their deductible,” she said. “No more would a family have to face medical bankruptcy. Let’s liberate our small business to compete locally, nationally and globally.”

Maryland Insurance Companies Introduce Universal coverage Bill

This appears to be a trend, with Massachusetts already mandating health insurance coverage.  Now Maryland wants to get into the act.

http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?id=10903&type=UTTM

In related news, Hawaii's House Finance Committee passed a bill to set up Hawaii Health Authority to look at ways to provide universal health coverage.  

http://www.khon2.com/news/government/40760972.html

Healthcare Conference in Harrisburg

More information here:

http://www.mypls.com/PHAN/tabid/789/Default.aspx