Posts Tagged ‘California’

365 Ad# 10 Rob Feckner

March 10th, 2010

California School Employees Association President Rob Feckner explains why they support California OneCare:

California School Employees Association President Rob Feckner explains why they support California OneCare: “We feed your children, clean the classrooms, and make our schools safe, but many of our 230,000 members work part time and do not qualify for health insurance,” he says. “That’s why we support a single payer system that would cover everyone with comprehensive benefits and freedom to choose any doctor.”

Campaign Kicks Off for Real Health Care Reform in California

February 26th, 2010

Massive Netroots, Grassroots Campaign
Features New 30-second TV Ad Each Day for Year

California’s 15 year movement to achieve “Medicare for All” type health care reform jumps to a new level as celebrities, political leaders, health care activists and victims star in new TV ads for Senate Bill 810 (California OneCare), authored by Senator Mark Leno.

The bill passed the California Senate on January 28 by a vote of 22 to 14 and will proceed to the Assembly, where passage is expected in late August 2010.

When passed, California OneCare legislation is expected to cut current insurance administrative costs from 30% to 5%, because for-profit private insurance plans would be replaced by one plan administered by a public agency.

A new 30-second TV Ad each day for a year.

From Monday, March 1, 2010, to February 28, 2011, a new 30-second ad is being released each day and distributed statewide via email and placed in key media markets by California OneCare Campaign coalition partners. Every ad will focus on the benefits of the “Medicare for All” solution of the California OneCare plan, SB 810.

Some 70 ads have already been produced, featuring Lily Tomlin, Paula Poundstone, Elliot Gould, Ed Begley, Valerie Harper, Connie Stevens, Ken Howard, Ed Asner, Adam Arkin, and more. On the campaign website, single payer supporters everywhere are shown how to submit their own ads for the campaign so they, too, can add their voice to the campaign.

A strategy for passage of SB 810.

The 365-day TV ad campaign will augment statewide grassroots and netroots organizing. This effort will gain momentum during the most tumultuous political period in decades, from the state primaries to the November elections for the Assembly, the Senate and a new Governor.

The goal of the campaign is to achieve passage and approval of SB 810 by a super majority of legislators to then override the expected veto of the bill by Governor Schwarzenegger. Just three additional yes votes in each house would achieve a super majority.

Leno's Single Payer Health Insurance Legislation Wins Senate Vote 22 to 14

January 28th, 2010

California OneCare Campaign
Reveals Massive Netroots, Grassroots Campaign

By a vote of 22 to 14, the California Senate today passed historic reform legislation, SB 810, that calls for sweeping changes in the financing of health care.

Under the bill, authored by Senator Mark Leno (SF), all residents would be covered by a true universal health care system, which would pay for all needed health services utilizing a “single payer” insurance system. Most residents would be required to pay into the system and all would be covered, with no additional co-pays, deductibles or exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

Comprehensive reform. Under SB 810, private insurance companies would be replaced by one non-profit health insurance fund. All services, including prescription medications and equipment would be paid by the single fund – hence the term “single payer.”  All California residents will be covered with comprehensive, universal coverage for all necessary health care including doctors, hospital, medications, mental health, medical equipment, dental, eye care and more. Under the SB 810 legislation, hospitals and doctors would continue to operate privately, while insurance would be financed publicly.

SB 810 is expected to be revenue neutral to the state and cost most businesses and residents less for the most comprehensive health care reform plan ever offered Americans.

A strategic Plan to WIN. Sponsors of the bill applauded the Senators who supported this victory and outlined coalition plans for a massive multimedia grassroots educational campaign to pass the bill through the Assembly later this year.

One key component of the campaign will be an historic multimedia advertising campaign that will feature a new 30-second TV spot every day for a year starring celebrities, political leaders, health care activists and victims. Some 60 spots have already been produced, featuring Lily Tomlin, Paula Poundstone, Elliot Gould, Ed Begley, Valerie Harper, Connie Stevens, Tracy Newman, Ken Howard, Ed Asner, Sheila Kuehl and more. Supporters will be invited to submit their own versions.

Massive Grassroots Education. Kicking off on March 1, the 365-day ad and grass roots organizing campaign will gain momentum during the most tumultuous political period in decades, including a key state primary and the November election for Governor, Senate and Assembly seats. The goal of the campaign is to achieve passage and approval of the legislation by a two-thirds super majority of legislators in order to pass the financing legislation to implement SB 810. Similar single payer bills were passed twice by a 62% majority of the California legislature only to be vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.

Californians will be invited to get active on line or join neighborhood events to educate others about the benefits of this major reform of our health care system. Leaders expect that California’s success with a single payer system will lead other states to adopt it as well.

California OneCare and the 365 Ad Campaign are a project of Health Care for All-California and supported by single payer advocacy groups nationwide.

Contact Your State Senator Today to Vote Yes for Single Payer Health Care in California

January 25th, 2010

Massachusetts Senator Elect Scott Brown has vowed to be the forty first vote against Health Insurance Reform putting it in serious trouble in Congress.  That is why it is so important that we pass our own Health Care Reform in California.  And, it is important that we act immediately, right here in California, to show our State Senators we want our reform now.

Senate Bill 810 (Sen. Leno), our single payer health care legislation, will be voted on by the full California State Senate this week.

The Health Insurance companies are spending huge sums of money to spread false propaganda to the public and our State Senators are receiving nasty calls telling them to oppose SB 810! WE MUST RESPOND!

It is absolutely imperative that you email YOUR State Senator today and voice your support for SB 810.  Politely tell your State Senator to vote for SB 810 when it comes up for a floor vote this week.  The other side is acting rudely.

Let’s guarantee a win on the Senate floor with an overwhelming number of emails to Senators, supporting SB 810, the only solution to the health care crisis in California.  And, let’s show our Senators our respect for their deliberations on our behalf.

Email the California State Senate today!

The Future of Health Care Reform Came to Sacramento Yesterday

January 12th, 2010

From DailyKos with permission.

The supporters of SB 810, the most vetted and mature Single Payer legislation in America, marched and rallied at the Capitol in Sacramento yesterday.

The action in the front lines of the movement that WILL succeed in doing what DC politics could not do, pass legislation for the ONLY public option healthcare that pays for itself, were glorious.

Here is a YouTube with some highlights;

When Single Payer succeeds in California it will be adopted by other states, not unlike what happened province by province in Canada.

If you think Single Payer is ultimately the way to go, please Recommend this diary.
This is my initial reform.

I joined the California Health Professionals Students Alliance
at the Embassy Suites about a mile from the Capitol building.

These were University of California Irvine(UCI)students. Students from every medical school in California came in buses the night before. I was impressed by their enthusiastic support of SB 810 and their ability to explain the advantages of Single Payer and this pivotal legislation which will be re-introduced at the Senate floor next month. We then marched about a mile toward the Capitol building.

What do we want? Single Payer
When do we want it? NOW

Hey, hey, ho, ho.
Healthcare greed has got to go.

Insurance companies rich and rude.
We don’t like your attitude

All America should beware
Insurance companies just don’t care

Decent healthcare is our right
We are here and we will fight!

Photobucket

Once there we joined up at the Capitol steps with healthcare activists from many organizations supporting SB 810 that make up the core of a well thought out and managed campaign called California One Care. Some of the organizations present included the California Nurses Association, California Physicians Alliance, Healthcare for All California, theCalifornia School Employees Association, the California Retired Teachers Association
and many others.

It was a cold (OK by California standards) and cloudy day but spirits were high, everybody was passionate. Speaker after speaker gave hard hitting speeches. The whole event was incredibly well organized. This California healthcare movement is a well oiled grassroots machine.

SB 810 is now sponsored by Senator Mark Leno who was the first speaker. He said something that I think is the bottom line of the healthcare reform movement in California and everywhere. Something that when I said it in toe to toe discussions with teabaggers at townhall meetings and Christmas parties makes the foam at the mouth. Something that was echoed by the other speakers. Something that I think is the reason why I am involved in healthcare reform; healthcare is a basic human right, not a privilege of those who can afford it.

Senator Mark Leno is very eloquent and IMO he will be effective in Sacramento starting next month when SB 810 comes to the floor.

After the action at the Capitol steps was over we went inside where smaller groups of activists, mostly the well prepared members of the California Health Professionals Students Alliance
visited the offices of most of the Senators to discuss SB 810
with each one.

First they gathered in a large conference room to coordinate the visits and prepare for possible arguments;Photobucket.
I decided to tag along in a visit to Republican Senator Dave Cox
with a group of students. Obviously the Senator opposes SB 810 so I was very intrigued by the whole concept of medical students arguing with a powerful Republican Senator.Photobucket We were received by Kevin Bassett, his Chief of Staff, who invited us into the Senator’s office to discuss the pros and cons of SB 810.

The CHPSA members defended the bill by using tragic personal anecdotes of patients they knew who had been denied healthcare by insurance companies. Mr. Bassett awkwardly and repeatedly used the argument that many young people do not have healthcare because they feel “immortal” not because they cannot afford it. This concept of “no healthcare by choice” was hammered each time by a different student who eloquently brought up another advantage of Single Payer accompanied by yet another personal anecdote.

After about 30 minutes the Senator did show up.
He started his own argument against SB 810 by saying that Single Payer is “crazy” because it cannot be afforded. He said that Medi-Cal
was broke and so were the healthcare systems of all countries that had Single Payer.

Eventually the Senator gave his vision of what he said was the future of healthcare. But this will be in some of my next diaries.

Again, if you believe that Single Payer IS the way to go because it is the only self funding public option then support California One Care
or at least Recommend this diary. I will then re-double my efforts to keep you all posted of the healthcare reform movement in California, our last best hope for real healthcare reform.

Yesterday marked the beginning of the end of greedy health insurance companies in America, starting in California.Let’s do it!!

Join the March, Rally & Lobby Day in Sacramento This Monday, January 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

January 8th, 2010

Come and bring as many single payer supporters
and signs as you can

Buses available at Towns and Phone Numbers below
Call your Senator to urge passage of SB 810 in 2010

In California’s first health care reform action of the New Year, the California Health Professional Student Alliance (CaHPSA), supporters of single payer SB 810 (Leno), are staging a public March, Rally and Lobby Day this Monday, January 11th, 11AM to 1:00PM in Sacramento. Our historic legislation for true single payer reform in California is expected to be moved from the Appropriations Committee next week or soon thereafter, enroute to passage in the Legislature later this year.

This Rally is co-sponsored by many coaltion organizations including Health Care for All-California and our CaliforniaOneCare campaign.

Please pass along this flier to your friends
.  If you have questions, today you can email CaPA.Fellow@PNHP.org or Rally Day organizing team leader Candice Rugg.

10:45 – 11:00   Gather for march outside Embassy Suites Hotel
11:00 – 12:00   March through Downtown Sacramento to CA Capitol Building Rally
12:00 -  1:00   Giant Rally on north steps of California Capitol Building

BUS SPACES STILL AVAILABLE–CALL TODAY.

California Association of Retired Americans (CARA) and other coalition organizations are sponsoring buses from several locations in Northern CA.  Bus riders will get a box lunch on the way home. Donations will be accepted to help cover costs.  Call to reserve a seat on a bus/ carpool from one of these cities and get pick up times and locations.
Berkeley/Richmond/Vallejo: Call 415-550-0828
Rocklin / Placer:  Call 916-435-9760
San Francisco: Call 415-810-5826
San Jose:  Call 408-984-8708
Stockton: Call 209-951-0499

URGE YOUR SENATOR TO SUPPORT (OR CO-AUTHOR) SB 810.

There are 40 Senators.  We need 21 votes to pass. There are 15 Co-authors. That means we need 6 votes out of the following 10 Democrats.

Calderon, Ron District 30 (916) 651-4030 Previous Yes
Correa, Louis District 34 (916) 651-4034 Previous Yes
Ducheny, Denise District 40 (916) 651-4040 Previous Yes
Kehoe, Christine District 39 (916) 651-4039 Previous Yes
Liu, Carol District 21 (916) 651-4021 Previous Yes
Negrete McLeod, Gloria District 32  (916) 651-4032 Previous Yes
Oropeza, Jenny District 28 (916) 651-4028 Previous Co-author
Simitian, S. Joseph District 11 (916) 651-4011 Previous Yes
Wolk, Lois District 05 (916) 651-4005 Previous Yes
Wright, Rod District 25 (916) 651-4025 NO

DONATE TO GET SINGLE PAYER, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN CALIFORNIA. Please support the California OneCare 365 Ad Campaign. Help us produce a new thirty-second ad supporting single-payer health care on websites and television throughout California every day for one year. Click here to donate.

Conservative Commentator David Brooks Prefers Single Payer to Current Plans

December 30th, 2009

This past Sunday on ABC News This Week, respected, conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks made a remarkable comment: “Well, I wouldn’t mind a single payer,” he said. “Frankly I prefer a single payer [health care system] to what we have now, because that would actually control costs.” Watch the video (approximately -10:20).

This is an amazing admission from someone who represents the conservative point of view. And it’s what we have been saying all along: Single payer is the only way to not only control the skyrocketing costs of health care, but also to deliver quality care to 100% of the population while saving money for families, businesses, and government.

A single payer system eliminates the wasted 30 cents of every premium dollar that goes to private insurance administrative paperwork, marketing, executive salaries, and profits. The savings that would accrue would provide more than enough money to cover everyone with comprehensive coverage that includes medical, dental, prescriptions, mental health, diagnostics, and much more while preserving the freedom to choose any doctor, hospital or clinic.

As the expert blogger for the Physicians for a National Health Program, Don McCanne, MD, says: “Single payer helps get people the care they need while controlling costs.” McCanne’s “Quote-of-the-Day” blogs are an important source of information about single payer.

A Pyrrhic Victory in DC (at best) and the Looming California Battle

December 23rd, 2009

Originally posted by Alberto Saavedra on DailyKos on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 10:10:17 PM

Some healthcare legislation will pass in DC in the next few weeks. And Obama will sign it.  Commemorative pens will be used.  And pictures will be taken in the White House lawn. Obama will give a nicely worded speech.  Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi will ham it up.

But this will not be the glorious event it could have been. The progressive base will not rejoice but the insurance companies will, people without health insurance will not celebrate but teabaggers will, healthcare activists will not high five each other but Republican politicians will.

This healthcare victory will be a Pyrrhic one (at best).

The only hope we will have is that a progressive state passes a good Single Payer Public  legislation that is then adopted by other states.

The state with the best chance to do this is California with the CaliforniaOnecare.org campaign.  I’ll tell you why I have become a very enthusiastic supporter of this well organized movement below.

Battle of Asculum

Before I proceed let me establish one thing; I think Obama is a great President.  Although he has not done much of what I hoped he do, he has done one thing that in my view makes all the difference in the world; Obama has regained the moral high ground for America. This alone is enough for me to be a loyal supporter of Obama.

But healthcare matters to me so I will keep on fighting until healthcare is available to all, with or without Obama’s support.

The California One Care campaign is where spotlight will move to next.

Why?

Its purpose is to get California Senate Bill 810 (SB 810) passed.

SB 810 is Single Payer full care for all.

It has the support of all the Democratic legislative leadership and most Democratic legislators

California One Care has a detailed roadmap that even takes into account a Schwarzenegger veto and leads to victory (not a Pyrrhic one) by 2012.

It is the tip of the iceberg of a strong coalition of volunteers and committed organizations.

Its upcoming 365 TV spot ad campaign starting with the one by Lill Tomlin will be effective. I have seen the first 32 and I was excited.

California OneCare is also backed by Heathcare for All which has been pushing for Single Payer legislation in California for 15 years!

In the coming weeks, I will highlight much more about California One Care and the looming healthcare battle that will be fought over the next years in California. Many other states (I hope) will also push for similar legislation but California is the ball game. Victory here is victory everywhere.

We expect the insurance companies to play hardball and we are preparing. But we will need all the help we can get. Everything from blogging, boots on the ground, donations, letters to the editors, phone banking, etc.

The action will start in February, when SB 810 is brought to the floor in Sacramento.

Can a TV Ad Campaign Change the History of Health Care?

October 27th, 2009

Watch this PREVIEW SPOT

Then share it with 10 friends
and get them on board!

Check out this Sneak Preview of one of 365 TV Ads we plan to produce and distribute-one new spot every day for a year -- each  promoting the enactment of Senate Bill 810, single payer health care for Californians.

The campaign has been rescheduled to kick off in mid-February, 2010 as SB 810 legislation is reactivated. A new spot each day will run through California’s Election Day, November 2, 2010 and beyond. Ads will be distributed by email to millions of supporters and groups and run on broadcast media in selected cities in California.

We think you and your FRIENDS will agree that our 365 Ads will make history.

Along with Lily Tomlin, several Hollywood celebrities have already shot ads including Elliott Gould, Paula Poundstone, Ed Begley, Mary Kay Place, Laraine Newman, and David L. Lander. Even more are interested in participating--Sally Field, Ed Asner, Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, Stephen Collins, Teri Garr, Kathy Najimy, Fred Willard, Sheila Kuehl and many others. Our goal is to finish 60 spots before February, and we need your help.

A $50 Donation puts your name on our TV AD PRODUCER LIST!

Most production services are being donated, but we must raise about $500 per spot to cover post production expenses for the first 60 spots. So, we’ve decided that any donor of $50 or more will be listed as a “365 TV Ad Producer” next to the name of the celebrity featured in the ad. The 365 TV Ad Producer List will be spotlighted on our website.

Also, $500 donors can have their name listed alone -- next to the name of the celebrity ad and $5,000 donors will be listed next to 10 celebrity ads. You can use the usual “DONOR” page on our website for safe, secure on-line donations or send a check to the address on this Donor page. The page will take convenient monthly donations, too.

Our single payer movement is growing every day with great people just like you!

Please share this spot with 10 friends, including potential major donors, won’t you? Strongly urge them to sign our petition on-line.

Finally, a profound “Thank You” to San Francisco Senator Mark Leno, our dynamic author of SB 810. We’re also excited to have such great allies as Lily Tomlin, the Entertainment Task Force for Single Payer, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, and, of course, you.

With your help, we know WE WILL WIN!

Andrew McGuire
Executive Director, Health Care for All-California /CaliforniaOneCare.org Campaign
Andrew@californiaonecare.org

New Video from Brave New Films

September 14th, 2009

Here’s another video in the “Sick For Profit” series from Brave New Films. It’s a scathing commentary on the devastating  business practices of CIGNA, another insurer that is reaping huge profits by delaying, defering, and denying care.

The California OneCare Campaign is all about removing these health insurance profiteers from the health care system and returning health care decisions to doctors and patients.

Join the campaign for single payer, universal health care, California OneCare, Full Care, For All, For Less.

Your donation is crucial to our success. Thank you for your help!

Don Schroeder, Co-Chair
California OneCare Campaign

Build your own custom video playlist at embedr.com