Here are the suggested monthly themes and some concepts for each theme. It is more likely that your spot will be chosen as a 365 Ad of the Day if it is consistent with the theme of the month, but it is not a requirement. We’ll feature a really good spot on any aspect of single payer universal health care.
Month #1 – March, 2010 – Introduction to the Campaign
The ads in the first month will be produced by California OneCare and feature celebrities, politicians, and health care activists.
Month #2 – April, 2010 – Health Care Victim Stories
I was denied care
I lost my job and my health care I had to delay care I can’t afford my medications I can’t afford the surgery I need I can’t get the therapy I need I had to have an amputation I suffered a medical accident My child died We went bankrupt I had to become destitute We can’t afford chemotherapy We had to pull the plug I was sent home too soon My baby was born too early I had to treat myself There is no place to put Mom
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They lost my medical records
My procedure was not authorized I’m going to die soon My child needs a heart valve I need a transplant I need physical therapy I had to choose: food or medications I need dental work They sent me home to die I had to wait 5 months to see a doctor I almost died in the emergency room Chronic conditions are excluded I can’t quit my job I can’t stay married We have to stay married I can’t start a new business
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Month #3 – May, 2010 – Why Single Payer?
Health care is a human right
SP puts patients first SP will save money for families, businesses, and government Other countries with SP spend less Other countries with SP have better health outcomes SP will maximize the risk pool SP stresses preventive care which saves money & lives Premiums will cost less with SP You may choose any doctor or hospital you wish with SP SP is the only way to control costs SB 810 will control fraud Electronic record keeping will save money & improve care SP will put doctors where they are needed SP will put hospitals where they are needed Doctors will be fairly compensated No middle men to skim off $ No deductibles or co-pays |
No exclusions for preexisting conditions
Your coverage can’t be cancelled The coverage is comprehensive SP covers dental care SP covers prescriptions SP covers mental health care SP covers drug abuse treatment SP covers hospice care Incentives will promote quality care SP will promote free market competition among providers Most doctors will do better financially under SP A SP system will be accountable to patients not shareholders Treatment formularies will improve the quality of care SP is accountable to taxpayers There is an appeal system with SP SP will control Workman’s Comp costs SP is good for business Taiwan successfully switched to SP fifteen years ago |
Month #4 – June, 2010 – How Does Single Payer Work?
SB 810 creates the California Health Insurance Agency (CHIA)
CHIA collects all of the premiums as progressive taxes Premiums will be lower than you are paying now Providers bill CHIA & get paid CHIA issues a OneCare card Your card entitles you to: Services by Hospitals and Health Facilities Services by Physicians Services by Licensed Healthcare Professionals Diagnostic imaging Laboratory services Prescription drugs Dentistry Vision care Mental health care Preventive care Rehabilitative care Prosthetics Eyeglasses Hearing aids Immunizations Blood products Podiatry Dialysis Home health care Emergency care Chiropractics Acupuncture Adult day care Health education |
Up to 100 days in a skilled nursing facility after hospitalization
Emergency or necessary transportation Language interpretation Hospice care No deductibles or co-pays No exclusions for preexisting conditions You may choose any doctor you wish You and your doctor together manage your care No pre-authorizations are required After referral, you choose any specialist Medicare is not necessary Medicare funds go to CHIA Electronic medical records follow you Keep your coverage regardless of job Everyone is covered for life You’re covered when you travel Inspector General prevents fraud Drs. incentivized to practice in underserved areas Use any hospital, lab, clinic, or other provider Dr.’s fees are negotiated to be fair Your coverage cannot be cancelled A physician will be in charge of quality CHIA will be accountable to taxpayers Incentives for preventive care Incentives to improve quality of care All family members are covered always for everything A policy board protects stakeholders |
Month #5 – July, 2010 – What’s Wrong with Private Insurance?
Fiduciary responsibility to shareholders not patients
Incentives are to limit care Few incentive to control healthcare costs They take 30% off the top They profit from illness & suffering They provide nothing in the way of care They do not operate in a ‘free’ market Health care is not a commodity They only want to insure healthy people There are few incentives for prevention “Cherry-picking” will lead to a “death spiral” Adverse selections means taxpayers pay for the sickest Preexisting conditions are excluded They require co-pays & deductibles |
Your choice of doctors is limited
Treatments must be pre-authorized Poorly trained clerks decide on care They practice rescission They delay, confuse and deny Paperwork is an expensive nightmare Doctors must fight to get paid They add 25% to provider overhead Premiums rising faster than inflation They require extensive regulation Executives get rich while people suffer They don’t care about patients They make money by denying care They are bankrupting hospitals They are bankrupting families They create incentives for overtreatment They cause medical mistakes No cooperation for electronic records Health savings accounts are good for you |
Month #6 – August, 2010 – What You Can Do
Give a OneCare Card to everyone you see
Write a letter of endorsement Show the video to everybody you know Write a letter to the Governor to sign the bill Get your organization to endorse the bill Hand out flyers Call your legislator Write letters to the editor Attend a demonstration Organize a march Get your city council to endorse the bill Get your union to endorse the bill Donate money – lots of it Healthy Majority Campaign activities (in each key district) |
Raise money for ads
Attend a rally Make an ad for the 365 Campaign Recruit one new supporter every day Hold a house party Have a street party Picket an insurance company Make a sign or poster Make a freeway sign Get your county government to endorse the bill Tell your legislator how you will vote Join Health Care for All–California Form or join a OneCare Team Become a speaker Tell your doctor to support SP Tell your dentist to support SP Stage a street theater event Visit somebody in the hospital and recruit them |
Month #7 – September, 2010 – What You Can Tell The Governor So He’ll Sign SB 810
Be a hero
Don’t be a sellout Do the right thing Think about people for a change Listen to Maria You’ll get sick, too, one day Remember Austria? Strong men care about people Be your own man Private insurance is thievery Health care is a third of the state budget Don’t you want to save money? You’ll go down in history You’ll get elected for anything you want It’s what the people want |
It’s what labor wants
It’s what doctors and nurses want There’s no future without it Incremental changes will surely fail How can you be so cruel to children? What about people in rural areas? You’ll still be able to get plastic surgery You’re going to cause Republicans to lose It will create jobs It will stimulate the economy It’s not socialized medicine It will be a boon to commerce It will improve public health What would your mother do? People are dying We’ll be back! |
Month #8 – October, 2010 – Why Single Payer is Good for Business and Government
Reduced absenteeism
Increased productivity Healthier workforce Predictable healthcare expenses More competitive overseas Decreased HR expenses Improved employee morale Level playing field for recruitment Fewer disgruntled employees No surprise increases in healthcare costs More entrepreneurs & innovation Easier labor negotiations Lower workman’s comp costs Substance abuse treatment available Healthcare accountability Less incentive to invade privacy More openness and honesty |
Protects most important resource – people
Relieves local governments of healthcare burden Predictable benefits costs Saves money over private insurance Saves money for the state Improves commerce overall Relieves public malaise and distrust More money for other things like infrastructure & environment Accountability in government The Inspector General will reduce fraud There is a grievance & appeal process Public health would improve Regulation and oversight simplified Market forces at work for providers |
Month #9 – November, 2010 – Myths About Single Payer
SP is socialized medicine
Canadian healthcare is worse There’s rationing in Canada Canadian Doctors are leaving Canada Canadians come to the U.S. for treatment U.S. has the best healthcare in the world Doctors don’t want single payer SP would mean long waits SP would mean lower quality care SP would cost more The system would be overrun Illegal immigrants would flock to CA People from other states would move to CA Doctors would leave CA There would be healthcare rationing Health insurance workers would be unemployed People would be excluded |
We would lose our Medicare
I would have to pay for indolent people All that coverage would cost too much People would rip off the system The government can’t do anything right I wouldn’t be able to stay with my Dr. I wouldn’t be able to stay with Kaiser There won’t be enough Doctors There won’t be enough nurses Doctors will leave the profession It will be like getting care at the DMV European countries are going broke because of health care costs It’s not the “American Way” Unions would not support it Business is against it Nobody wants this kind of system It’s not politically feasible Pharmcos would stop doing research |
Month #10 – December, 2010 – Why Single Payer is Good for Health Care Providers
Dr’s get paid for everything on time
Pre-authorizations are not required A return to practicing medicine instead of paper pushing Electronic records always available Emphasis on quality care Emphasis on preventive care More resources for treatment Incentives for more & better nursing care Resources to train more doctors & nurses Dr. incentives to go to underserved areas Hospitals won’t go broke Relieves pressure on emergency rooms Simplify pharmacy administration Reduce medical mistakes Capital funds to build hospitals Fair and equitable compensation |
Free to choose capitation if desired
Reduced overhead means increased profits Free market system among providers Treatment formularies based on facts Fair and reasonable compensation Regular, periodic review of compensation Emphasis on patient care first Resources allocated fairly All treatment options available Funds allocated for research No second guessing by insurers Adequate facilities available to all Post-op treatment available Chronic care is covered No need to negotiate with different plans Adequate nursing staff Accountability in the system
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Month #11 – January, 2011 – Why Single Payer is Inevitable: We Will Win!
Legislators need votes more than they need money
We are only 3 votes short in each house of the legislature City governments are behind us Labor unions are behind us 2/3 of the voters are already behind us A majority of doctors want it A vast majority of nurses want it The LWV wants it We have the power–people power Insurance companies don’t care about you Insurance companies commit fraud Pharmaceuticals radically overcharge Insurers cause too many medical mistakes You can’t outsource health care There would be more jobs It would stimulate the economy Insurers are making money on our suffering |
Executives are getting rich from your pain
Insurers deny care when you really need it Insurance company employees get bonuses for rescissions There is no need for insurance company middlemen There’s enough money without insurance companies Retired Americans want SP Medical students want SP Hospitals are closing Emergency rooms are closing Patients are being diverted from ERs People can’t afford meds for kids Legislators work for us, not them We will override a veto of the SP bill SP is what people want Only SP has a constituency among the people—insurers don’t |
Month #12 – February, 2011 – What It Will Be Like When We Have California OneCare
We all get a OneCare card
My OneCare card works anywhere I didn’t have to get a pre-authorization I got my medications with my card I chose my own doctor We didn’t have to wait at the ER My child got all her shots I can start my new business I got treatment for substance abuse We got hospice care for Dad I was able to recuperate after surgery I got help losing weight I was able to get a root canal I had my regular check-up and I’m fine! They admitted me right away The surgery I got saved my life They have a new way to treat cancer |
The nurses were wonderful!
My lab results were available immediately My doctor arranged an MRI right away I’ve got my son’s asthma under control I lost my job–but not my coverage I can tell them where they can put this job I can marry the man I love! They had a translator at the Dr.’s office My medical record was available in another hospital immediately They paid my doctor right away I didn’t handle one single piece of paper The acupuncture relieved my pain I don’t have to worry about Mom anymore They cured me and it was free! |