Health Care
Posted by Melissa Ryan on June 18, 2009
Categories: Issues
Yesterday, several advocacy organizations and blogs launched a campaign to get all 100 Senators on the record on their support of a public plan option. Russ was the first Senator to respond publicly to their series of 4 questions, with a resounding YES in the comments section of DailyKos.
Russ has always supported comprehensive health care reform, expanding the availability of health care to all Americans. In an op-ed for the Coulee News, Russ outlined his goals for for the upcoming debate in Congress:
Each year, I travel to all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and hold an open, town hall-style meeting. In the 17 years I’ve held these listening sessions, health care has consistently been one of the top issues raised, particularly the skyrocketing cost and difficulty accessing health care. I have worked for years to get the U.S. Congress to address the need for health reform, and I am very pleased that it is finally doing so. Having listened to the concerns of families, businesses, health care professionals and others about why health care reform is so urgently needed, I have the following goals as Congress undertakes this vital and long-overdue debate.
And last Friday Russ came out strongly in favor of reform, and a public plan at the Democratic Party in Wisconsin's State Convention in Green Bay. He urged attendees to keep applying the pressure.
We're still looking for your ideas and stories on health care. Let Russ know what's important to you at our Citizen Brief on Health Care.
-----Original Message----- From: S W Brooks To: gdnclt1@gmail.com Sent: Sat, Aug 29, 2009 9:58 pm Subject: Charlotte, NC - Today's meeting at Greater Mt Sinai Baptist Church re health care reform August 29, 2009 Dear Mr Desai and Movingon.org, Congratulatons on a very nice START to gathering the prohealth care reform group here is Charlotte. Surely most in attendance are STRONG supporters of the bill: Health Care Reform 3200. But I am struck by the relatively small number of people who attended and wonder what might be the best way to move forward. The media appeared to be among the missing. Is the media opting out of controversial situations? Do they only show up when there is to be an uproar of resistance? Or is there another explanation? I would like to have the film shown today of two suddenly "uninsurable" families replayed on all news networks. This health care issue is VERY poorly understood by the general population. The question today 'what is a single payor system" is witness to this. And this is supposedly a question from a supporter of health care reform!? An enormous effort needs to be made to make CONCRETE and SIMPLE the abstact and vast systems that will be addressed in a reform. People need to understand that a PUBLIC HEALTH CARE offering c/would be MODELLED after MEDICARE. They need to know HOW LONG Medicare has been successful and WHY. How many people are insured by MEDICARE HOW Medicare WORKS. How it is FUNDED. How its coverage compares in COST to private insurance. What makes MEDICARE more successful than private - UNIFORM RECORD KEEEPING, CENTRAL REPOSITORY for patient records. ACCESSIBILY OF PATIENT RECORDS to all clinicians working with that patient, etc. How easy or not it is to ACCESS health care. Are people REFUSED FOR PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS? Is the system CAPITATED (and what this word means)? IF a person has a DEVASTATING ILLNESS is COVERAGE WITHELD? How CLINICIANS who see Medicare patients are PAID. These basic facts need to repeated OVER AND OVER by news venues until it is clear that we already have a system that has been shown to WORK, efficiently. effectively and at moderate cost. A system which is up and running and could easily be made ready to be available for citizens and immigrants who do not have other health care options. In the simplest of terms, all that is needed is to put the proposal up for enough votes, and have the bill become a LAW. Susan W. Brooks, LCSW 2024 New Hope Road Charlotte, NC 28203 formerly 4818 Fond du Lac Trail Madison , WI 53703
Submitted by Nick on August 2, 2009Why does it have to be full reform of healthcare? Just create legislation so that insurance companies have to pay so much per procedure and limit denial of coverages/ common preexisting conditions. Government should support the private sector not control it, give it structure. Just don't understand why it has to be such a takeover. I feel something should be done, but I'm apprehensive on such a controlling hand of the government on a choice that is so personal as my choice of health options.
Submitted by thelaughingface on June 25, 2009There are so few representatives of the people in Congress whose decisions / votes / and demeanor command my respect and appreciation. Thank you very much for helping me resist complete cynicism. Please keep on with the fight. We are out here - and we notice - even all the way in NJ!
Submitted by Ralph Gola on June 19, 2009Thank you, Russ for vigelently campaigning for health care reform. I know it will be a hard struggle to get health care past, especially with the Republican roadblock. Please keep on going. Thanks! Ralph Gola
Submitted by Ken on June 18, 2009Russ you are the best Senator in the Senate. Wisconsin is proud of you! Thanks for representing me!