Since 1987, Physicians for a National Health Program has advocated for reform in the U.S. health care system. A large part of our work involves educating health professionals, and others, about the benefits of a single-payer system - including fewer administrative costs and providing comprehensive health insurance for all residents of the United States.

PNHPWW January 26th Meeting

PNHPWW December 19th Monthly Meeting

We had a great meeting with speakers Lilly Adams and Joe Berkson, MD, from WPSR as our speakers and discussion leaders.

They are building a statewide coalition - Washington Against Nuclear Weapons Coalition to raise the awareness of what the nuclear arms race is doing to many issues of social justice, including the social determinants of health and access to care.

Lilly graduated from UC Berkley with a degree in Society and Environment and is passionate in promoting environmental and social justice through community organizing.

Joe is a retired internist who worked at Group Health (Q - What is the worst part of being retired?; A = You never get a day off). He is a long time member of PNHP.

Health over Profits for Everyone (HOPE) describes an in-depth strategy analysis on how the single payer movement can win National Improved Medicare for All (NIMA).
PDF; Word.docx

HOPE recently sent a letter to Rep. Jayapal regarding the need for transparency in updating HR 676 before it is introduced in February.

PNHPWW November 20th Meeting
Report from the PNHP Annual Meeting in San Diego

Seven PNHPWW and SNaHP-UW members attended the 2018 PNHP Annual Meeting in San Diego, Nov 8-11. The theme of the weekend was "Tearing Down the Barriers to Care."

Materials from the meeting including slideshows, handouts, and some video is available at - http://pnhp.org/sandiego/

On Friday there was an educational session for folks new to single payer advocacy followed by a march/demonstration in support of immigrants in front of the San Diego ICE headquarters. Also, there was a meeting for people working on state-based universal health care legislation - summary here.

For this PNHPWW meeting, attendees reported on the state organizing meeting, the plenary sessions and some workshops. A video of this meeting is available on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLoNM8dxU1s

PNHPWW October 17th Meeting
TrumpCare

John Geyman, MD, joined us via the internet from his home in Friday Harbor to describe his just-released book "TrumpCare: Lies, Broken Promises, How It Is Failing, and What Should be Done." It's four goals are: 1) to describe TrumpCare; 2) show how it is failing patients, families, taxpayers, and the nation: 3) describe the growing crisis is health care in this country; and 4) to compare the only two real alternatives before us - continuance of TrumpCare or moving to single-payer Medicare for All. Also, John compared HR 676 and S 1804 and gave us his thoughts about their relative strengths and weaknesses.

Dr. Geyman is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has spent 25 years in academic medicine as Chairman of the UW Department of Family Medicine and was founding editor of The Journal of Family Medicine. He is Past President of PNHP and a PNHPWW Board Member. He has now written more than 12 books that are indispensable for understanding the roots of our health care crisis, its current condition, and what must be done to achieve a just and sustainable replacement.

The meeting can be viewed on our YouTube channel at - https://youtu.be/gl1OKCxcUMs
(There were venue hookup problems with the first four minutes of the audio - good thereafter)

PNHPWW September 19th Meeting

"Updating HR 676 and S 1804
Keeping Single Payer in Medicare for All "

PNHPWW May 24th Meeting

PNHPWW April 18th Meeting

"Homelessness and Healthcare"
Jacqueline Martin and George Sidwell
Vendors, Real Change Newspaper

We were privileged to hear from Jacqueline Martin and George Sidwell, formerly homeless Real Changevendors. They described their experiences about the real issues and obstacles facing people who are homeless, how difficult it is, even for very sympathetic people who want to help, to understand their day-to-day-day struggles - including maintaining health and getting care from consistent and caring providers.

Watch this informative and moving meeting on YouTube - https://youtu.be/uQGN5_C3bhk

April 24th Special Meeting

State and National Strategies
for Health Care for All

Margaret Flowers, Kevin Zeese
Erin Georgen

We had a great meeting on state and national health care for all strategies sponsored by PNHPWW, United for Single Payer, and Whole Washington. We brought in Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese for the national perspective and Erin Georgen of Whole Washington for the state legislation perspective.

Though the YouTube video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlIBzLhpbzw&t=329s ) is 100 minutes, it is very useful and worth watching in its entirety as we move ahead inn 2018.

This was our first use of the Zoom platform that worked vey well for the first time out. We will use it for our regular monthly meetings so that others, local across the state, not able to be at the meeting can participate.

PNHPWW March 21st Meeting

"The I-1600 Initiative Campaign"
Georgia Davenport
Interim Campaign Director, Whole Washington

Georgia Davenport of the Whole Washington organization talked about their campaign to pass a ballot initiative Initiative I-1600 that would create the Whole Washington Health Care Trust that would run a new universal health care program, housed within the state Department of Health.

Laura Fielding of Red Berets for Medicare talked about plans for an event in Wright Park in Tacoma on May 6th, National Nurses Day,including a March for Medicare. They are looking for nationally prominent speakers. They have the park from 10am - 6pm. Opportunity for PNHPWW to have a speaker and table.

Watch the meeting on YouTube - https://youtu.be/I9CBFt_6VDk?

Senate and House Testimony on State "Single Payer" bills

Jan 16th - PNHPWW President Sherry Weinberg testifies for Senate Hearing on SB5701 - The Apple Care Trust
To watch hearing click here (Starts at 40:30, ends at 1:15:37)

Jan 18th - WA Senate Health Care Committee Hearings on Single Payer bills - SB5957 and SB5747, similar to the House Bill "The Washington Health Security Trust"
To watch SB 5957 hearing click here (Starts at 47:39, ends at 1:10:00)
To watch SB 5747 hearing click here (Starts at 0:20, ends at 06:26; restarts at 1:00:10, ends at 1:10:00)

Feb 27th - PNHPWW Coordinator David McLanahan testifies for House Health and Wellness Committee Hearings on Single Payer bill - HB 1026 - "The Washington Health Security Trust" - To watch HB 1026 hearing click here (Starts at 00:00, ends at 20:20). Also testimony by Bevin McLeod, Program Director, HCHA-WA (8:18 - 19:20) and Kathryn Landowsky of Whole Washington (19:20 - 20:20)

PNHPWW February 21st Meeting

"Organizing to Win"

Speaker & discussion leader - Jonathan Knapp, Past President of the Seattle Education Association gave a great presentation on developing leadership in progressive organizations.
A video of the meeting is available here.
Jonathan's Powerpoint slides are available here.

PNHPWW January 17th Meeting

"Big Pharma: Market Failure"

Discussion Leader - Ronnie Shure
BS Pharmacy, Board Member of HCFA-WA and PSARA

This documentary film explores the problem of extreme drug prices in the US and how drug costsimpacts on the public, on businesses and the overall US economy. It makes an effective business case for realizable change, digging deeply to answer key questions. You can watch the film by clicking here - https://fixithealthcare.com/big-pharma-movie/?

"Big Pharma" was produced by Richard Master, the producer of "Fix It: Health Care at the Tipping Point."

We were fortunate to have pharmacist Ronnie Shure with us to comment on the film and lead the discussion.

PNHPWW December 20 Meeting
"Dare to Dream"
US Medical Students Training in Cuba

Sponsored by PNHPWW & Seattle Cuba Friendship Committee

"Dare to Dream" is a 30 minute film that tells the story of the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) in Havana, Cuba, the largest medical school in the world.

Discussion Leader - Xochitl Garcia, MD
Graduate Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM)

Considering the continuing bad news at the about the current state and future threats to our health care system, it was very nice to hear some good news about an influx of dedicated, socially conscious physicians who work for health care for all.

PNHPWW November 15 Meeting

Report on PNHP Annual Meeting in Atlanta

At this meeting PNHPWW and SNaHP-UW members who attended discussed their impressions of the weekend and gave reports on the high points of the workshops they attended.

There were 12 workshops, some ad hoc sessions, and lunch and dinner speakers as listed below. It was not really possible to review all of these during our PNHPWW meeting, but most of these had slideshows or handouts that are worth reviewing closely. You can download for off-line access here.

PNHPWW November Meeting - Monthly Report - PDF Word.doc

PNHPWW Annual Public Meeting Weekend

The PNHPWW APM weekend events got high marks from the attendees. If you were unable to be there for the Saturday evening meeting at Kane Hall, you will appreciate the energy and enthusiasm generated by watching video of speakers George Lakey and Carol Paris, MD, PNHP President, and the panel discussion that included John Geyman, MD. You can watch the event from start to finish including the greeting by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and the awarding of the John Geyman Health Justice Advocate Award to Don Mitchell, MD, Past-President of PNHPWW.

There is also a video of the Saturday morning radio interview of George Lakey by Mike McCormick of KEXP's "Mind Over Matters" that highlights George's remarkable history leading to lifelong commitment to nonviolent resistance as a proven, winning strategy for achieving social justice.

The takeaways from the weekend were the importance of building a "movement of movements" and having a strategy for going on the offense at this remarkable point in our nation's history.

The single payer activism workshop led by George and Bill Moyer of the Backbone Campaign attracted 30 participants. The spirit and energy in the room were palpable. Fortunately, video of the workshop will be available after editing is complete.

Special thanks to Mike McCormick of KEXP radio and his talkingsticktv.com for creating the media that will be available to others in our state and across the country.

Other News:

Still working to make our PNHPWW social media more useful. Please submit/share important info, articles, events to/on our Facebook site - https://www.facebook.com/pnhpww

PNHPWW YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx_TkWg9tFnCKGnO9F-iEeQ -

National single payer coalitions:

1) HOPE - Health Over Profit for Everyone – http://healthoverprofit.org; Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HealthOverProfit.org/; Twitter - https://twitter.com/H_O_P4E
Launched Feb 1st. focused on organizing for national SP legislation HR676. Initiated by Margaret Flowers, Kevin Zeese and others. Website with valuable information about advocacy and events. Holds regular national conference calls at 9 pm Eastern/6 pm Pacific. These calls are open to everyone, but you must register to receive a number.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE CALL.

These calls will provide political updates, educate about National Improved Medicare for All, discuss strategy and plan actions to change the political culture in the United States so that NIMA is the only politically viable solution.

2) Campaign for Guaranteed Healthcare - launched on 1-26-17 by Healthcare-Now! – “a fight back coalition that will carry out a nationally-coordinated, large-scale and militant campaign to fight for single-payer healthcare”. https://campaignforguaranteedhealthcare.org

Whole Washington is new single-payer organization in WA. It is “a grassroots coalition of healthcare professionals, activists and organizers with a common belief that healthcare is a human right, and Washington should be doing more to provide the best level of care to all residents.” It is working on a ballot initiative to bring single-payer healthcare to Washington State. For info - https://wholewashington.org
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WholeWashington/

There are 15 Annual PNHP Meeting slideshows of the plenary presentations and workshops that you can review and use the information for local activities, presentations, LTE’s etc. You can see the list of slideshow topics with links to them by clicking here.

Suggested Reading : “Health Reform in the Trump Era: A Big Step Back, But Possibilities for Bigger Steps Forward” – Woolhandler and Himmelstein , Nov 16, 2016.

"Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point"

This powerful documentary that takes a look at how our health care system is damaging our economy, suffocating our businesses, discouraging physicians, and negatively impacting on the nation's health while remaining unaffordable for a third of US residents.

Film producer Richard Master, founder and owner of MCS industries, produced the film. He faces relentless annual cost increases to provide health insurance for his employees. "Fix It" is a result of his journey to find a solution to the dysfunctional US healthcare system.

You can watch the full movie for free here

Recent Literature of Note

10-Point Plan to Stop Trump and Make Gains in Justice and Equality (word - PDF) - George Lakey

Rand Study - "A Comprehensive Assessment of Four Options for Financing Health Care Delivery in Oregon" - PDF

Washington Post article by PNHP’s Himmelstein and Woolhandler - “Repealing the Affordable Care Act will kill more than 43,000 people annually - The impact of Republicans' war on Obamacare is likely to be worse than anyone expects”

The Public Option is Back - Don McCanne's Comments - Sept 16, 2016

Structural Racism and Supporting Black Lives — The Role of Health Professionals - NEJM, October 12, 2016

Affordable Care Act: imploding and beyond repair - John Geyman. MD - The Hill, Oct 21, 2016

Physicians Proposal Released

The updated Physicans Proposal was released May 5th via the American Journal of Public Health. Several PNHP leaders were involved in the writing. More than 2,200 physicians have endorsed it so far, including 111 in Washington State. You can download the PNHP press release here The full text is available here and PNHP has released a Summary and Fact Sheet.

Statement by Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., M.P.H., on Physicians’ Proposal for Single-Payer Health Care, May 5, 2016

Long before Senator Sanders’ entered the presidential race, my colleagues and I – Dr. Gaffney, Dr. David Himmelstein, and Dr. Marcia Angell (the former editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine) – convened a blue ribbon panel of doctors to develop a plan that would fix the glaring problems that our patients continue to face despite the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Twenty-seven million Americans are still uninsured and that number is not expected to fall. Tens of millions with insurance face sky-high copayments and deductibles that would bankrupt them if they were seriously ill. And many more have narrow network plans that won’t cover care at top cancer hospitals or academic medical centers – even when they offer the best option for life saving care.

Meanwhile, profit-driven insurers and hospital chains increasingly dominate health care. And insurers’ growing demands for documentation wastes doctors and nurses time, and saps their morale. While these trends predated the ACA, the law fueled merger- mania, and added bureaucratic complexity and cost.

The alternative we developed (which has been endorsed by more than 2,200 physician colleagues) calls for radical change; a single-payer national health program.

Our plan would cover everyone for all medically necessary care, without copayments or deductibles. And it would guarantee Americans the right to choose any doctor or hospital.

Our nation can readily afford this if we replace today’s wasteful patchwork of insurance plans with a streamlined single-payer system. My colleagues and I have documented the enormous bureaucratic costs of the current system in research published in the most respected medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, the JAMA, The American Journal of Public Health and Health Affairs.

Today, private insurers take 12.3 percent of total premiums for their overhead; only 88 cents of every premium dollar reaches a doctor, hospital or pharmacy. And insurers inflict massive paperwork on doctors and hospitals, forcing them to spend one- quarter of their total revenues on billing and administration.

In contrast, insurance overhead is only 1.8 percent in Canada’s single-payer system, about the same as overhead in Medicare. And Canadian hospitals have administrative costs less than half those of their U.S. counterparts. That’s because Canadian hospitals are paid annual global budgets, like fire departments, instead of billing separately for each Band-Aid and aspirin tablet. And billing is simple and inexpensive for Canadian physicians.

Overall, a single payer would save between $400 billion and $500 billion annually by trimming administrative spending to Canadian levels. Moreover, as in other nations, the single payer could use its purchasing power to lower drug prices, saving tens of billions more each year. These savings could fully cover the new costs of the coverage expansions we propose, a conclusion in keeping with past estimates by the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office, and private consulting groups (including one owned by UnitedHealthcare).

We have the resources needed to provide excellent care for all Americans; an abundance of hospitals and sophisticated equipment; superbly trained doctors and nurses; prodigious research output; and generous health care funding. Yet only thoroughgoing reform can realize the healing potential that is currently thwarted by our dysfunctional health care financing system.

Dr. Woolhandler is an internist in the Bronx, a professor of public health at the City University of New York at Hunter College, and a lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School, where she previously served as a professor of medicine. She co-founded Physicians for a National Health Program, a nonpartisan organization that advocates single-payer reform.

New Students for a National Health Program at University of Washington

Students for a National Health Program at the University of Washington (SNaHP-UW) brings the movement for universal healthcare through a national single-payer system to campus. SNaHP-UW seeks to educate and organize undergraduate and graduate students from health science, law, economics, political science, and beyond to add their voices to the growing chorus of healthcare professionals and students calling for healthcare for all. The chapter's web page describes coming events

Video on Single Payer for Washington State

PNHPWW member Mark Hickling has produced a 12 minute video describing the US health care system and those of other developed nations in a down-to-earth way that we can use in our advocacy with friends and family. This video is great for opening a meeting or houseparty.

You can watch this on YouTube by clicking here or on the photo. If you'd like a DVD copy ($5 for materials and postage), send a request here.

Click to watch new short single payer video for Washington State

For the latest news on health reform legislation - check PNHP articles of interest and opinion - or research a topic by clicking on the Google Custom Search image below:

The information You Need to Remain Up-To-Date on Health Care Reform:

Sign up for Don McCanne's Quote of the Day

For invaluable daily current health care reform information and analysis read PNHP Senior Staff Policy Analyst Don McCanne's Quote of the Day

Listserve free subscription http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/quote-of-the-day

Opinion and Information

"Fixing Obamacare: Move to Single Payer" - Joe Martin - Seattle Times LTE - 4-2-15
“What Happened in Vermont: Implications of the Pullback from Single Payer” - Steffie Woolhandler, MD, and David Himmelstein, MD, -Jan, 2015
“Lesson On The Struggle For Health Care As A Human Right: What happened in Vermont where a so-called single payer proposal died?”- Margaret Flowers, MD, in Populare Resistance, Jan 2015
Backgrounder on the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Healthcare - Margaret Flowers, MD
Stephen Kemble, MD - The Business Case for Single Payer - March, 2014 Powerpoint
Dr. Arnold Relman, Outspoken Medical Editor, dies at 91" - New York Times obituary
Health Care for All Oregon Speakers Resources - Powerpoints, Tips, References, Logistics, Friedman & other videos
Why Oncologists Should Support Singe-Payer National Healthy Insurance - Ray E. Dragon, MD and Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD
10 Things Unions Need to Look Out for When Bargaining Under Obamacare - Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare
A Perspective on the Relationship between State and National Single Payer Work.doc - Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein- PDF
Obstacles to State Based Reform: Vermont - slideshow - Dr. Marvin Malek
Immigrants and the Human Right to Health Care - National Economics and Social Rights Initiative
People of Color and the Human Right to Health Care - National Economics and Social Rights Initiative
Women and the Human Right to Health Care - National Economics and Social Rights Initiative
Obamacare and the New Deal - Michael Lind, Comment Don McCanne
What Kind of a Problem is the ACA Rollout for Liberalism - Michael Konczal
Strategy and Creativity for Grassroots Power (video) - Bill Moyer, Backbone Campaign
A close look at ACA Exchanges-Paul Criag Roberts
Funding HR 676: The Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act - How we can afford a national single-payer plan - Gerald Friedman, Phd
Peter Bohmer's notes on Social Movements - Word.doc - PDF
Roadmap to State Single Payer - Public Citizen
ACA vs Single Payer - Accessibility, Affordability, Cost Control - PNHPWW
Real Danger of Obamacare: Insurance Company Takeover of Medicine - Nomi Prins
Some thoughts on What's Ahead - Drs. Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein
It's Time for Single Payer - Dr. James C. Mitchiner
Will Pay for Performance Backfire?; Insights from Behavioral Economics - Woolhandler and Ariely
Medicare Overpayments to Private Plans, 1985 - 2012 - Hellander. Woolhandler, Himmelstein
The Nuts and Bolts of Medicare Premium Support Proposals - Kaiser Foundation
Committee Responsibilities - Health Care for All Oregon
Minnesota Single Payer Economic Study - The Lewin Group
Funding a National Single-Payer System - Gerald Friedman - Prof Economics, U. of Massachusetts-Amherst
"Occupy" and US Health Care - Dr. Mary Obrien
The Wyden-Ryan Plan: Deja-vu All Over Again - Uwe Reinhart
Sustaining the Movement for the 99% - Steering Committee of the Labor Campaign for Single-Payer
A Difficult Pill to Swallow - Margaret Flowers, MD
Privatize Medicare? No Thanks! - Dr. James Mitchner
Why won't Corporate America Support Single Payer Medicare for All - Mark Dudzic
Ryan turns Knife on Medicare, Medicaid - Dr. Margaret Flowers
Pay Much Attention to the Insurers Behind the Curtain - Wendell Potter
Medicare for All is the Solution - Robert Reich
Stop the Bipartisan Assault on Medicare - Support the People - Claudia Chaufan
What Happened to Social Justice in Health Care Reform? - Arthur Sutherland

What You Can Do To Help:

*Join the Campaign to Pass HR 676 and HR 1200
by sending an email to pnhp.westernwashington@comcast.net. We'll keep you posted with important updates and actions

*Lobby your members of Congress
Tell your representatives that you support HR 676 and HR 1200 and they should too. You can use this email form or - better yet - call their office

*Write an Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor
You can find tips, templates and examples by clicking here

*Speak out about the single-payer solution
Educate yourself about single-payer using the resources & materials -here and here. Bring materials and talk to your church, labor, community or other group about the singlepayer solution.

Top of Page

January 26th - PNHPWW Meeting - see below info
Venue TBD

January Calendar
February Calendar

It's Time to Add Your Voice

PNHPWW January 26th Meeting

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration and March

PNHPWW December 19th Monthly Meeting

PNHPWW November 20th Meeting
Report from the PNHP Annual Meeting in San Diego

Meeting Attendees Reporting

PNHPWW October 17th Meeting
TrumpCare

PNHPWW September 19th Meeting

"Updating HR 676 and S 1804
Keeping Single Payer in Medicare for All "

PNHPWW August 15th Monthly Meeting

PNHPWW June 20th Monthly Meeting

"The State-Based Universal Health Care Act"

PNHPWW May 24th Meeting

"Moving Toward Single Payer"
Community Town Hall

PNHPWW Annual Public Meeting Weekend

Recent Literature of Note

Physicians Proposal Released

New Students for a National Health Program at University of Washington

Video on Single Payer for Washington State

Click to watch new short single payer video for Washington State

For the latest news on health reform legislation - check PNHP articles of interest and opinion - or research a topic by clicking on the Google Custom Search image below:

The information You Need to Remain Up-To-Date on Health Care Reform:

Sign up for Don McCanne's Quote of the Day

Opinion and Information

January 26th - PNHPWW Meeting - see below info Venue TBD January Calendar February Calendar

It's Time to Add Your Voice

PNHPWW January 26th Meeting

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration and March

PNHPWW December 19th Monthly Meeting

PNHPWW November 20th Meeting Report from the PNHP Annual Meeting in San Diego

Meeting Attendees Reporting

PNHPWW October 17th Meeting TrumpCare

PNHPWW September 19th Meeting "Updating HR 676 and S 1804 Keeping Single Payer in Medicare for All "

PNHPWW August 15th Monthly Meeting

PNHPWW June 20th Monthly Meeting

"The State-Based Universal Health Care Act"

PNHPWW May 24th Meeting

"Moving Toward Single Payer" Community Town Hall

PNHPWW Annual Public Meeting Weekend

Recent Literature of Note

Physicians Proposal Released

New Students for a National Health Program at University of Washington

Video on Single Payer for Washington State

Click to watch new short single payer video for Washington State

For the latest news on health reform legislation - check PNHP articles of interest and opinion - or research a topic by clicking on the Google Custom Search image below:

The information You Need to Remain Up-To-Date on Health Care Reform:

Sign up for Don McCanne's Quote of the Day

Opinion and Information

January 26th - PNHPWW Meeting - see below info
Venue TBD

January Calendar
February Calendar

PNHPWW November 20th Meeting
Report from the PNHP Annual Meeting in San Diego

PNHPWW October 17th Meeting
TrumpCare

PNHPWW September 19th Meeting

"Updating HR 676 and S 1804
Keeping Single Payer in Medicare for All "

"Moving Toward Single Payer"
Community Town Hall