Fiscal Solutions Tour Misses the Obvious Solution

The Fiscal Solutions Tour stopped into Philadelphia on Friday.  Who are these 5 white guys?  Well, they represent the brain trust behind the National Debt Commission and are proposing "solutions" to our $13.6 trillion budget deficit which grows astronomically.

So the tour guides are:
Robert Bixby- Executive Director of the Concord Coalition, a non partisan "grassroots" organization dedicated to fiscal responsibility.
Douglas Holtz-Eakin - former chief economist of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisor, former Director of the CBO, and former Advisor to Sen. McCain's residential campaign.
William Novelli - Professor at Georgetown Business School, former President of AARP, founder of the public relations firm, Porter Novelli
Eugene Steurle - Fellow at the Urban Institute, former President of the National Tax Association
David Walker - founder and CEO of Comeback America Initiative, former CEO of the Pete Peterson Institute and former US Comptroller General

A distinguished but biased group.  Our FY 2010 budget includes $2.14 trillion in revenue and $3.49 trillion in expenses leaving us with a $1.3 trillion dollar deficit.  More than 50% of our deficit is held by foreign countries.  Our major budget expenses are health care and Social Security.  Our deficit, unchecked, will be 235% of our GDP by 2035.  This, of course, is unsustainable.

We agree with the problem, but their solutions - namely severely cutting Medicare, Medicaid and SS are a recipe for disaster.  Interestingly, the budget for defense in the US exceeds the next 14 countries COMBINED (including Russia and China).  This is an obvious area that needs cutting.

In terms of health care, David Walker's slides makes general comments like "reduce the rate of increase in health care costs and target taxpayer subsidies (largely the tax deductibility of insurance premiums)" and "future health care reforms consider cost, quality, coverage and personal responsibility (read high deductible, consumer directed health care)".  Doug Holtz-Eakin is the "health guru" among this group and he clearly let his disdain for single payer come through by saying that government funded health care is not a solution.  During the Q and A I asked why not single payer since every other country in the world has used this as a way of controlling cost?  He answered that he was more concerned about having "a budget than whether it was single payer or not"  There was no opportunity for followup questions since time was running out.

One thing that is clear is that if you had a fixed budget for health care and had the providers and insurers all fighting for the same pool of money, it would quickly become obvious that the insurers served no useful purpose and that the money would go farther if the "budget" directly paid the providers to care for patients.  Hmm . . . sounds eerily like single payer.  So, I believe their ideology precludes them from seeing single payer, but if we use their solution and put everyone under a fixed budget, I think the absurdity of the insurance industry would become obvious.

Philly 13

Today, thirteen brave people sat in front of the entrance of Independence Blue Cross (IBC), in order to demand that IBC change its practice of pretending to be a non profit, while spending millions lobbying against real health care reform.  They were arrested for exercising their constitutional right to protest.  A hundred more chanting protestors singing "We Shall Not Be Moved" circled in front of Independence Blue Cross, the largest insurer in the Delaware Valley.   About half of those arrested were students active in the Student Healthcare Action Network.  Among those arrested were Jeff M., an organizer with Healthcare NOW, Rhone F., an organizer with PDA, and Paula B. with Health Care for All Philadelphia.  Their letter to Joe Frick, CEO of IBC said the following:

Dear Joseph Frick,

We recognize that Independence Blue Cross was founded with the social mission of providing affordable healthcare to citizens in the Philadelphia area.  We know Independence Blue Cross is concerned about the 200,000 Philadelphians and 46 million Americans who cannot afford health insurance.  We also know that you're concerned about the rapidly rising costs of healthcare in this country.

We are concerned, however, with the fact that Independence Blue Cross continues to deny its members life-saving care and is currently funding efforts to kill meaningful healthcare reform in this country, which would bring more affordable healthcare to more people.  You have done well at cloaking your efforts behind the slogan "get healthcare reform right," but your scare tactics and  accusations that even a public health care option will have "dangerous consequences" are not benefiting your policy-holders.  You are using millions of dollars worth of our insurance premiums to spread that message, too.

The information is in, and it shows that the best option to insure all Americans and provide the best quality care is a single -payer universal healthcare plan.  The time has come for Independence Blue Cross to stop blocking the meaningful reform that Americans need and to carry out its mission of serving the "public good", not its own  bottom line.

We are demanding, therefore, that you agree to the following:

1.  Until the passage of either a nationwide or statewide single-payer healthcare system, Independence Blue Cross will agree to cover all doctor-ordered procedures and care.

2.  IBC will immediately stop using our insurance premiums to fund efforts to quash meaningful reform, such as the fake grassroots ("astroturf") organization GetHealthReformRight.org

3.  You will join us at a press conference in one week to announce IBC's support for both state and national efforts to create a single-payer health insurance system.

Sincerely,

Student Healthcare Action Network

Healthcare NOW!

Mobilization for Healthcare for All

I, Joseph Frick, in order to fulfill Independence Blue Cross' mission  to provide affordable healthcare to residents of the Philadelphia area, agree to the aboe demands.  I will join you at a press conference in front of Independence Blue Cross offices one week from today to confirm that we have met your demands and to announce Independence Blue Cross' support for a single-payer healthcare system.

Signed, 

__________________  (Frick never came down to sign this)

Today thousands more called Speaker Pelosi's office demanding that the Kucinich and Weiner amendments be put forward for a vote as previously promised.  Their office was apparently instructed to transfer all such calls to an answering machine.  We should be appalled at this effort to dismiss single payer advocates.  Short of single payer, this 1,990 page effort to reform health care will be indecipherable for the American public and will quickly become unaffordable.  We will be trying to build a house on a crumbling foundation.  It will not work and we will be back here again in four years asking what went wrong. 

Rally for state single payer health care: Oct. 20

Time for Pennsylvania to get single payer and lead the Nation to a better health system.

Come Join Us!

Rally and Lobby at the Capitol in Harrisburg

for The Family and Business Healthcare Security Act

Support Single Payer Healthcare for All Pennsylvanians

House Bill 1660,  Senate Bill 400

Tuesday, October 20, 2009-10 to Noon

Featured Speakers include: Wendell Potter, Senator Jim Ferlo, Rep Kathy Manderino

Patti Eakins of PASNAP, Donna Smith, Chuck Pennacchio, Walter Tsou, MD, PNHP

Take the Bus with Us.  Bus arrangements from Philadelphia can be found by clicking here.  
$25 roundtrip.

Bus from NW corner City Ave & Belmont behind Chiliʼs--7:30am depart --$25, return around 5 PM.

Other options--call Joan @ 215-242-4057

or email questions to hcap.members@gmail.com

Single-payer to be introduced on the floor of the House of Representatives

Thanks to all of your phone calls, lobby visits, faxes, emails, rallies, Medicare Birthday Parties, and the leadership of Rep. Anthony Weiner, single-payer healthcare will be debated and voted on by the US House of Representatives in September!
Call your Rep. today (866-338-1015) and tell them you support single-payer healthcare and Rep. Kucinich's amendment to enable states to pass single-payer.

Polls consistently show that the public supports a Medicare for All system, and 59% of physicians support it.
Thanks for all of your support for single-payer healthcare. Nothing less will do!

Come protest why Single Payer is not on the Table?

Come out with your single payer signs and lets greet them.

I wanted to make you aware of a very exciting event in Philadelphia this weekend.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will be at the National Constitution Center, 6th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia at 3:00PM on Sunday for a town hall on Health Reform. Senator Specter and Congressman Fattah will also be there.

This event is free and open to the public and I would encourage you to spread the word to any interested parties. Let me know if you’re planning to attend.

Gwen Camp

Office of Senator Robert P. Casey
2000 Market Street, Suite 1870
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Phone: 215-405-9660
Fax: 215-405-9669

Celebrate Medicare and Lobby for Single Payer, July 30 in Washington DC

Celebrate the 44th Birthday of Medicare - our nation's best example of a single payer plan. It is time to expand Medicare for everyone. We will be gathering in Washington DC to ask our representatives to support single payer health care and to hold a 1 PM rally.

Date: Thursday, July 30, 2009
Time: 7 AM leave Philadelphia
10-11:45 AM - Lobby and visit Congressional Representatives
Lunch
1 - 3 PM - Rally at the Upper Senate Park, next to US Capitol
3-3:30 PM - Lobby and visit Congressional Representatives
3:45 PM - Leave for Philadelphia
7 PM - Arrive in Philadelphia

Join our bus to Washington by signing up here.

First come, first served. Round trip bus ticket is $30. Leaves Philadelphia at 7 AM and returns 7 PM that night.

for more information, contact Joan Martini at (215) 242 - 4057 or hcap.members@gmail.com

June 11 Rally in Harrisburg, PA for State Single Payer Bills, HB 1660 and SB 400

Join hundreds of single payer supporters across the state of Pennsylvania who support the Family and Business Health Security Act (HB 1660 and SB 400) which would create a single payer bill in the Commonwealth. All of the other plans have been band aids on a failed insurance system. We need single payer now!

Gather at the outside steps facing the river at the State Capitol in Harrisburg at 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Thursday, June 11.

Guest speakers,
Donna Smith from the California Nurses Association and fresh from her appearance on Bill Moyers Journal,
Bill George, President, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO,
Chuck Pennachio, Executive Director, Health Care for All Pennsylvania,
Patty Eakin (President of PASNAP),
Jeff Garis of Penn Action,
Sandra Strauss (Pa. Council of Churches. Sandra will do the invocation and also will speak
Walter Tsou, MD (Nationally recognized consultant on public health and healthcare reform; Former Philadelphia Health Commissioner)
Tom Murt (Republican member of the Pa. House, representing parts of Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties)
Janice Horn (Healthcare Specialist, Pennsylvania League of Women Voters)

for more information, contact Jerry Policoff (717-295-0237) or Pedro Rodriguez (215-300-5902)

Rally for Single Payer, May 30, 12 noon, CIGNA in Philadelphia

Rally For Guaranteed Single-Payer Healthcare For All
May 30th - Philadelphia, PA

Join thousands of single-payer supporters in a nationwide week of action to supportimproved Medicare for all (HR 676). Single-payer activists will be gathering all over the country to say, "Healthcare, yes; Insurance companies, no," and to show solidarity with demonstrations at the AHIP (American Health Insurance Plans, a private health insurance lobby) conference in San Diego.

Sponsored by:
The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care - www.guaranteedhealthcare4all.org | Healthcare-NOW! - www.Healthcare-Now.org Progressive Democrats of Americca - www.PDAmerica.org | CNA/National Nurses Organizing Committee - www.calnurse.org Physicians for a National Health Program - www.PNHP.org | Americans for Democratic Action - www.ADAction.org

Join Us!
Place: Cigna’s Headquarters
Two Liberty Place
16th and Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA

Time: Saturday, May 30, 2009
12 Noon to 1:30 PM
C o n t a ct: Jeff@Healthcare-Now.org
267-515-2400
www.PhillyHealth.org

Guaranteed Healthcare: We can do it! 47 million Americans are uninsured. Private insurance rates are rising faster than inflation and our incomes. By 2025 the cost of private health insurance will exceed our projected income. A single-payer healthcare system is the only healthcare reform option that will cover every American resident while saving us billions of dollars. The majority of Americans want it. The majority of physicians want it. The only thing missing is the political will in Washington.

Health Care for All-Philadelphia - www.PhillyHealth.org | Healthcare for All-PA - www.healthcare4allpa.org Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals - www.PennaNurses.org

HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
TOWN HALL MEETING
WITH REPRESENTATIVE JOHN CONYERS, JR. (D MI)


Saturday, March 7, 1 PM – 3 PM
Penn Newman Center
3720 Chestnut St.
(Enter from Sansom St.)
All are welcome, don’t stay away if you can’t pay! Donations appreciated to defray expenses.

Join Representative Conyers, author of
The United States National Health Care Act, HR 676(“Expanded & Improved Medicare for ALL”)
and other speakers

Sponsored by Physicians for a National Health Program, Health Care for All Philadelphia, Healthcare Now!
Labor donated

Happy New Year!

Let's hope that 2009 will bring real health care reform for this nation. There is a disconnect between what the American people want and what the media and politicians think we want. We want a properly financed, single payer, national health insurance program which provides quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Let's hope that the Obama Administration will be bold and lay down the pathway to get there.

March 19 Public Hearings on Pennsylvania HB 1660

Here is the agenda for public hearings on HB 1660, the Family and Business Health Security Act which will create a single payer health plan for Pennsylvania. Please come if able to the hearings on Wed, March 19, 2008, Majority Caucus Room 140, State Capitol, Harrisburg PA.

PUBLIC HEARING ON HOUSE BILL 1660

PROVIDING FOR STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

MARCH 19, 2008 – WEDNESDAY – 10:00 A.M.

ROOM 140, MAIN CAPITOL BUILDING, HARRISBURG, PA

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Hon. Frank L. Oliver, Chariman (D) Hon. George Kenney, Chairman (R)


AGENDA

10:00 A.M. - 10:05 A.M. Hon. Kathy Manderino
Prime Sponsor of House Bill 1660

10:05 A.M. - 10:35 A.M. Chuck Pennacchio, ED - HealthCare4ALLPA
Walter Tsou, MD, MPH – University of PA

10:40 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. William George, President
AFL-CIO

11:05 A.M. - 11:20 A.M. Stewart Anmuth, President
Ray Doreian, Member
PA Association of Health Underwriters

11:25 A.M. - 11:45 A.M. Michelle Griffin Young, Vice President
Public Policy Greater Lehigh
Chamber of Commerce

11:50 A.M. - 12:15 P.M. Dr. Davidson –
Sean Flaherty PhD. – Franklin & Marshall College
Marty Schorr – Health Care for All Pennsylvanians
Kate Loving Shenk, CRNP, RN - Entrepreneur

12:20 P.M. to 12:35 P.M. Susan M. Lowenberg
Christian Science Committee of Publication for PA
The Rev. Sandra L. Strauss,Director
Pennsylvania Council of Churches

12:40 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. Janice Horn
League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania

Save the Date

Public hearings on the state single payer bills, HB 1660 and SB 300 will be held on Wed. March 19 in Harrisburg. Place: The Pennsylvania Capitol, Majority Caucus Room, #140. Time: 10 AM. Mark your calendars now. It holds 250 and we would like every seat filled!

Universal interest in health care

considering we get almost no publicity, this was a reasonable article about our Lancaster conference.

LancasterOnline.com

Universal interest in health care
Conference advocates a single-payer state system

By SUZANNE CASSIDY, Staff writer
Sunday News

Published: Jan 13, 2008 12:11 AM EST

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Americans know more about Britney Spears than about how the American health care system works, a health care-reform activist told a conference Saturday in Lancaster.

Dr. Walter Tsou, a former Philadelphia health commissioner, was the keynote speaker at a conference organized by HealthCare4AllPA and held at Lancaster Host Resort & Conference Center. The conference was intended to ignite grass-roots support for legislation proposing a single-payer health care system for Pennsylvania.

More than $2 trillion was spent on health care in the United States in 2006, and yet Americans aren't quite sure what this country's health care policy is, Tsou contended.

What is known is that a great many people — some 47 million — lack health insurance, and millions more are under-insured, Tsou said, noting that if the economy goes into recession, more people will lose their health coverage.

Moreover, he said, both the public and private sectors are facing the massive, looming burden of paying health benefits to retirees. "We are in deep, deep trouble," Tsou said, and "the only way out of this mess is a single-payer system."

In Pennsylvania, legislation for just such a system was introduced last June.

The Family and Business Health Care Security Act — state House Bill 1660 and Senate Bill 300 — proposes the establishment of a single-payer system, which would provide Pennsylvania residents with unlimited, comprehensive health care coverage.

The plan would replace private insurance and government programs except for Medicare and Veterans Affairs. It would pay for the malpractice insurance of participating doctors. Patients would be able to choose their own doctors and dentists, and would not have to deal with co-pays, caps or deductibles.

It would be subsidized by a 10-percent levy on payrolls and a 3-percent tax on personal income.

The legislation faces a rigorous battle from private insurance companies. Rep. Kathy Manderino (D-Philadelphia and Montgomery), the primary sponsor of the bill, told the more than 100 people at Saturday's conference that they would need to commit themselves to the fight.

"This is a movement we need to build," she said. "This is not something that's going to happen overnight."

In the meantime, Manderino said she supports Gov. Edward G. Rendell's own proposal to provide health coverage to uninsured adults. The governor wants to extend health coverage to 767,000 uninsured Pennsylvania adults through a program he has called Cover All Pennsylvanians, or CAP.

Saturday, however, was dedicated to making a case for a comprehensive single-payer health care plan.

Gale Thomason, the director of the Water Street Clinic, a free medical and dental clinic at the Water Street Rescue Mission, was among the health-care providers who spoke.

Her clinic has 2,000 patients, including homeless people, and formerly homeless people who have jobs but remain uninsured. Her clinic, she said, also gets calls from middle-class people who are uninsured and seeking health care.

Thomason said she would love for legislators to put her out of business by establishing a universal, single-payer health plan in this state.

Alan R. Jacobs, president of Isaac's Restaurant & Deli, was on a business panel at the conference. Jacobs said that Isaac's provides health insurance to employees who work a minimum of 25 hours. So, his company pays roughly $750,000 for health coverage for about 200 part-time and full-time employees (the company also pays for workers' compensation coverage).

"We work really hard to insure our employees because we feel an obligation," Jacobs said, "but it's within a system that to me feels broken."

Every year, he said, his company has to review its health plan, and decide what they're going to offer for the next year. He has no medical training, and yet he's deciding what specialists his employees can or cannot see, and deciding what medicines will or will not be covered.

"I'm 'The Man,' " he said, wryly, and his employees "have to take what I give them."

Jacobs said he has concluded that a single-payer system would be much more efficient and much less wasteful. There would be no more squabbles between his company's main insurer and its workers' comp insurer over which should pay for disputed injuries. There would be fewer administrative costs.

He acknowledged that some of his business friends would heartily oppose a government-run, single-payer health care plan. But, he added, "There's always hope good things will happen."



Suzanne Cassidy is a staff writer for the Sunday News. Her e-mail address is scassidy@lnpnews.com.


© 2004-2007 Lancaster Newspapers
PO Box 1328, Lancaster PA 17608, (717) 291-8811
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Successful Single Payer Conference in Lancaster, PA

About 150 people across Pennsylvania gathered to hear business, providers, and legislators discuss the Family and Business Health Security Act (House Bill 1660 and Senate Bill 300).

Dr. Walter Tsou served as the keynote speaker with a packed half hour talk on the reasons why our current health care system has failed and why single payer is the best and only way of getting to universal health care at an affordable price.

Business leaders Charlie Crystle, Allen Jacobs, and Mike Stout and moderated by Dr. Scott Tyson gave strong personal experiences of how choices in picking health plans can profoundly limit choices for their employees and how rising costs are killing their businesses.

Health providers Dr. Bill Davidson, Gale Thomason, and Kate Loving Shenk and moderated by Dr. Linda Beckman gave testimony to the problems faced by their practices with the rising numbers of uninsured and the cost of medical care.

Legislative leaders Reps. Kathy Mandarino, Barbara McIlvaine Smith and Senate Candidate Cindy Purvis spoke about the issues faced by the legislature in passing a single payer plan. Rep. Mandarino says to be prepared to be in this fight for the long haul and that there will be public hearings probably this spring. She said it will not happen unless the general public is demanding it everywhere representatives go. Rep. McIlvaine Smith said that this fight has personally affected her own business and her health and that she strongly supports the bill. Senate Candidate Purvis said that her city of Erie spends $5 million more because of the excessive cost of health care over what they would pay under a single payer plan.

There was a lot of enthusiasm about this first state conference on single payer and we were both inspired and challenged by the work ahead.

Single payer health reform conference, Lancaster, PA

I’d like to make every one aware of Lancaster-based Progressives4Pennsylvania’s plans to host a healthcare conference On Saturday, January 12, 2007 at approximately 1pm at the Lancaster Host Resort & Conference Center. The conference itself will be presented by Health Care for All PA, the group sponsoring The Pennsylvania Family and Business Healthcare Security Act (HB 1660 and SB 300), the single-payer bill that, when passed, will bring comprehensive universal health care coverage to every man, woman and child in Pennsylvania. First of all, allow me to apologize if you receive this message more than once as I am sending it to multiple lists that may overlap.

There will be a lot going on at the Host on January 11th and 12th. The Democratic State Committee will be holding its State Committee Meeting there on those dates along with a series of workshops and panel discussions. Health Care for All PA was already planning to hold a statewide conference of its own in January, so it seems only natural to hold it at the Host in order to take advantage of the other gathering of many like-minded activists in the hopes of enticing them to attend our gathering, (which will commence at about the time the Democratic State Party meetings conclude) as well.

Our conference is tentatively scheduled to take place in Ballroom B at the Host. We will open the doors at approximately 12 noon and will be serving snacks and beverages at that time. The State Committee Meeting begins at noon as well, but we are told it will likely be a relatively brief meeting. We will likely begin our conference when the Committee Meeting ends or at 1pm, whichever comes first.

Progressives4Pennsylvania will have a table set up at the Host on both Friday, January 11th and Saturday January 12th in order to provide information about the conference to all thinking about attending or for the benefit of those just seeking more information.

The agenda for Health Care for All Pa’s conference is still being put together, and we will make the details known as they develop. We’ll post regular updates on our P4P web site (www.progressives4pennsylvania.com), and they’ll also be posted at Health Care for All PA’s site: http://www.healthcare4allpa.org/home.php

I wish I could tell you more about the conference now, but we are still in the preliminary planning stages. On the other hand, we want to alert you early so you can make plans to attend and to tell your friends.

If you do plan to attend we’d appreciate an RSVP so we will have a general idea how many people to expect and can make sure we prepare accordingly. You can RSVP at: info@progressives4pennsylvania.com

Thank you, and see you in Lancaster on January 12th.

Sincerely.


Jerry Policoff
Progressives4Pennsylvania
717-295-0237

Trick or Treatment, Oct 30, Meet the Democrats

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, the Democratic presidential candidate forum at Drexel University. Why are the leading candidates not supporting single payer, national health insurance? Because there aren't enough demands. Let's start asking for what we want! Join ACT UP, Spiral Q and us for a demonstration on "Trick or Treatment". 34th and Chestnut Streets, meet around 7 - 7:30 PM.

For more information about the Oct 30 event, read more below.

This Halloween, join ACT UP and activists from across the country to Philadelphia for a rally and march against AIDS and for universal healthcare. We will be gathering at the debate of Democratic presidential candidates. (Location TBD, somewhere in Philadelphia) Demand the candidates commit to ending AIDS and keep United States' pledges to achieve universal access to comprehensive treatment and prevention, in the U.S. and around the world. Our demands:
$50 billion over 5 years to fight global AIDS
REAL universal, free health care in the United States
Evidence-based prevention policies
Sponsored by: ACT UP Philadelphia, ACT UP New York, African Services Committee, American Medical Student Association, Campaign to End AIDS - Youth Caucus, Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project, Health GAP, Housing Works, and the Student Global AIDS Campaign. For more info, to endorse the march, or help plan the action, contact kaytee@healthgap.org or 267 334 6984.

Sicko discussion

Yesterday, we had a Sicko discussion at the Penn Newman Center. To our delight, we had about 30 or more people who came to hear Dr. Walter Tsou talk about the moral AND economic arguments for single payer and HR 676. Later, Chuck Pennachio spoke about the arguments for HB 1660 and SB 300, the Family and Business Health Security Act which would provide a single payer program in Pennsylvania. There was a spirited discussion mostly around people's impression about the movie, about responses to critics of single payer, and about the need for local organization around the single payer effort. In that last regard, the Phila Area Committee to Defend Health Care has been a leader in the Philly area for single payer health care for many years and it was a welcome addition to use Sicko as a way of inspiring others to join us. If you are interested, come to our meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 - 9 PM, Penn Newman Center, 3720 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA. Send a note to phillyhc4all@aol.com

"Sicko's" Successful Weekend

"Sicko's" Successful Weekend Puts My Movie in 200 More Cities Beginning Today!

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007

Friends,

The results are in from the weekend -- and they are amazing! "Sicko" more than doubled what industry insiders had predicted it would do for the weekend and, as I predicted, it did indeed have the second largest opening weekend in film history for a documentary (after F911). It also had the second highest per screen average for the weekend (after the Pixar animated film, "Ratatouille"). All this in spite of the fact, as Variety wrote, it's not been a very good year for documentaries at the box office. According to Variety, there have been 29 docs released in theaters in 2007, and they have grossed less than two million combined. What does it say about the state of affairs for non-fiction films if, in just three days, one film more than doubles what all 29 of them did together? I've decided I want to do something about this. I see so many great documentaries and it's a shame that most of you don't get to see them. Later this year, I will announce a new project that will help other filmmakers get the distribution they deserve.

Of course, if you live in Lincoln, NE; Bangor, ME; Reno, NV; New Haven, CT; Columbia, SC; or Oklahoma City, you didn't get to see "Sicko" this weekend either. But thanks to the massive turnout in the 440 theaters who had it, the studio has decided to expand "Sicko," TODAY (Tuesday, July 3) to 200 more theaters! And this Friday, they will add another 100 cities. Those of you who went to see it in the last few days have made it possible for others around the country to see my movie. Thank you.

So this will become the make-it-or-break-it week for "Sicko." Will you help me? Here's something you can do right now. Go to your address book icon on your computer and send a brief note to all your friends and associates about why they should see "Sicko." Then organize a group of your friends to go see "Sicko" some night this week. I promise you that you won't be disappointed. After all, what's the worst that could happen -- a pardon or a commutation from the President of the United States?

On Sunday, Canada celebrated the 45th anniversary of its free, universal health care system -- with its built-in bonus of living longer than we do. Why do they have this and not us? We've already taken their Stanley Cup from them for good. Let's demand we get to live as long as they do, too! What good is a dumb ol' Cup if we aren't around long enough to use it?

The letters you are sending me are powerful and profound. Thank you for sharing with me thousands of more stories about the criminal way our system operates. One woman wrote to say her dentist just gave her this choice: have all her teeth pulled, or pay him $30,000 to fix and rebuild them. She told me she's made the choice to give up her teeth -- a choice she was forced to make only because she lives from paycheck to paycheck in middle class America. This is a crime.

Go to your address book on your computer now and send out that e-mail to everyone you know and tell them to find their way to the theater this week. This film stands the chance of igniting a movement. Let's not let this moment pass.

Yours,

Michael Moore
mmflint@aol.com
www.michaelmoore.com

We have a PA House Single Payer Bill

We have a PA House Single Payer Bill, HR 1660. Thank you, Rep. Kathy Mandarino and the 28 other co sponsors of this groundbreaking legislation.

Please call your state representative and ask him/her to support this bill.

State House single payer bill gathers cosponsors

From Chuck Pennachio, Exec Director of www.helpfundpa.org

Yes, folks, we have a House bill version of the "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act" on the way to introduction. Thanks to the courage and vision of Rep. Kathy Mandarino (D, Phila), her circulation memo encouraging colleagues to co-sponsor FaBHCA is making the rounds as of this morning. That means we have approximately one week to lobby the State House to get as many co-sponsors as possible on the bill before its formal introduction. So get those phone calls and e-mails off to your representatives right away!

Click on the following for resources to locate and contact those House members already committed to the "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act." But please reach out to ALL members. Additionally, the Capitol Hill switchboard number is 717.787.2121. For name and local contact info. go to www.congress.org and to state legislators; put in your zip code.

http://www.healthcare4allpa.org/legislators.htm

Working together we are saving our economy, liberating all our citizens from healthcare insecurity, and restoring sanity to a medical delivery system that is broken. Virtually all economists now agree that the only means to achieving all of the above is through legislation like our universal single-payer bill. See you on the campaign trail!

Yours in unity,

Chuck