February 17, 2010
Update Introduction
CaPA wants to inform our membership more regularly and more comprehensively. Beginning with this issue, we will produce monthly bulletins on latest national and state strategy, pertinent news, regional chapter reports, and more. These updates will be compiled by Lanford Weingrod (lanny@weingrod.com) and Matt Hendrickson (pnhp.la@gmail.com) who welcome members to send news articles, regional upcoming events and reports, member activities, photos (jpg files) or video links. Please also email us your suggestions for how to improve our updates. These updates will soon be posted to our upcoming website remodel, capa.pnhp.org, and our Facebook page.
Headlines-
1. A memorial tribute to former CaPA President John Shearer M.D. will be held on Sunday, February 28 at 2:30pm – 518 B St., Petaluma. CAPA president Jim Kahn will be one of the speakers. CAPA members wishing to contribute, please notify Ursula Rolfe by email (ursularo@pacbell.net) or phone (510-841-2239). Dr. Shearer’s obituary can be read here.
2. CaPA Board of Directors voted to hire an executive director (read more in strategy report).
3. Two PNHP San Diego members, Zoltan Lucas and Paul Friedman, are spearheading a PNHP-SD chapter development meeting for March 7 (regional report).
4. PNHP-Los Angeles now has 10 district leaders in their district leader network and piloting a program that may soon become a national strategy (regional report).
5. Anthem Blue Cross announced 39% rate hikes for some Californians with individual policies and then postponed those increases after widespread opposition (in the news).
6. The California State Senate voted 22-14 in support of Mark Leno’s SB810, it now moves to the Assembly subcommittees (state single payer).
Strategy Report:
In the News:
PNHP California (CaPA)
1) Executive Director- the Executive Committee (2/8) and the Board of Directors (2/10) voted unanimously to hire an executive director. The CaPA ED will oversee the state chapter’s strategic development and implementation, fundraising, communication with the leadership of state and national single payer partners, and support CaPA’s goal of regional chapter development. President Kahn has formed a search committee (Hendrickson, Fenix, Kahn, Abrons) that expects to have a candidate by the end of March.
2) The fundraising committee is preparing a summer campaign to coincide with a new PNHP California 2010 plan under the banner “Single Payer Can Happen”. The plan includes 7 organizational goals for 2010 (more info soon!).
State Strategy Group (SSG) Conf. Call (2/5)
1) Michael Lighty (CNA) recommended that Jerry Brown not be aggressively pressed on the issue of single payer, it will force him to divide his base during the campaign. Insiders confident he would sign SB810.
2) SSG Retreat on March 13 at the Glendale CNA offices to explore several areas for improvement including more robust grassroots coordination among SSG member organizations (Abrons, Fenix, Hendrickson to attend.
PNHP National Conf. Call (1/28)
1) 13 resignations in response to the Senate bill opposition letter. Individual letters to resignees from Woolhandler and Fein won back 7 member.
2) Strategic retreat in Chicago May 22- Abrons, Hendrickson, Kahn, Skeen, Tarzynski may go.
Single-payer insurance needed now- Mark Leno Op-Ed/SF Chronicle (2/16).
Great conference call by Healthcare Now! Audio and transcript. Guest speakers include Kip Sullivan (PNHP/lawyer) talking about the public option, Kate Tillow talking about Unions for Single payer and Andy Coates, PNHP and activist.(2/15)
Rising health insurance costs hit small employers too (2/15).
Anthem to delay rate increases (2/14).
Spiraling insurance only about a small group of consumers until you don’t have insurance (2/14).
When healthcare coverage is insurance in name only (2/8).
Anthem Blue Cross dramatically raising rates for Californians with individual health policies (2/8)
California cracks down on discount health plans (2/8)
Bill Moyers interviews Margaret Flowers (2/5).
Soaring Cost of Healthcare Sets a Record (Spending was 17.3% of the U.S. economy last year, marking the largest one-year jump in its share of the economy since the government started keeping such records half a century ago (2/4).
Regional Report:
SB810 California Single Payer Bill:
Bay Area: Bay Area PNHPers are hoping to organize a formal chapter soon. The selection and appointment of an Executive Director will help free up time for members who are now performing functions that the director will take over.
Los Angeles: PNHP-LA had their chapter meeting on 2/13. Minutes and powerpoint of the meeting are available on the LA website. The next meeting is March 13 at 9am. Contact Matt at pnhp.la@gmail.com for more info.
The District Leader Network (DLN) now has 10 districts filled. The next DLN conference call is March 3 at 8pm. If you are interested in participating in our legislative advocacy network, please contact Geoff White- geoffry.white@gmail.com. The DLN is a growing phenomenon in the single payer movement. PDA has a similar district network.
Kevin Zeese of Prosperity Agenda is pushing the project for the national coalition to adopt.
Sacramento: Bart Wise and Bob Vizzard are working with J. Fenix to arrange an exploratory PNHP-Sacramento chapter meeting this spring. If you are interested in participating, please contact J. Fenix at capa.fellow@pnhp.org.
San Diego: Zoltan Lucas and Paul Friedman will be having an exploratory chapter meeting for PNHP-San Diego on March 7 at 2pm at Dr. Friendman’s home- 5644 Soledad Road; La Jolla, 92037. A separate, more detailed invite will be sent to PNHP members in the San Diego area. Please contact Paul at pfriedman@ucsd.edu with questions or to RSVP. VIDEO- California SB810 senate vote (1/28) Here. The video is 3 hours long, but the portion of it discussing SB 810 begins around the 1:01:30 cue and ends at about 2:15:00. Excellent example of how to refute republican single payer attacks.
Leno’s Single Payer Health Insurance Legislation Wins Senate Vote 22 to 14(1/28)