Chapter News
Physicians for a National Health Program Tour Oregon to Promote Single Payer Health Care
The Oregon Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and Mad As Hell Doctors (MAHD) will follow up on their landmark 2009 national tour and 2010 California tours with spirited rallies in Linn and Lincoln Counties during February. Their program will feature music by local musicians and the audience (singing); documentary videos by Paul Hochfeld M.D.; testimony by physicians and nurses; and “Mad As Heck Minutes” by audience members on screen.
Click here for dates and additional information
Oregon Endorsers of Single payer
Portland City Council:
http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/10/portland-city-council-endorses-single-payer-bill-calls-for-action-from-congress-and-citizens
Multnomah County Commissioners
http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/cfm/boardclerk/viewdetail.cfm?DocID=10804boardclerk
Oregon Academy of Family Practice
Articles of Interest
Oregon legislators on single payer
Letter from Sen. Ron Wyden on state-based health reform.
These state legislators responded to a questionnaire from NALC Branch 82 which asked whether they supported single payer. Their answers follow.
HOUSE:
- Brad Witt and Carolyn Tomei are an unqualified YES.
- Mike Dembrow and Lew Frederick support it and hope to achieve it incrementally.
- Nick Kahl supports it but is “open to other options.”
- Katie Riley, running for her husband’s seat, strongly supports it and is well-informed about it.
- Brent Barton, who is running for the State Senate, says it’s “politically unfeasible.”
- Chris Garrett supports Obamacare and HB 2009.
- Mitch Greenlick declined to respond —“you should know where I stand by now.”
SENATE:
- Chip Shields and Rob Monroe are an unqualified YES.
- Suzanne Bonamici is “open to it.”
- Richard Devlin--“not opposed” but says it’s no panacea. He supports HR 2009.
- Mike Dembrow’s response: I remain a firm believer in a single-payer system as the most efficient and effective way of delivering health care. We need to remove the profit motive from healthcare delivery and we need to create the largest possible coverage pools.