Health Care Forum, Friday, 10/30

From Rokki Carr:

The Hidden Truths about Health Care Reform Forum

Friday, Oct 30 
7:30 pm

Lecture Center 102, SUNY New Paltz Campus 
Free and open to the public

Dr. Andy Coates, national spokesperson for Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP), will address the current health care crises. He will present: How we have reached the current crises in health care; assess current legislative health reform proposals; the media blackout on single payer/medicare-for-all, and how health care reform is integrating with elections reform. His presentation will be followed by an interactive Q&A session.

"There is much confusion and misunderstanding about bills offered in the House and Senate, as well as the differences between single payer and the public option," says Dr. Coates, a practicing physician and professor of medicine and psychiatry at Albany Medical College. "PNHP will be conducting educational forums much like the one at SUNY throughout New York state in the months ahead."

Dr. Andy Coates will be leading a discussion on how the US can meet the global crisis, and resist the worldwide move to privatize, market, and commodify Healthcare.

Andrew D. Coates, MD is a member of the national board of directors of Physicians for a National Health Program and the secretary of the Capital District (NY) chapter of PNHP.  He practices medicine in Albany, NY, where he is assistant professor of medicine and psychiatry at Albany Medical College.

Sponsored by: Democracy Matters, Coalition of Concerned Citizens of New Paltz, Hudson Valley Progressive Coalition, Citizens for Universal Healthcare

Contact: Ruth Molloy rmcfood61@live.com
Ph: (845) 256-0733

How would you fix health care?

President-elect Obama has made it clear that health care reform is one of his top priorities and the Obama-Biden Transition is asking people to contribute their own thoughts and ideas for how to fix the system at Health Care. They've asked people to organize Community Discussions all across the country.

Ruth Wahtera, a member of AAUW, Kingston Branch, signed up with the Transition Team to host a Community Discussion, and we thought you might want to come.

The Transition Team has put together a few questions they'd like us to discuss and then send them feedback. It will be low key - an exploration, not a debate.

DATE: This Saturday morning, December 20th

TIME: 10 - 11:30 am

LOCATION: The Muddy Cup

516 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12443

RSVP NOT REQUIRED but appreciated: wahtera.ruth@gmail.com

And here's a 2 1/2 minute video of Senator Daschle discussing the health care initiative.

P.S. If you can't make it Saturday but would like to host or moderate a discussion before December 31st, you'll find the details and sign-up at the Transition website here.

Watch PBS's New Documentary on the Uninsured

Image via WikipediaTonight, a documentary that should be required viewing for anyone interested in the great health care debate of our time will air on the Public Broadcasting System. Titled "Critical Condition," the film follows four average Americans suffering from a variety of ailments and struggling to get by without health insurance.

From the AAUW Public Policy Committee:
The NYS Health Foundation sent this email information about a new documentary being aired this month on PBS

Numbers alone provide ample evidence that we must reform our country's health insurance system: 47 million Americans are uninsured; uninsured cancer patients are 25% more likely to die than insured patients; and uninsured Americans cost employers $130 billion annually. The ill, uninsured Americans who filmmaker Roger Weisberg tracks for a number of months are heartbreaking examples of our system's failings.

No matter your position on top-of-mind health insurance topics such as universal coverage or market improvements, this film will serve as a valuable educational tool concerning the holes in the system and what can be done to remedy them.

"Critical Condition" premieres Tuesday, September 30 at 9 p.m. and will re-air on Wednesday, October 1 at 7 p.m.; Thursday, October 2 at midnight, 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.; and Sunday, October 5 at noon. Please click here for more details on the program.