OpEdNews » The DNC's 'Guaranteed Healthcare' Reality Check

August 11, 2008 at 15:31:30

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Promoted to Headline (H2) on 8/11/08:
The DNC's 'Guaranteed Healthcare' Reality Check

by Donna Smith Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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By Donna Smith, American SiCKO, national co-chair PDA's Healthcare Not Warfare campaign

PITTSBURGH -- So, healthcare voting friends, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) platform committee added the language "guaranteed healthcare for every man, woman and child in America" to its Party platform yesterday in Pittsburgh. Was it simply to placate Hillary Clinton delegates? Was the DNC squelching activists' voices for single payer reform? Or was something else at work here? Perhaps an actual democratic process that played out with a wide variety of motivations but also a wider variety of potential outcomes and wide open possibility?

Because I was there -- and I mean there as one of the people who negotiated the changes in language with Rep. John Conyers and DNC platform committee member Bob Remer of Chicago -- I can tell you that there probably was a little nodding to the Clinton camp and some hope to quiet the single payer rumblings, but the much more significant outcomes are yet to be from that language shift from universal health "coverage" to guaranteed health "care." That is if we who are in this for the long haul grab this moment and this victory and make it our own.

And believe it or not, I actually witnessed some truly noble behavior by our Party. Was it a hearkening back to our roots? Or an effort to quiet a seemingly meaningless rebellion and move a united front to Denver? Or a reaching boldly toward the future? Maybe a little of "all of the above..."

Are the Progressive Dems finished with their fight in favor of HR676, John Conyers' "National Health Insurance Act" already co-sponsored by 91 members of Congress? Not by a long shot. In the AP account of the day's activities, the reporter got it wrong. It's hard to say if someone from the DNC pitched him on the point -- I didn't see that happen but the big boys were working pretty hard. But allow me to set the record straight: Single payer reform was never taken off any table -- in fact, a language shift a bit deeper in the platform section on healthcare specifically adds the terminology, "everybody in and no one left out" to the mix. Heard that before? Everybody in, Nobody out.

And I promise you the reasons for inserting that specific language -- as innocuous as it may seem to the general reader -- should send a signal of seismic levels to those thundering forward to Denver and beyond. It is in ours hands, my friends, it is now in our hands.

The Meat Grinder:

But, for those of you who wonder how all of this unfolded and just how one middle-aged grandma from Chicago inserted a voice -- OK, demanded that her voice be inserted -- here's a first hand account of 27 hours on the ground in Pittsburgh and on the way to "guaranteed healthcare for all."

Back to the activists' tour, the only flight my wonderful PDA folks and I could find on short notice and at a price we could afford took me from O'Hare to LaGuardia (ugh and double ugh) and then from LaGuardia to Pittsburgh. Eight hours later, I arrived at the Westin Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. Nice digs. Paid for by others activists. Since I had been in transit the better part of the afternoon and evening, I had little word about whether or not the platform committee member we found willing to offer PDA's amendment on "guaranteed healthcare for all" had made the 5 p.m., Friday deadline to file that amendment or not. I soon found out he had done so and had already been deeply involved in the DNC's platform leadership's efforts to alter the language of the amendment.

But Bob Remer was already hard at work. Bob was (and is) a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton's. From the icy cold in Iowa to this moment, Bob believed with his heart and his head that Sen. Clinton was his top choice to lead his nation. A big, hulking fellow with a rich history of community and political involvement and a career spent working in the healthcare field, Bob did see the strengthening of the platform language on healthcare as a way to honor Sen. Clinton. So, I thought, that's fine, so long as we agree that every American has a basic human right to healthcare. We didn't know one another before that moment. But here in a hotel coffee shop in Pittsburgh, two ordinary folks from Chicago were hoping we could push our Party off the mark on this issue and toward true reform. We both agreed that the platform is not where legislative details or programs are either negotiated or adopted -- and because we disagreed on what the final outcome of health reform legislation might be, Bob and I quickly moved beyond that discussion. He supports a Clinton-type reform while I am firmly in the single payer camp.

So on Friday night, with my mind screaming for some rest, and my need to do some more work I had not been able to do in the air -- on some blog writing and postings and prepare for the next day's press conference -- I felt it best to relax a bit and get to know Bob. I know, slacker Donna. The guilt and the conflicting pressures are part of my work-ethic run amok which many simply exploit -- and which also has been terrifically heightened by my fears that unless I work harder and smarter than every other person I will once again be homeless and without voice as a victim of the healthcare crisis. And I am not a victim any longer, so I work -- a lot. Such an aside, sorry.

When the DNC folks came to lobby Bob -- which they did repeatedly -- to alter the amendment's language, I wanted the personal relationship formed with me to also inform his choices. I suggested we not agree to any language morph on the amendment unless and until Rep. Conyers was with us in the morning. He liked that idea, and I did too. I figured it couldn't hurt to bring along a couple of big guns. Bob and I wondered briefly if we could actually move our Party even a bit toward a more just reality in the healthcare reform arena. And then it was time to rest up for Saturday.

I slept only from 1 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. as I was fired up and worried about work and worried about my husband at home not feeling well. I spent as much time as I could on the hotel computer (at $6.95 every 15 minutes that wasn't long). But down in the convention center where the DNC platform committee would be meeting, Bob was already at work. And we had some wonderful local folks who had somehow decided the PDA amendment wasn't single-payer friendly decide to leaflet against the amendment -- interesting strategy, I thought. And because of that leafleting, I think some of the amendment's strength was diminished. It's the old and time-tested yet failed pattern of activists targeting one of their own rather than forming a united front. It hurt to see that, but I actually thought it quite interesting to see all the various levels of interest playing out -- and all the agendas, hidden and not.

All the while, PDA's fearless leader, Tim Carpenter, called in frequently with his classic, 'We've got your back" calls -- a tremendous offering of support and confidence in what his on-the-ground co-chairs are doing on our collective PDA behalf. Another PDA friend and single payer stalwart, Chuck Pennachio, of HealthCare4AllPA worked tirelessly in the crowd spreading the good word of amendment #33, guaranteed healthcare for all.

And a wonderful new PDA friend, Harvie Branscomb of Colorado, flew in to Pittsburgh just to help support the effort. He handed out fliers and offered such support to us all as we worked through the committee members.

Conyers arrived and he and I and Chuck participated in a press conference hosted by State Sen. Jim Ferlo of Pittsburgh -- a tireless advocate of single payer. Meanwhile, Bob was in the DNC platform meeting room. Conyers eloquently talked about the long haul -- the plodding, committed work it takes to make legislative change. He repeated the idea that HR676 will move along much more quickly as soon as a co-sponsor comes from the other side of the political aisle. And it will happen, he said. "Everything is everything," he quipped as he shared a story meant to validate all of the various efforts to push reform -- every point of pressure having its place in the whole.

When we wrapped up the press conference, Bob and a representative from the Obama/DNC effort came to talk about the amendment language. As Conyers stood up-front getting his photo taken with citizens and talking to people, the DNC fellow said that as soon as Conyers was done, he and Bob would meet with him to discuss the amendment. I couldn't tell exactly what the plan was in terms of my participation but I quickly said that as a PDA Healthcare Not Warfare co-chair with Conyers, I wanted to come along for this meeting. All agreed.

We walked to the center of the open refreshment area of the convention center. And around a raised cocktail table meant to allow folks to eat $3 hot pretzels, chips and sip $2 sodas, Bob, me and the chairman of the House Judiciary (and my fellow PDA Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign co-chair) John Conyers talked platform language with two or three DNC/Obama folks who would then race back to the meeting room and confer.

I was incredibly honored that Conyers deferred to me and Bob on the language of "guaranteed health care" not coverage, and also I referenced a connection I have of my own within the Obama camp with whom I had also reviewed our amendment language to make sure they all understood that this language was agreeable and simply (and strongly) expressed a common goal: to guarantee one of our basic human rights. I suppose I felt it necessary to wipe away this notion that those of us in this movement do not have the smarts or the pull to develop our own connections and strategies. I may be a grandmom from Chicago, but ... well, you get the picture.

Both Bob and I let it be known that the American people are not stupid and they do know the difference between health"care" and insurance coverage, and that we agree that the legislative process must now work out the details of achieving the amendment's pledge, but that we were unwavering in that wording: "guaranteed health care for every man, woman and child." Another committee member actually liked the man, woman, and child tag -- Bob and I wanted it to say "every American," but so be it, we concurred, so be it.

Then we added the "everybody in and no one left out" phrasing later in the discussion. And I hope that signals to every single payer advocate in the land that the battle is on -- we are in the mix, no matter what the AP reporter helped spin or misunderstood. Everyone gathered around that table heard me say that -- there was no direct support expressed for our position besides mine but there also was no opposition expressed. So, again, the ball is now in our court, good citizens.

Conyers patted Bob and me on the back -- wonderful and wise legislator that he is -- and said, "this is huge." In the overall context of world order, did we accomplish all that we wanted? No. But did we make a dent? Did we stake a claim for real reform? Yes, we did. And knowing as Conyers can know after more than 40 years in Congress, negotiating in the right direction of the desired goal is tough work, and perhaps made a bit tougher when you are just Donna and Bob from Chicago up against some of the political and policy wonks who have agendas and ambitions way out of this world compared to ours.

The DNC/Obama gang raced back to Bob with the written and corrected amendment, went over how it would be presented and then told us it would be up for consideration right after the break. Conyers bid us farewell and walked off for yet some more meetings.

Back to the floor

Back inside the ballroom, the platform committee was called back to order. Bob stood at the microphone with another committee member and they read the amendment. The chair called vote seconds. And here, fellow Dems, is where the nobility and the dignity entered the picture.

Do I have seconds for this amendment, the chair asked? And slowly but deliberately, nearly every platform committee member present rose to their feet in support. They stood. For guaranteed healthcare for all. They stood in support.

And moments later, after hearing comments of support from Chris Jennings, senior health policy advisor during the Bill Clinton administration (and one of our cocktail table DNC negotiators), the chair called the amendment for a vote. All in favor, "AYE" -- All opposed -- silence. Guaranteed healthcare for all passed unanimously.

Bob and I hugged in the back of the room. And we both cried. A victory from two people who didn't even know one another two days ago -- and who share different views on how we get to the place so clearly stated in our amendment. It is our Party that allowed us to do this work, and it is our Party that will make guaranteed healthcare for all a reality.

Going forward

I have no illusions. And especially after this gruelling few days. The fight to actually achieve guaranteed healthcare for all is not going to be any easier -- and in some ways those who oppose us will grow even more devious and they will pour more money into the battle. As evidenced by the AP report and other reports that somehow show this as a brokering on behalf of a Hillary Clinton plan, the reality was much cleaner and much more clear and we'll need to be vigilant in our calling for honesty and for clarity as we move forward.

In the airport hours later, Chuck Pennachio and I sat sharing just a few moments of joy surrounding our shared victory. We also wanted to honor all those advocates who share our continued commitment to the passage of single payer, healthcare reform. Publicly financed, privately delivered, guaranteed healthcare for all. HR676.

As we rapid-fired ideas at one another for the future, Chuck scrawled on an airport napkin what we thought Conyers might want to title HR676 when he introduces it once again but this time to a new, more progressive Congress in 2009. "The National Guaranteed Healthcare for All Act."

Bravo, PDA, bravo. Onward.

Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:
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Healthcare reform activist; Appeared in Michael Moore's SiCKO; Founder, American Patients United; National Co-chair, PDA (Progressive Democrats of America)Healthcare Not Warfare campaign; Community organizer, California Nurses Association/National (more...)

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10 comments

Dennis Kaiser

"Guaranteed" Healthcare

With over 40 million Americans presently without health insurance that industry had to come up with a way to get their hands into the pockets of those "deadbeats"... enter the Hillary plan, make it mandatory that all people have health insurance. They did the same with auto insurance years ago. Have the insurance or you are breaking the law.

Even with insurance the typical scenario goes something like this: The individual pays their monthly premium, then goes to the doctor and pays their co-pay. The insurance company gets its bill from the doctor and pays their committed amount for that particular procedure. The doctor then sends the individual a bill for the difference of their bill and what the insurance company doesn't pay. Final score: Individual pays three times on the bill; Insurance Company: pays once. Great isn't it?

The only guarantee is the insurance companies will pick up over 40 million new customers and the government will get to frame new people as law breakers when they can't afford to have insurance.

Dennis Kucinich, you know that guy the corporate media propagandists painted as a "nut case", had a plan that would have covered every American and would have used 15% of what is now going unaccounted for in the Pentagon's budget. Every American would have been covered under his plan, but the insurance industry may have had to do something else with their business...

by Dennis Kaiser (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 730 comments [137 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 at 3:37:53 AM

(0+)

Donna Smith

Reply: PDA strongly supports single payer

Make no mistake. PDA does not want a Clinton mandate plan. We want single payer, HR676, guaranteed health care for all.

And we want it sooner rather than later. Let's work harder on Congress.

by Donna Smith (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 at 6:10:25 AM

(0+)

scott creighton

I am so offended by the hillary plan, it just makes me shake

Her "plan", just like has been said before here, is to FORCE people to purchase healthcare from private insurance companies.

The person who comments above makes the comparison between this and the mandatory auto insurance laws, but there is one difference; you don't HAVE to own a car.

Many people in big cities and those who can't afford one, simply don't have it. However, most people HAVE to work, and that is the difference. Under her plan, ONCE AGAIN the working stiff is stuck paying and paying to the glorious corporations that OWN this country and the "elected" representative in congress.

(But, I bet you ANYTHING, the CEO class won't have their insurance forms checked before they get a new seat on some board somewhere!)

Another thing about her plan is that it will be based on WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO PAY! Like a car lot that targets the poor/working class and doesn't even put the price of the car on the window (because they make up the price based on what you have left over after your bills are paid), the insurance companies will take all your info, calculate the price based on what you have left over AFTER your other bills are paid.

Meaning, this law allows insurance companies to decide how much of your livilyhood they will take from you and your family. It's sick. Plain and simple. Brought to you by your friends at the DLC; the Neo-con version of the Democratic Party.

by scott creighton (25 articles, 11 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 244 comments) on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 at 10:01:34 AM

(0+)

steve scheetz

To each according to his/her need.........

How many people asked for this?I have been screaming for some time how crappy this is going to be, only to be shouted down for being mean spirited...

Even if we have a government run health care system, does ANYONE actually think it will be better than the system we currently have?

At best, we will have a government employee in charge of everyone's health care decisions as opposed to an insurance company employee. Either way, the doctors will continue to be told what procedures they are ALLOWED to perform on their patients, and those with health problems will be told how they are ALLOWED to be cured....

How do I know the possible government run health care system is going to be terrible? because the government has a track record...... Just look at the VA and how that is run.... look at the returning soldiers from the war zone and see how they are not allowed to see psychologists despite the fact that they NEED to see psychologists....

Government creates far more problems than it solves, and I think the politicians LIKE it that way!

Ciao, CZ

by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 832 comments [53 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 at 10:19:33 AM

(0+)

scott creighton

Reply: I hate to be the one to mention this

but one of the very FIRST things the Department of Defense did under this criminal regime, was to privatized many aspects of the VA healthcare system in many states. I think, if you look, you might find that many of the problems arose from those facilities. The days of the old "government run" scare tactic are pretty much over.

Can I prove that? Sure, you want to hand over your SS to Wall Street bankers to invest "for you"? Huh? Or would you rather trust that the SS program will still be there cutting checks when time to punchout for the last time rolls around?

I wouldn't trust these Wall Street Sleazebags with my lunch money, much less the SS kittie. And my guess is, neither would you.

How about privatizing the police force or the fire department? How would that work out for you? Been done before, and it will again.

Government does some things better because of the NATURE of the thing.

Check out the privatized war machine. Now that they have a vested interest in producing more OPORTUNITY for their profits, Shazam!, endless war on the horizon.

The Golden Rule of business is not conducive to real healthcare for all. It can't be, because many, in this economy of ours, won't help them turn a profit. That MAY be why we are one of 25 Westernized Industrial nations with a for-profit healthcare system.

by scott creighton (25 articles, 11 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 244 comments) on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 at 11:01:58 AM

(0+)

mikel paul

Guaranteed to take your dough.....

I apologize. This is so sad. Mandates on how all will be saved. It's the same old. Feed the kitty. Theirs.

peace

by mikel paul (14 articles, 1 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 570 comments [13 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 at 10:43:03 AM

(0+)

Joe Reeser

Every American has a basic human right to healthcare.

This is what you wrote. If healthcare is a basic human right, then everyone (not just Americans) have a right to this care. I can only assume this care is provided by someone other than the recipient. Therefore, what you are saying is that everyone has a right to someone else's labor. I would like for you to justify that position or explain why that position is not your own.

by Joe Reeser (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 63 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008 at 11:37:32 AM

(0+)

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate

Americans lose three times

Well said, Dennis Kaiser.

Americans will ...

... pay even more, directly to the for-profit health insurance companies.

... pay even more, indirectly to the for-profit health insurance companies via much higher taxes.

... have their health get worse and worse due to lack of preventing diseases.

Cause and effect ...

... the lack of disease prevention (dead last: 19th out of 19 countries)

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Real_People

------- That results from lack of health care access, not getting to the doctor.
Only 58% of us have adequate insurance compared to 99-100% in other countries.

... the lack of health care access
------- That results from the extreme cost inefficiency of paying 25 to 30 cents of every dollar on administrative costs instead of 3 to 5 cents.

click here

... the extreme inefficiency
------- That results from a combination of the U.S. for-profit bureaucracy

click here

and government bureaucracy

click here

So now we see the root cause --- BUREAUCRACY.

We must rid ourselves of the root cause: for-profit and government bureaucracy. The U.S. won't get far until we, the people, establish the non-profit single-payer public agency that is insulated from the day-to-day interference of the U.S. legislature and 50 state legislatures.

Bob Haiducek, Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate

Bob Haiducek (hi' duh sek)
Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate

We, too, can get peace of mind

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Peace_of_Mind

But we need to join thousands of others as part of communicating to each of our U.S. Representatives. For example, we can follow the Schedule

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Schedule

And we can get reminders to follow the schedule

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Join

by Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments) on Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 at 3:34:34 AM

(0+)

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate

Actions are REQUIRED for non-profit single-payer insurance

Scott, you wrote that you are so offended by the hillary plan that "it just makes me shake." I hope that you are thinking the same about Barack Obama's plan, because its foundation is EXACTLY THE SAME PROPOSAL. Multiple times he emphasized in the last year or so that his plan is 95% (or was it 99%?) the same. Why did he say that? Because both of them ... in fact John and Elizabeth Edwards also ... are based on the same foundation. I did a very detailed comparison on this horrible plan and it even more detailed economic evaluation by the highly respected Lewin Group. It is BAD.

By the way, speaking of the politicians, Ralph Nader is solid support. He supports what is wanted by the Health Care for All movement for non-profit single-payer national health insurance.

(This is not a plug for any politician for voting; it's just the facts about one critical issue.)

Don't think that Barack Obama is going to do one thing before the election and another thing after the election and all of a sudden finally support the will of the people. on 4/3/2007 he made it very clear in a public meeting and then made it even more clear to the press that he is requires a massive grassroots movement like you have never seen before in order for him to be comfortable in supporting HR676. Right smack dab in the middle of the meeteing he even gave the exact actions of the necessary grassroots movement: thousands of citizens in most or all U.S. Congressional Districts communicating what they want to their U.S. Representative.

As they say or used to say, you can take my words here "to the bank." we need to join thousands of others as part of communicating to each of our U.S. Representatives. For example, we can follow the Schedule

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Schedule

and we can get reminders to follow the schedule

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Join

by Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments) on Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 at 4:03:58 AM

(0+)

Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate

Physician-run health care

Steve. Since you feel you have been "shouted down," then perhaps people have been shouting with emotional words instead of communicating with facts.

We're not talking about government-run health care in terms of a specific person's care. The physicians will run their private practices and be much more in charge of a patient's health care than how it is today. Their malpractice insurance rates will drop, since people there will be no lawsuit costs for a person's health care for the rest of their life. Their expenses for labor costs will drop, since large billing staffs will not be required. They will have a significant increase in patient care instead of all that time they are currently spending on health insurance issues and the frequent visits by pharmaceutical reps.

Please go to this link and scroll down to the 15th district and listen to Dr. Steve Blythe's excellent 12-minute talk, where you can learn about costs related to the Veterans Administration. Listen carefully, as it's only one point made among the 12 minutes.

click here

No matter what happens the new system will be FAR better than we have today. After you listen to the audio please read the following web page

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Peace_of_Mind

And, if you want to read about rationing and wait times, be sure to read about the Secret that a citizen shared, as note on this web page.

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Rationing

But do not try to access the video segment, because the Obama staff had partially hidden it and how has made it not accessible at all. But the Obama staff at least can't delete the transcript from the video that is provided at the web page. In fact, that particular transcript is on a youtube video. I need to provide a link to that.

Negative newscasts occur from the press blowing up specific problems about the VA. The negative news is reported, but the overwhelming positive news about the VA is not generally reported. That is upsetting. Most soldiers fine the VA to be fine. As you hopefully learned in the video about one aspect of the VA, it's a very well run system.

We will have peace of mind. I look forward to it. Millions of othes are too.

http://www.ninenineohnine.org/pages/Peace_of_Mind

by Bob the Health and Health Care Advocate (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments) on Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 at 4:46:33 AM

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