Health Care for All
Health Care for All
Quality, affordable health care should be a right for everyone in America, not a privilege for the few. But the number of people in this country without health insurance is growing. And the likelihood of losing—or not being able to afford—good health care is striking fear in the hearts of many family breadwinners.
The number of uninsured Americans has shot up to 47 million, including 9 million kids, as skyrocketing health care costs are pricing care out of reach. Many families are one layoff or medical emergency from bankruptcy. Meanwhile, the CEOs of private insurance and drug companies are raking in huge profits.
The time is now to fix the system and guarantee that everyone has the choice of quality, affordable health insurance.
Blogs and Opinion
THE LATEST
BLOGS AND OPINION
Easy Choices by Terrance Heath, OurFuture.org | November 20, 2009
Why I Support the Senate Health Care Reform Bill by Chris Bowers, openleft.com | November 20, 2009
The Big Squander by Paul Krugman, The New York Times | November 20, 2009
Harry Reid and What Happened To the Public Option by Robert B. Reich, robertreich.blogspot.com | November 20, 2009
A Leap Forward to Better Care by Peter R. Orszag, The Washington Post | November 20, 2009
Will Health Care Be Saved at the 11th Hour? by Michael Tomasky , The Guardian | November 20, 2009
Senate Bill as Expected: Not as Progressive as House Bill in Key Areas by Monica Sanchez, OurFuture.org | November 19, 2009
The GOP's No-Exit Strategy by E.J. Dionne, The Washington Post | November 19, 2009
The Wrong Side of History by Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times | November 19, 2009
Repeal Health Care Reform in 2013? Not Gonna Happen by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly | November 18, 2009
THE LATEST
NEWS HEADLINES
Hidden Costs of Medicare Advantage, The Washington Post | October 16, 2009
Health Care Triumph Gives Way To Heightented Battle, Los Angeles Times | October 16, 2009
White House Team Joins Talks on Health Care Bill , The New York Times | October 16, 2009
Swing Voters To Play Trump Cards In Senate Showdown, Los Angeles Times | October 16, 2009
Democrats Address Their Own Rifts on Health Care, The New York Times | October 15, 2009
Health Insurers Emerge as Obama's Top Foe, The Washington Post | October 14, 2009
Health Care Turns to Harry Reid, time.com | October 14, 2009
Poll Shows Democrats Lead On Issues, CNN | September 4, 2009
Democrats Consider Setting "Trigger" for Public Option in Health Reform, Los Angeles Times | September 4, 2009
Pelosi: No Public Option, No Bill, Politico | September 4, 2009
Health Care Reform Moves Forward
The reform bill the House of Representatives passed late Saturday should serve as a model for action by the Senate.
» Read the Roger Hickey and Diane Archer statement
» Progressive Breakfast on bill details and progressive community reaction
PLUS The Morality of Health Care Reform: Terrance Heath's latest post in the series »
TAKE ACTION
Thank (or spank) your House member for his or her health-care vote.
» Use this page to find out how your member voted and send a message.
Paranoia Strikes Deep
November 9th, 2009
Last Thursday there was a rally outside the U.S. Capitol to protest pending health care legislation, featuring the kinds of things we've grown accustomed to, including large signs showing piles of bodies at Dachau with the caption "National Socialist Healthcare." It was grotesque — and it was also ominous. The key thing to understand about that rally is that it wasn't a fringe event. It was sponsored by the House Republican leadership — in fact, it was officially billed as a G.O.P. press conference. Senior lawmakers were in attendance, and apparently had no problem with the tone of the proceedings.
more »
Health Care Reform Vs. The Health Insurance Racket
HEALTH CARE REFORM Sen. John D. Rockfeller is joining Prof. Jacob Hacker in a conference call with reporters to discuss the public option in health care reform.
» Read Jacob Hacker's "Public Plan Choice in Congressional Health Plans: The Good, the Not-So-Good, and the Ugly"
VIDEO The Health Care Racket
Brave New Films has two new videos on what the public plan means for working Americans, and what the health Insurance racket does to American families.
» Robert Reich reveals "The Truth Behind the Public Option"
» "The Health Insurance Racket" show why we need the public option
PLUS
» Sara Robinson: "Postcard from Canada: Why I Missed Obama's Speech"
» Terrance Heath: "The Morality of Health Care Reform: Competing Voices"
The Tea Party's Takeover of the GOP
November 6th, 2009
The anti-health care reform rally in Washington indicates the Republican Party and the Tea Party movement are increasingly one and the same.
more »
Obama Kept Public Option On The Field. You Must Get It Over The Goal Line.
September 10th, 2009
After last night speech, I have no idea what President Obama's legislative strategy is regarding a public health insurance option.
But I know he's made a public option more possible. And I know what needs to happen to get it done. more » Obama Shows His Progressive Spine
September 10th, 2009
In a plain-spoken, at times tough, and masterful address to a joint session of congress, President Obama spoke in pragmatic and moral terms about the importance of health care reform as a test of our nation's character. The speech still had a bipartisan flavor, but with a progressive spine.
more »
He Roped The Dopes
September 10th, 2009
On August 10th, I suggested that President Obama should take a lesson from Muhammed Ali and use a rope-a-dope strategy to counter the attacks on his health care plan. Listening to his speech tonight, I saw him do this to his opponents. After laying out the benefits to those who currently have health insurance, he waded into the misconceptions and mis-truths that have been used to undermine the issue of health care reform. And what was the reaction of those in the Congress that have played this cynical game? Silence. Damning silence.
more »
Conservative Health Care Response Ignores Facts
September 10th, 2009
The reviews of President Obama's health care speech before a joint session of Congress have been fairly glowing. Most agree that the President made a strong case for health insurance reform and did a good job of explaining why the public option is important, even if he stopped short of refusing to sign a bill without it. more » We Have The Hope. Now Where's The Audacity?
August 31st, 2009
Originally published by Peter Dreier and Marshal in The Washington Post.
more »Why The Public Option Matters
September 9th, 2009
Most arguments against the public option are based either on deliberate misrepresentation of what that option would mean, or on remarkably thorough misunderstanding of the concept. But what is one to make of the practical, political argument that any public plan actually included in legislation probably wouldn’t make that much difference, and that reform is worth having even without such a plan? There are three reasons to be suspicious of that argument.
more »
