Confusion on healthcare

Alas, with all the sound and furor over healthcare; it is understandable that some of the folks are confused. Some are believing lies, others are quoting slanted stats, still others are afraid of change and total chaos.

All are asking, where is the leadership?

Yes, were is the leadership for change? We still do not know the details of an "Obamacare" bill. We see the talking bubbleheads of media ranting/raving about this or that and generally confusing folks with bull.

for me, it does not matter. The best bill I have seen for both money and coverage concerns is HR676. HR3200 is a poor substitute and except for the Bernie Sanders S703, none of the other bills worth the paper to print (bonanza bills for insurance companies they should be called for they do gurantee trillions of dollars for protits).

Your offices at Soar 11-3 have not "switched" to other healthcare bills. HR676 or something simular or nothing. Yes, nothing; for any bill will tie up the healthcare reform debate for decades and that is not acceptable

In any case, no matter how the healthcare debate and bills turn out; we will hold some folks accountble for their actions or lack therefore. Some folks might have some surprizes during reelection time. Others might have some surprizes in general.

addenda to monthly meeting

I did forget one item. Soar is still a major supporter of the HR676 bill. Ralph will go over with group some additional information from the International, including correspondance with USW's Jim Centner. Jim a good man and good supporter of working rights. Right now, folks with international all tied up with salvage of Employee Free Choice Act.

As some of you know, some of our allies have "flipped" on their support of single payer healthcare for the nation. Some were never onboard in the first place. Ditto that of the Employee Free Choice Act (another item we have no intention of compromise)

I did announce at HealthCare Now meeting, our Soar group supports single payer healthcare and will not compromise that position. We will actively use whatever political tactics to make that voice heard, since single payer folks were "excluded" from the national debate in the Obama Healthcare summits.

H-676 meeting in St. Louis today

Ralph and I are off to register at the meeting of supporters of H-676 in St. Louis this afternoon. H-676 is the Medicare for All Americans Act before congress.

The proposal, if passed into law, would radically change medical insurance in America. It is the best proposal on the congressional table right now for our members and is superior to other competing health care proposals before congress.

We intend to gather info for the group and do a bit of politicking as well.

Note, we radified this in our March, 2006 meeting and are number 175 on the list of labor organizations officially supporting the bill. Soar nationally has endorsed as well as the St. Louis labor council. Alliance for Retired Americans have also given nod to bill.

We shall report back after the meeting on some of the details. Will be on the agenda of next month's meeting.

December meeting 08

Not too much on agenda this month.

We will continue to follow politics. We shall continue to document insurance woes.

Note: HB 676 is not a hot issue with current folks on the hill. We need to start again pushing for Universal Health Care in America.

We shall also reintroduce our "history" project to the folks.

For those whom cannot make it: Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your family.

Major woe

The number one woe of our retirees and other I have talked with is insurance.

In talking with varied retirees from other organizations and unions, folks on medicare/medicaid, our people, insurance is not as good and far more expensive and complicated than during their working careers. In fact, it is a disaster for many.

Most of our folks on medicare for instance are expected to do more reading and work than an average congressman does in a year. "Paperwork reduction" is they do less paperwork and you do more work.

One solution is rapid passage of HB 676, Medicare for All American's Act. Currently this bill is stalled in committee. It will die in that committee is my belief as have versions of this bill has died in committee since the Truman administration.

Perhaps next administration will pass it, but elements of this bill was proposed by the "bull Moose Party" in 1913. Do not hold your breath.

I have found out that many "union folks" do not know of this proposal. That is sad, very sad for health care is one of the top issues of America. Yes, AFL-CIO and SOAR has endorsed this, but somehow that info did not filter to the "rank and file" of many union families.

Such a bill as 676 is long overdue. SOAR 11-3 after the elections will redouble our efforts to spred the word and we call for all union and social folks to do the same. Force the next congress and president to address this critical issue. Soar (both our little band and national) has been a leader in this area for a long time. Soar 11-3 signed onto this over three years ago.

Time for a little justice in the land.