Fwd: Connecting the fight against Medicare Advantage to the fight for Medicare for All

[Craig Brooks]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dr. Ed Weisbart, PNHP <in...@pnhp.org>
Date: Tue, Jul 30, 2024 at 1:44 PM
Subject: Connecting the fight against Medicare Advantage to the fight for Medicare for All
To: Craig Brooks <craig....@gmail.com>

Celebrate today’s Medicare anniversary, and raise your voice in support of our movement! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

July 30, 2024 Dear Medicare supporter, For many years, I’ve advocated for a single-payer national health program that builds on the success of Medicare—an important and cherished public health program that was signed into law 59 years ago today. Improved Medicare for All would take the most popular aspects of Traditional Medicare (comprehensive medical benefits, free choice of doctor, guaranteed coverage for seniors) and supplement it with additional benefits (dental, hearing, vision, reproductive care, long-term care) while totally eliminating out-of-pocket costs. This is PNHP’s vision for long overdue health care reform. Unfortunately, we have been drifting away from both the promise and the proven success of Traditional Medicare thanks to one very bad development: the so-called “Medicare Advantage” program. It’s high time we address the elephant in the room. Earlier today, I published an opinion piece in Common Dreams calling for our movement to connect the fight against Medicare Advantage with the fight for Medicare for All. I believe we should 1) Highlight the ways corporate health insurers are harming seniors and overcharging taxpayers; 2) Demand concrete improvements to Traditional Medicare that would benefit patients and physicians; and 3) Leverage a stronger and even more successful public Medicare program to build support for improved Medicare ... for ALL. Each of these campaigns reinforces and overlaps with the others. As I wrote in my Common Dreams piece: “Single-payer advocates understand that there can’t be “Medicare for All” if there is no “Medicare.” And no, Medicare Advantage doesn’t count as Medicare. The health insurance corporations that run these plans have a business imperative to prioritize profits above all else. There is no road to Medicare for All that ignores this existential threat.” Since today is the official Medicare anniversary, I encourage you to put pen to paper and write your own opinion piece—or to find other ways to spread the word about the dangers of Medicare Advantage, and the promise of Medicare for All. Here are some resources from the PNHP national office to help you get started: PNHP guide to writing op-eds and letters to the editor One-page fact sheet on the harms caused by corporate health insurers Personal stories for inspiration—be sure to include your own stories Outreach guide for tabling, canvassing, speaking engagements, and more It’s important for us to remain focused on the task at hand (fighting corporate profiteering in Medicare) while also keeping our eyes on the ultimate prize: an improved version of Medicare that covers ALL Americans. Please raise your voice and help build our movement of passionate Medicare supporters. Sincerely, Ed Weisbart, M.D. Board Secretary Physicians for a National Health Program 29 E Madison St Ste 1412 | Chicago, Illinois 60602 312-782-6006 | in...@pnhp.org Follow Us Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your web browser Unsubscribe or Manage Your Preferences