The Senior Citizens Consortium had adopted the Single Payer Universal Health Care program as one of our advocacy issues As an advocacy issue for our organization of caring seniors, we look forward to finally getting the United States of America on a reasonably even par with the rest of the world regarding access to health care. When we first began to explore the aspect of Single Payer Universal Health Care (SP-UHC) we found very little discussion of this subject in our nation.

However, over the past year or so, we have noticed that our voices are no longer simply a small cry in the wilderness. We see more and more evidence of the American People’s will issuing a demand for Single Payer Universal Health Care. From various state legislation to member directed organizations we hear more ane more people saying that they want to have a nation where EVERYONE is provided with access to health care.

However, there is a real danger that this growing momentum will be drowned out by the people and corporations who are vehemently opposed to any sort of SP-UHC in this country and they are well funded as usual. We must stay active and must let our voices be heard loudly and consistently that this country MUST implement a SP-UHC plan for all of our citizens.

We were sorely disappointed when the presidential candidates presented health care programs that did nothing to ensure access for all people to a health care system that took the insurance companies and hmo organizations out of the mix. None, save the Representative from Ohio, Mr. Dennis Kucinich offered up a plan that would put health care decisions back in the hands of the doctor patient relation and take it out of the hands of some administrative claims manager thousands of miles from the situation. The closest of the top three beauty pageant stars (Clinton, Obama, Edwards) to a similar plan is John Edwards and his plan is a long long way from a SP-UHC. Clinton, Obama and Edwards all three tout a universal health plan but their plans simply put more money into the coffers of the health care INDUSTRY, they do nothing to improve the access for citizens other than make participation mandatory.

Mr. Kucinich, along with Mr. Conyers co authored a bill known as HR 676 which essentially takes the program currently used by us seniors Medicare, and expands the services and extends it to cover ALL Americans. This program would be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services through the auspices of the CMS which currently administers the Medicare program. Under the HR676 or the National Health Care Plan would replace the existing programs for Medicare A, B, C and D along with the State operated Medicaid.

The top countries in the developed world for universal health care are France and Germany. But every single developed country in the entire world, EXCEPT the United States of American has a single payer universal health care plan in place and the medical outcome statistics PROVE that these plans provide citizens with a better, healthier, and longer life. We will have white papers and other fact pages available for review in subsequent postings, both here on the SCC web site and links to other web sites where data will be made available.

I will say a lot more about this program and the aspect of Universal Health Care under a single point of payment in another blog but this particular blog is focused on the aspect of bringing more attention to the idea of SP-UHC. In poitn fo fact, there are several blog entries earlier that address SP-UHC.

After a number of online discussions with various people, and following our question to the AARP about SP-UHC (they are against it), we all came to the conclusion that it was time for the Senior Citizens to once again let the powers that be in Washington know of our displeasure. As you will recall, several years ago, a group of seniors known at the Gray Panthers marched and frankly scared the hell out of the politicians.

Well we say it is time for the old gray hairs among us to get our sneakers laced up, our walking clothes on and once again tell the congress, the administration and these wannabe’s running for office that it is time to stop catering to the big money people and actually listen to the people who VOTE.

We are planning, over the next few months to contact senior organizations across the country to see if they would care to join in our March on Washington for Health Care. We will also reach out to the various organizations that have been active in promoting health care access changes, and the single payer aspects.

So we will be reaching out to solid senior issue organizations such as the Alliance of Retired Americans, to the Gray Panthers, and to other organizations. We would encourage the Divided We Fail and the AARP to join in this advocacy, but they have already made their position clear and have stated clearly that they do not support the idea. However, the Alliance of Retired Americans do support it.

We will also request that reasonable political personages participate, including Messrs Kucinich and Conyers. We will request that other notable persons join in this effort to bring the attention of the entire country and our politicians to this important subject.

More will be posted on this blog, and on the SCC web site. We may, if conditions warrent, put up a special web site for communications in the near future.

Care to join us? We will welcome all serious assistance. Simply contact us either through this facility or send and email to the SCC Executive Director at

executivedirector@maturecommunications.org
or
spuhc@seniorcitizensconsortium.org

and we will respond immediately to your serious inquiries.

Thank you for your consideration,
The March on Washington for Health Care Committee.

This morning as I arose from my bed to prepare for a day at work, I paused to reflect on the situation that many of us in this SCC organization find ourselves. That is the situation of growing a tad older. Yep, believe it folks, there are many of us who are, dare I say it? Becoming ELDERLY.

But as I say to THE BRIDE, as long as I can look in the mirror and see a reflection staring back, I KNOW that I still am alive. And to that end, I then resolve to make the very best of each day. Most of us are in relatively decent health and we are, quite frankly, still young. Aches and pains are part of growing older, a slightly slower pace may be the result for some. However, we all know that as society ages, our focus on being elderly continues to slide further back. The 65 of today was the 45 of a few years ago. We are actually living longer and we must ensure that we have a decent ability to live that longer life with dignity and respect.

Consider this, the 65 year old today is better physically fit and we are a lot more active than the 45 year old a few decades ago. So, basically, when you consider things from that point of view, many of us are simply in a new level of Middle Aged People. Not elderly at all!!

Now, how do we take advantage of that aspect? Well we could simply sit on our patoots, flipping through the 100′s of channels on the cable television system, or we could get out and about, becoming active in our community. How does one go about making a difference in our community? We volunteer to do things that need doing.

Join your local elections board, they are always screaming for more volunteers to assist in the elections process. Hey, good way to keep an eye on the process and keep it honest!!

Find a political candidate that supports the things you care about and help his or her candidacy. They can always use people to help out. Stuff envelopes, hand out flyers, bumper stickers, hold down a seat on the call center. There are many ways to get involved, outside of simply sending in a contribution (although that is VERY important in today’s climate).

Here’s a great thought… Join the March on Washington for Health Care organizors and lets get this important program off the dime.

But don’t just sit in your chair musing about being elderly… Active seniors are NOT elderly, we are Mature….