Healing Our BrokenHealthcare System

Why nurses support a single-payer plan

Healthcare system is broken

47 million are uninsured Many more are underinsured U.S. healthcare costs are highest in the

world, but we rank 37th in overall health Half of the personal bankruptcies filed each

year are due to medical expenses: 75% had health insurance at the onset of their illness.

Private insurers make profits

Profits of $15 billion in 2006 Up 1,084% over a period of

5 years! Average health insurance

company CEO made $8.36 million in 2006

Why should nurses care?

Nurses spend the most time with patients

Nurses see first-hand the impact of on patients without adequate insurance

Nurses see the waste of multiple, for-profit healthcare insurers

NYSNA for reform in 1917

Coverage needed for the poor

Public health nurses witnessed impact of poverty

Concern about immigrants

Mobilization for reform

NYSNA resolution passed in 1989

Albany rally in 1990

“New York Health” campaign, 1992

Clinton Reform Plan, 1994

NYSNA president spoke at the White House

Plan died in Congress after insurance industry campaign

NYSNA continued to fight

Supported reform organizations Delivered testimony Founded coalitions, including

Rekindling Reform and Metro New York Health Care for All

Conducted educational workshops Endorsed HR676, national

single-payer plan

Everyone agrees reform is needed Most proposals combine public and

private insurance The government will do something –

nurses can choose whether to influence that…or not

Today, reform is coming

Cover everyone Be accessible to everyone Provide comprehensive care,

from cradle to grave Be affordable to all

Our healthcare system should…

What will accomplish this?

NYSNA believes that the solution to our current health care crisis is a national, single-payer healthcare plan

NYSNA supports H.R. 676 “The United States National Health Insurance Act.”

NYSNA also supports incremental steps toward a national single-payer plan.

Benefits of single-payer plan

One payer greatly reduces administrative costs and profit motive from health coverage

Comprehensive coverage for all medically necessary services

Free choice of providers Healthcare providers free from corporate

dictates over patient care. Employers free from the cost of providing

health benefits.

Financing a single-payer plan

Current funding for Medicare/Medicaid Modest increase in individual income tax

Offset by savings in premiums, deductibles, co-pays

Increase in employer payroll tax Offset by savings in payments for

employee coverage Other major savings throughout the system

in administrative costs.

Taxes offset by savings

A modest increase in individual taxes would be offset by no longer paying for premiums, co-pays, deductibles.

An increase in employer payroll tax would be offset by no longer paying for employees’ coverage.

Interim/incremental steps

Expand coverage/access while working toward a single-payer system

Examples include: Expand existing public programs (Medicare,

Medicaid, SCHIP, Child Health Plus) Simplify enrollment process Protect safety-net facilities/providers

Defend and keep what we’ve got!

Speaking with one voice

Professional associations, consumer groups, business groups, labor unions can all agree on this issue.

Nurses should be prominent in the discussion

Working with coalitions

Healthcare-Now Capital District Alliance

for Universal Healthcare

Labor Campaign for Single-Payer Healthcare

Metro New York Health Care for All

New York Universal Health Care Options Campaign

Rekindling Reform Healthcare for All New

York Leadership Conference

for Guaranteed Healthcare

How to get involved

Stay informed at www.nysna.org Participate in rallies, marches Lobby your legislators Share information with colleagues,

friends, and family