Illinois Single-Payer Coalition - Sonja Rotenberg speech

[Denver Dave]

Speech delivered by Sonja Rotenberg, President of the Illinois Single-Payer Coalition (ISPC) Board of Directors, at Medicaid rally, Chicago, September 21, 2011

For the full speech:
http://www.ilsinglepayercoalition.org/site/content/speech-sonja-rotenberg-chicago-medicaid-rally

Do you believe that health care is a human right?

If you don’t, I trust most of you will at least agree that it’s a basic necessity for everyone at some point in his or her life.

In the US health care is a for-profit commodity, unlike in any other country. The insurances determine our premiums, our deductibles and what they will pay for. The insurances decide whom they will insure and thus who gets health care and who does not. They decide about life and death. The insurances also decide how much they will pay and therefore leaving many of us with medical debt and bankrupt even if we have insurance. That is wrong and unacceptable!

We do have another choice that we should demand form our lawmakers; single-payer system that would provide health care for everyone from birth to death. Single-payer system would cut costs by billions. Single-payer system would improve the health of all Americans while also improving our economy.

For more information about health care reform in Illinois and the nation, visit:
http://www.hctalk.com/viewforum.php?f=21

[mopinko]

1. illinois is the perfect test case for state single payer

we have such a wealth of health resources, we could really show the benefits of a healthy populace, from school kids to retirees.

[MadAsHellInAmerica]

2. Keep up the great work IL!

Our health is not a commodity.