Vermont Labor Welcomes Sanders Single-Payer Healthcare Bill

[dcsmart]

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ recent introduction of a single-payer healthcare reform bill in the U. S. Senate has drawn praise from Vermont labor leaders. “At a time when incredible pressure is being brought to bear on our representatives to support reform proposals that do little more than bail out the private insurance companies, Senator Sanders has taken his place among those of us who believe that healthcare should be a birthright of all Americans. We applaud his principled leadership,” said Traven Leyson, President of the Washington/Orange/Lamoille Counties Central Labor Council.


The Bill, the “American Health Security Act of 2009,” Senate Bill 703, is the first piece of single-payer legislation introduced in the Senate since the 2002 death of Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone. Under its provisions, patients could seek care from a doctor or hospital of their choice under a federally funded plan administered by the states. Unlike reform proposals being floated by Senators Baucus and Kennedy, S. 703 would eliminate the role of private health insurance companies in healthcare delivery, producing administrative savings in excess of $400 billion per year.”So long as we remain dependent on private insurance companies,” said Senator Sanders, we’re never going to have quality, cost effective healthcare for all Americans.” S. 703 would also provide resources to train additional primary care physicians and fully fund community health centers, which many rural Vermont residents depend upon.

“Healthcare costs are the biggest source of contention in contract negotiations these days,” remarked Amalgamated Lithographers/ IBT Local One Vice President Dan Brush. “We can no longer solve this problem at the bargaining table. Senator Sanders’ proposal will help restore the competitiveness of American industry while guaranteeing healthcare for all Americans.”
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FULL ARTICLE
http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/vermont-labor-sanderslthcare-sanders-bill/




ALSO SEE
LABOR FOR SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE
http://laborforsinglepayer.org/

[valerief]

1. Sen. Sanders is a real patriot! nt

[dcsmart]

4. i am surprised there is not a Bernie Sanders DU group

[Omaha Steve]

2. K&R!

Great post.

[dcsmart]

5. thanks...U 2

this forum is a "one stop shopping" place for labor news.

:toast:

[sam sarrha]

3. Big PHARMA is Lobbying ReThuglicans to vote for Single payer, they propose that anyone under $14,000

free Medicare.. and a sliding scale up from there...

so are they turning a new leaf..?? NOT..its because their products are so over priced that 1/2 of all prescriptions are not filled.. so this will force us to subsidize their criminal actions amounting to fraud and larceny

[dcsmart]

6. Profits before people=capitalism

people before profits=democratic socialism....:toast:

[sam sarrha]

8. Corporations writing bills for politicians to submit an pass by 100% party vote is Fascism, Campaign

contributions are BRIBES and the Fuel of Fascism

[Laelth]

7. Pleased to be the 5th rec. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[eridani]

9. So, have you told your senators to cosponsor?

If not, do it. At least once a week.