[HCCN] Fwd: Rep. Weiner - Medicare for All

[Dick Atlee]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Rep. Weiner - Medicare for All
Date: 	Fri, 4 Sep 2009 07:24:51 -0400
From: 	MedicareForAll <medicare444all at gmail.com>

Dear Maine Healthcare Reform and other Single Payer supporters,

Congressman Anthony Weiner is giving us an unprecedented opportunity to
obtain Medicare for All.  In support of that effort please contact Mr.
Weiner to introduce an amendment to HR3200 that calls for the expansion
of Medicare's plans "A" and 'B", hospital and physician care.  This is
the heart of what people want and need for healthcare, and it builds
directly on a well understood and loved program.

There is still time.  As of today, Congressman Weiner has not made a
decision on the final language of the amendment.

By expanding Medicare (A and B) to everyone, it provides numerous benefits:

  1. solves the financing problems of Medicare that will go in the red
     in about 5 years;
  2. does not affect the "advantage" program or the "prescription drug"
     program;
  3. the elderly will be relieved that money is not being taken out of
     their Medicare;
  4. plays into the Right's and Republican's dialogue of how great
     Medicare is; and
  5. does not require at this late date educating the public about HR676.

Below and attached is an open letter to Congressman Weiner, I request
that you also send him this letter in hopes that we can get healthcare
to everyone this year.

Please copy this letter or write your own urging him to extend Medicare
"A and B" to everyone.  You can contact him at the link below (disregard
"notice", he will get the email):

http://weiner.house.gov/email_anthony.aspx

Jerry

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open Letter to Congressman Anthony Weiner

Dear Congressman Weiner,

Your bill to “eliminate” Medicare was a stroke of genius!  Even the
Republicans are now using Medicare to denounce (somewhat unwarrantedly)
HR3200.

Please, forget about using HR676 for your amendment.  Put the Medicare
“supporters” on the spot by making your amendment about supporting
Medicare as a great program and extending it to everyone!

Please get the CBO to score the expansion of just Medicare part “A” and
“B” to cover everyone, and make that your AMENDMENT.

That is the heart of what people want!

We can fix part “C” (Advantage) and “D” (Prescription Drugs) later.

Don’t get your amendment tangled up in the complexities (little that
there are) of HR676.  Forget the term “Single Payer”.

Medicare for All is a winning message!  In subtext it only applies to
“A” and “B” (we certainly don’t want to perpetuate “C” and “D”).

Pay for it by increasing the FICA tax progressively by 2-8%.

Thank you for your consideration.

Jerry Call

-- 
Jerry Call
Baucus 13
Co-Founder
Midcoast Health Care Reform/Maine Healthcare Reform
(207) 596-7784
http://www.MidcoastHealthCareReform.org