Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Capital District PNHP – Highlight of Recent Activities

July 15, 2006 – Health Care Summer Advocacy Camp: organized by second year Albany Medical College Student Katherine Baerwald and featuring Len Rodberg and Wink Dillaway from the Metro NY chapter, this one day event included over 50 participants, some traveling from as far as NYC. The Camp provided area physicians and medical students, along with interested citizens and community leaders, with training, techniques and general discussion in helping to accelerate the transition to a Medicare For All health care system.

March-April 2006 – Four Part Public Forum Series on WAMC-Northeast Public Radio titled “Reforming our Health Care System: The Pros and Cons of Medicare For All.” This series, now available on CD and featuring several members of the Metro NY chapter of PNHP, brought together a diverse group of leaders and experts in health care, business, and politics to discuss the challenge of providing comprehensive, high-quality health care to all citizens. The title of the four forums were 1) What Is Wrong With The Current System; 2) What Lessons Can We Learn From Other Countries; 3) What Would An Expanded Medicare For All Look Like; and 4) Can We Institute Medicare For All In A Single State, Namely New York?

Ongoing - Meetings, Presentations, Debates. Led by Capital District Chapter Chair and Secretary, respectively Dr. Paul Sorum and Dr. Andrew Coates, we have represented and advocated a Medicare For All type position in numerous settings, ranging from the University of Buffalo Medical School to area County Medical Societies and the offices of local County Executives to local and regional labor councils.

Ongoing - NYS Legislative Commission on Health Care Coverage. Working in concert with a large statewide alliance of organizations (led at least in part by Mark Dunlea of the Hunger Action Network of New York State) chapter representatives have met with members of the Legislature to support this initiative, which would fund a Lewin type study of various approaches to provide universal access to care in New York State.

(submitted by Paul Winkeller)
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