Bill Resnick talks with Chris Lowe, who is an activist with the Portland Jobs with Justice Healthcare Committee , and is chair of the Legislation and Policy Committee of the Health Care for All - Oregon Coalition (which can be reached at 503-256-5573). They discuss the benefits of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act –including some cuts to drug costs; some expansions of Medicaid; restrictions on what insurance companies can do; subsidies for people who can't afford to buy insurance. They also discuss its limits—because insurance is not equivalent to care, many people may be unable to follow up on primary care, the paperwork burden on providers will increase, and medical bankruptcies are likely to continue. The solution is social rather than private insurance, with everybody in one pool and nobody out; comprehensive and equitable care; better compensation for primary caregivers and practitioners. To achieve this, the Health Care for All Oregon Coalition is working to build a mass movement, starting with people's individual stories and connecting those to a larger analysis; with people educating each other to withstand the right-wing attacks that are already coming. They are also working with Oregon legislators, and reaching out to labor unions and small businesses as well as private individuals. Chris Lowe can be reached at clowe < a> igc.org.
- KBOO
Comments
Excellent Interview - would
Excellent Interview - would love to see KBOO do a whole series of interviews on this important issue and help build momentum for a mass movement that establishes Healthcare as a Human Right in the US. As Chris Lowe articulated so well we need "deeper structural reform" and a system that delivers healthcare as a "public good" instead of the bloated, profit driven system we have now that treats healthcare as a commodity.
I totally agree with your
I totally agree with your post.So,talking about Obamacare, the Consumers of some Denny's locations in Florida might be surprised to begin seeing an “Obamacare surcharge” added to their bills in the near future. John Metz, the owner of a number of Denny's franchises, has pledged to add them as he can't afford to pay the penalty the government would like to hit him with or to buy insurance for all his workers. You can pay for your medical expenses with a personal finance.