|
Current Activities
April
1
(Thurs.) 6:30 pm
SAHNC
monthly meeting
|
|
|
|
Events and current activities
San Antonio Healthcare-Now Coalition
Steering Committee MeetingThe First Thursday of Every Month at 6:30 P.M.
San Antonio Area Progressive Action Coalition (SAAPAC) Office
7122 San Pedro between Rampart and Sprucewood
(Across the parking lot from Dollar Tree)
Ask your state legislator to back single-payer
We need the help of our state legislators to send a clear message to an out-of-touch Congress. SAHNC is taking part in a nationwide initiative to gain support for single-payer at the state level. A list of state legislators who advocate for single-payer will be published in The Congressional Roll Call this summer, and this will demonstrate the breadth of support for single-payer. We need you to help persuade your state legislator to join the list. State Senator Eliot Shapleigh of El Paso, author of a single-payer bill for Texas, signed a letter to all 7,500 state reresentatives throughout the county asking that they join this growing movement by signing the appeal to President Obama and to Congress.
Now that the Texas legislative session has ended, we are starting to schedule appointments with our state legislators. We are reminding them of the packet, and asking them to sign it and send it in, or to give it to us to send it. We are also reminding them of the financial stress on the state budget and on local businesses caused by the high cost of healthcare. Single-payer would make it much easier to balance the state budget. This is particularly important in Texas, which has the worst healthcare record of the entire country.
When you visit your state legislator, please bring the letter, the appeal, and the appeal authorization form.
Read further about the State Legislators for Single-Payer campaign here.
If you would like to schedule a visit with us, please contact us by e-mail.
Ask your Congressman to support HR 676
The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Healthcare–National Single-Payer Coalition Steering Committee has adopted a national strategy of calling individual members of Congress to support HR 676. Our goal is to get thousands of constituents to call on Congress to enact HR 676.
Keeping calls brief and to the point is best, and not only makes your group's members more willing to make calls, but also makes sending a clear message to Congressional members more efficient.
Please keep track of your group's outreach efforts, especially reactions to the calls that your members may note. All of this information is critical as we track the support in Congress for HR 676. Please report back about the call-in day to Healthcare-NOW! at info@healthcare-now.org.
District 21, Lamar Smith, R: (202) 225-4236
District 23, Ciro Rodriguez, D: (202) 225-4511
District 28, Henry Cuellar, D: (202) 225-1640
Here are the fax numbers from the
Washington offices of our Bexar County Congressmen:
District 21, Lamar Smith, R: (202) 225-8628
District 23, Ciro Rodriguez, D: (202) 225-2237
District 28, Henry Cuellar, D: (202) 225-1641
If
possible,
request to speak to the chief of staff or healthcare aide,
rather than leaving the message with whomever answers the phone.
As
none
of our local Congressional representatives have yet signed on as
co-sponsors of HR 676, the following script is suggested.
The ever-so-slight pauses will give the staff person time to understand
what you are saying and also to add a mark to a tally sheet on how many
citizens have used the same words "Please support non-profit
single-payer national health insurance."
I'd like to give input on an issue. Please
support
non-profit (PAUSE)
single-payer (PAUSE) national health insurance (PAUSE).
Single-payer
is
the
fairest, most economical way to make sure we all have access to care
when we
need
it.
SAHNC joins forces with COPS Metro in workshops at local churches
An important way to promote healthcare reform is to challenge people to become active. By reaching out to others, talking to them, and raising awareness of how serious the problem has become, the healthcare reform movement is building momentum.
Communities Organized for Public Service and the Metro Alliance have created a 90-minute program to generate awareness and stimulate discussion and social action without advocating a specific plan for healthcare reform.
Among the presenters are SAHNC members Vibeke Mendonca-Lee and Stephen Chao, who talk about the current state of healthcare in America and its impact on individuals and families. The next segment concerns the tradition and responsibility of faith, and about churches being involved in social issues. Then SAHNC members Jane Cantu and Diane Kilby talk about personal healthcare stories before leading small group discussions.
The first presentation was at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Helotes on October 4. Other presentations are planned for the next few months.