Proposed Strategic Organizing Plan for Single-Payer Universal Health Care Reform MN Universal Health Care Action Network,

MN Universal Health Care Action Network Mission: MN UHCAN is a grassroots, community-based center for health care resources, research, education, and advocacy, and a network of organizations and individuals working to empower communities to bring fundamental health care system reform in MN and the U.S. Organizing Model : Organizational Structure: a non-hierarchical, decentralized, horizontally-linked, diverse, inclusive, network Decision-making process: Participatory and democratic by consensus (synthesis of ideas into collective agreement acceptable to all), every voice heard, sensitivity to group dynamics, welcoming environment.

Why Organize Now ? HC crisis caused by steeply rising costs, has reopened widespread public health care reform debate in MN & U.S. Teachable moment, public awareness high, crisis now affects middle class, and the insured Prescription drug issue is good model of recent successful health care reform movement that has formed.

Minnesota-Specific Goals Immediate - Build network of orgs/ individs, locally & U.S, to endorse, advocate SP - Get Info/referral to uninsured for coverage/ services, esp. $100/yr common emergencies Interim -Network then creates widespread, accurate, UHC media debate -Call for public hearings on UHC reform proposals, evaluate -Support all legislative or economic forms of social insurance 1. Build grassroots Million Minnesotan social insurance cooperative 2. Statewide pool,200,000 employees of all 341 MN school districts 3. Expand Rx bulk discount to all unins,import or MN-based -Stop cuts to all existing public safety net HI programs. Longer-term: Enact, implement Single-payer legislation in Mn or US

What is Networking ? Cooperation Community Consensus Communication Coordination Commonality Connections Collaboration Cross referrals Continuity Sharing resources Endorsements

Strategy Build grassroots social & economic movement to frame our position, put opposition on defense. Respin debate, dispel myths, convey what’s possible,viable alternatives exist. Educate, organize, agitate, mobilize. Create debate: sustained, fair, accurate Universal Health Care media debate inclusive of single-payer; Build social insurance pools: & stop the dismantling of existing ones, all the way to 5 million Mn’s

Form Strategic Organizing Working Groups: 1. Media Campaign 2. Education/Outreach 3. Communications 4. Direct Actions 5. Legislation 6. Research 7. Fundraising:

Media Campaign (indy & corp) Tactics: Creative Build relations w/ media (See H/O “media tips for activists”), MN Editorial forum( TV (include public TV,TPT,cable 34,19 etc) Radio:KFAI wave project; MN News newsservice.org Press conferences; extensive media directory for press releases Indy film MN HC Crisis; Due out spring for theaters, homes Lawn signs; buy or sell for $10 each. Collect Personal stories on website Teach HC class (

Ed/Outreach Tactics: Coordinated & In Your Own Niche: Think Phone,Flyer,Talk,Table Resol’n: key vehicle to seek endorsement & advocacy from organizations to build network Conferences: sponsor our own, do workshop at another Speaker’s bureau: trainings Flyering; events, people, cars, bulletin board,door-to-door, waiting rm Tabling: events, esp health fairs, conferences House party: potluck, movie John Q, discussion, letter-writing For Resources Contact MN UHCAN: Website: Ph: ,

Communications Tactics Website ; webmasters neededwww.uhcan-mn.org Links to other websites, listserves etc Listserv Blog Phone tree

Direct Action Tactics Creative Creative Creative: die-in w/ ambulance siren, theater, music Organize,local angle for national actions w/: “Bridging the Gap” June, 2004www.pnhp.org Marches; practitioners in white coats, or scrubs gets media Support labor strikes, picket (Durenberger) Comission mtgs Rally at HMOs; MacGuire’s $110 million CEO salary,our demands grassroots practitioners campaign NFL Pledge, evidence-based practice, no drug corp $ / giftswww.nofreelunch.org

Legislative, Legal Tactics Bills Lobbying: legislators, lobby day at capitol for nurses, disabilities Political parties, candidates:provide info and briefings on SP Testimony Public hearings Lawsuits Ballot initiative (permitted in St. Paul, Mpls? other MN cities, but not state level).

Research Social insurance experiments: create economic alternatives; Ithaca, MNCare, Build autonomous, self-administered Million Minnesotan Social Insurance Cooperative independent of both corp & govt sectors Cost analysis: see Analysis of policy proposals Surveys Position paper; working groups Review paper Other Pilot Projects, Models

Fundraising Grantwriting Donations Pass the hat Other?

Top 10 Things UHCAN Do and Ask Organizations or Individuals to DO: : Go to website for ed. resources: leaflets, studies, powerpoint slides etc Subscribe to list serve to communicate w/ each other Attend next mtg; regularly scheduled on first Tuesday of each mo. Phone, flyer,talk, table: orgs, workplace, church,hood, friends, parties Endorse our single-payer UHC resolution (see website) Speak out in public; join speaker’s bureau, at forums, call-in shows Submit personal stories to post on website Recruit activists; join a work group: direct action, ed/outr, media Buy or sell single-payer lawn signs Donate money Contact MN UHCAN: Website: Phone: ,

Framing the Health Care Debate Health care system that is market-based in which health care is a commodity, distributed according to ability to pay ? OR Health care system that is social insurance distributed according to need? Key question if we had a fair debate: Which model of UHC can insure all without increasing costs ?

Single-Payer UHC Talking Points Best way to achieve quality, affordable, accessible health care for all in MN as a human right based on need Gov’t finances HC but keeps delivery of HC to mostly private control.Not socialized medicine or government run. Publicly-funded, privately-practiced, non-profit, social insurance (“Everybody in,Nobody out”) system as human right based on need. One purchasing pool for all 5 million MNs SP models: Canada, Scandinavian countries, US Medicare Six Principles of SP: universal, comprehensive, contains costs, fairly financed, publicly accountable, quality See resolution on website for more talking points (whereas statements)

Story: Our Factual“ReSpin” An oligopoly of 4 large HMOs control 90+ % of MN’s HC market causing double-digit premium increases in each of the last 5 years, lack of access, and poorer quality of care. As a result Minnesota households pay on avg $11,000/ yr for total HC, twice that of all other wealthy countries.Since 2001 the cost spikes have caused 9 labor strikes, 70,000 more uninsured, 41,000 more from MnCare threatened, privatization of Hennepin Cty Medical Center (last public hospital in Twin Cities), personal bankruptcies and foreclosures on home mortgages, seniors who can’t afford prescription drugs choosing between drugs and food, plight of communities of color, 90,000 children uninsured. Our death rates, and infant mortality rate is significantly higher, and life expectancy significantly lower, than 25 other countries. Single-Payer UHC, implemented widely internationally, is the only health care system proven to provide universal coverage, with little to no out-of-pocket costs, while lowering total costs by eliminating administrative waste and controlling drug, and other technology prices.

Interlocking Power Structure of Industry: Medical- Industrial-Gov’t-Academic-Media Complex Health Professional Assocs: MMA, MPubHA, MN Pharmacists Assoc. Corporate: HMOs, drug, device, biotech:attorneys,lobbyists,PR,consultants Big Business, MN Business Partnership, Chamber of Commerce Trade Assocs: MN Council of Hlth Plans (HMO), MNBio (biotech), PHRMA(drug) Think tanks: Interstudy (HMO),MedicalAlley (Tech) Foundations: Health Partners Research Foundation, MacGuire Foundation Government: Legislature, gtov’t agencies MN Dept of Health Commissions,Task Forces: Pawlenty-Durenberger, MMA,HCMC Academia: U of MN, limits health care research/policy to mostly market approach.

Medical-Industrial-Gov’t-Academic-Media (MIGAM) Complex: Strategy & Organizing. To Promote Market-based Solution HMOs, Durenberger Comission, Pawlenty HC Cabinet,MN Medical Association Task force, Hennepin County Medical Center Task Force,Big Business all promote a Market-based approach to save their oligopoly. “Consumer-driven”, “choice”, “Health Savings Accounts” dismantles social insurance into individual market of “consumers” Misleading Mantra: “MN has one of lowest uninsurance rates in U.S.”

MIGAM Strategy and Spin: blame consumer( demand side), not industry (supply side) as cause for double-digit HC cost increases. Drink too much alcohol Smoke too much Overweight Don’t feel cost of care Aging population Malpractice costs Overutilzation

MIGAM Spin on Single-Payer Reform We can’t afford it (Can’t afford not to) It’s socialized medicine (Social insurance that is publicly funded,privately practiced) It’s not politically feasibility (11 states have FAIR debate) It will stifle innovation (drug industry is not innovative) We would have to ration care (already rationing) Will increase taxes (most people would pay less than now) It would be government run (gov’t funded, administered)

Key Sectors in which to Organize: To Form Working Groups, People’s Commissions alternatives to Counter MIGAM’s Labor unions: Mpls,St Paul Central Labor Unions, locals etc Practitioners, students: hospitals,clinics, U of MN Hlth Ctr, N’hood HC Network InterFaith communities: churches, mosques, temples Small Business: Rotary Club, Kiwanis,Chamber of Commerce Uninsured: Attend fund-raising benefits for uninsured Communities of Color Seniors

Local, Wedge Issues to Rally for Larger Debate Labor union strike; 9 since 2000.Crosby-Ironton Teachers currently Pawlenty’s Cut 38,000 from Public Programs 2003; now wants to cut 41,000 more people HCMC privatization Hospital expansion into Maple Grove, beyond Pawlenty’s Market-based move from large group to individual market health savings accounts HMOs: United Health Care, MacGuire’s $ 110 million CEO salary