December 17, 2018

 

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal
319 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

1904 3rd Ave., Suite 510
Seattle, WA 98101

Dear Congresswoman Jayapal,

We are writing to express our support for HR 676, Expanded and Improved Medicare for
All as the solution to the ongoing health care crisis in our nation.

In western Pennsylvania and throughout the country, grassroots activists have been at the
forefront of building public support for a not for profit health care delivery system embodied in
Medicare for All. This has occurred in spite of tremendous opposition from the insurance
industry, PHARMA, and conservative politicians in both major parties.

As the principal sponsor of HR 676, we understand that you and others are in the process of
rewriting substantive sections of the bill. Our concerns about this endeavor are genuine and
serious.

The essential components of this bill must be maintained. For more than a decade of struggle
the principled tenets of HR 676 have proven to be a popular organizing tool that has permitted
this real alternative to gain tremendous momentum and increased public support. Going
forward, now is the time for a bold mass strategy that builds on this growing support for single
payer and HR 676. Indeed, a single payer, not for profit healthcare system as outlined in HR
676 is the only solution to fixing the problems with the US healthcare system.

Weakening the legislation by allowing profit making providers and insurance sponsored plans
will not help us achieve our goal. At a time when the idea of a genuine single payer not for profit
healthcare delivery system is now looked at as a real and practical alternative in the public
debate, it makes no sense to carve out exceptions to the insurance industry, for profit providers
or others who profit from the current healthcare system. It will not achieve the savings and will
confuse, demoralize and weaken the support of many who are the backbone and public face of
this struggle.

One can see the smiles of the insurance industry, PHARMA, big money and compromised
politicians who welcome these changes before the real political battle even begins. We must also
recognize that the growing public support for Medicare for All has brought more Congressional
cosponsors to HR 676. This has occurred not from weakening the legislative content, but from
growing a movement that has already gone much further than imagined even a few years ago.

Let us move forward with confidence that we are gaining public support and all the solutions of
the for profit industry have failed. We are on the winning side and can prevail in this historic
struggle if we take our principled proposal to the public to deepen its support and build the
citizens movement that is necessary for victory.

HR 676 guarantees everyone good health care, elimination of the constant fear of financial
damage for patients and their families, and doesn’t burden the public with the costs of funding
the wholly unnecessary private insurance industry. Revisions that move us farther from that
outcome will lose public support and our support as well. If you are unable to make HR 676
better, please do not change it.

Sincerely,

Ed Grystar, Chair, Western Pa. Coalition for Single Payer Healthcare

Judy L. Albert, MD
Anthony B. Fiorillo, MD
John Rice, Unit Secretary, Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh/CWA Local 38061, AFL-CIO
John Thompson, United Electrical Workers International Representative
Anita Prizio, Esq., Allegheny County (Pa.) County Council
Hon. Jim Ferlo, Pa. State Senate (Ret)
Sandy Fox, LCSW
Lou Hancherick, Pa. State Democratic Committee
Dave Hughes, Steering Committee, W.PA. Coalition Single Payer healthcare
Steven Kocherzat, Attorney
Claudia Detwiler, MSW, MPH
Thomas F Brockmeyer MD PhD
Tony Buba, Filmmaker
Frank Kirkwood
Ed Cloonan
Greg Godels

Copies:

Pennsylvania Democratic Congressional Delegation
Healthcare Now
Health Over Profit Everyone
Labor Campaign for Single Payer
Unions for Single Payer Healthcare