Author: california nurses shum

The National Nurses Movement, and healthcare activists across the country, believe in Andrea Miller.  Her message of guaranteed healthcare, as represented by HR 676, is just what this country needs–and just what she needs to beat out-of-touch Republican J. Randy Forbes in Virginia’s 4th District.

That’s why she’s been named this week’s Healthcare Hero.  The Healthcare Heroes are nominated by the National Nurses Organizing Committee, California Nurses Association, and Leadership Conference on Guaranteed Healthcare to honor and bring attention to Congressional candidates who commit to fight for–and win–genuine healthcare reform.

More about Andrea below…but what she really needs to beat Forbes is your financial support.  Can you help out?

As Donna Smith wrote on the Guaranteed Healthcare blog…

She’s not your average, politically connected candidate, and she has unconventional, bold ideas for the people of her district and for the nation.  Among the issues most critical to Andrea Miller is that of single payer healthcare reform.  She minces no words, pulls no punches and wastes no time letting folks know she’s all about the best way to make sure all Americans have healthcare — through single payer legislation like HR676.

Andrea is the mother of two grown children, and she understands that being a responsible parent means being a responsible citizen as she listens to families in the district talk about everything from economic hardships to energy concerns and beyond.

Though Virgina’s 4th Congressional District is currently represented by a conservative Republican, Andrea says, “This race is winnable. From people I’ve met walking door-to-door to the folks I met at county fairs, people are ready for change.”

But along with some momentum from the Obama campaign’s efforts to register young voters, Andrea is working hard to reach all the areas of a district that takes two-and-a-half hours to drive end-to-end and is filled with voters as diverse as any district in the nation.

We will highlight the stories of these healthcare heroes, and work to get them the attention and support they need.  It’s not always easy to run in the face of insurance companies and a sold-out political culture…but it is smart.  Poll after poll shows the American people are open to an expanded and improved Medicare for All, and are desperate for the kind of solutions that will improve care while saving money.

Thank you Andrea!

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee and our allies at the Leadership Conference on Guaranteed Healthcare are debuting a new feature: The Healthcare Heroes Caucus, which will honor candidates who are running on a platform of supporting HR 676, John Conyers’ bill for an expanded and improved Medicare for All.

We will highlight the stories of these healthcare heroes, and work to get them the attention and support they need.  It’s not always easy to run in the face of insurance companies and a sold-out political culture…but it is smart.  Poll after poll shows the American people are open to an expanded and improved Medicare for All, and are desperate for the kind of solutions that will improve care while saving money.

Debbie Cook is our first Healthcare Hero candidate and she’s a great one.  She is a committed progressive running in CA-46, an Orange County California district that is ready to toss out libertarian radical Dana Rohrbacher and elect a real leader.

First of all, true progressives like Debbie need your support. Go show your appreciation for her healthcare heroism on her ActBlue page.

Now that’s taken care of, please read Donna Smith’s profile of Debbie from the Guaranteed Healthcare Blog.  Fun excerpt:

But during her Congressional campaign, she hears over and over again from citizens struggling with healthcare costs that are too high or the lack of any health insurance coverage or even those who are forced into bankruptcy.  “I think other countries might look at us as a Third World country when it comes to what happens to so many Americans faced with healthcare expenses they cannot afford.” She went to say that huge insurance industry profits often come before getting patients the care they may need.

It’s no wonder Debbie hears about healthcare issue out on the campaign trail.  California ranks number one in the nation with the number of people uninsured well over 6.5 million and the number of citizens struggling with “underinsurance” rated nearly as high.

Efforts by State Senator Sheila Kuehl to pass SB840, state single payer legislation, have been thwarted by the governor’s pen, not a lack of political support from citizens and healthcare professionals who know just how bad things are for so many Californians.

“Healthcare decisions need to be made by patients and their doctors, not by insurance companies,” Debbie said when asked how much influence insurance companies should have on patient care.

“Healthcare professionals in growing numbers are supporting single payer health care where we use a system similar to Medicare to pay bills, and focus our efforts on improving the efficiency of care, especially treatment of chronic diseases.,” Debbie noted when she reflected on RNs fighting for single payer legislation in California and nationally.