The healthcare4every1 campaign is launching a photo petition in which you can tell the world why you support the idea of health care for everyone, in three simple steps:

1. Download the Flyer
2. Fill it out, and take your picture
3. Add it to the group on Flickr or e-mail it to Adam.

Getting involved is easy. Check out some of the pictures that are already part of the photo petition--including a few from CCAG Field Canvassers--and then get to work on adding your own creative shots to the photo petition.

David Parrella, Director of Medical Care Administration in the Department of Social Services -- which administers the Charter Oak Plan -- appeared before the Health First CT Authority on July 16, 2008 to present an overview of the plan and answer questions. His presentation and the Q&A that followed can be viewed in the video below:

This is the question at the center of a blog post by Health Care for America Now campaign director Richard Hirsch that's making the rounds at DailyKos, the Huffington Post, and of course, the HCAN! blog. The answer, essentially, is that single-payer is but one way to reform the health care system so that it complies with the HCAN! statement of common purpose, and that although single-payer may be the simplest or best solution (depending upon one's opinion) we are more likely to succeed if we are open to solutions that are consistent with our principles that may more closely resemble our current system. Flawed and broken though it is, completely removing and replacing it with a single-payer system is not the only way to ensure that our goal of securing quality, affordable health care for every one is achieved.

Nearly one week after the Charter Oak Plan began accepting applications, an article Ted Mann wrote for The Day delves into greater detail about one of the the downsides of the plan:

Rell's statements that Charter Oak would cover the neediest adult applicants because it has income-based subsidies and contains no restrictions against those with pre-existing and chronic conditions is “simply false,” said Sheldon V. Toubman of the New Haven Legal Assistance Association.

”The plan as it was designed was meant to keep the most vulnerable people out,” Toubman said.

Toubman referred to an e-mail message obtained by Charter Oak opponents under open-records laws, in which a consultant wrote to state officials, including Commissioner Michael Starkowski of the Department of Social Services, that the caps on expenditures under Charter Oak would provide a “disincentive approach” to “avoid bad risk” - that is, to discourage unhealthy people more likely to incur significant or repeated medical expenses from signing up.

This event is also on our calendar (off to the left-hand side), but given the significance of the launch event, it deserves some additional exposure. Hope to see you there!

Health Care for America Now! is launching nationwide on July 8 with the goal of getting quality, affordable health care that we can all count on in 2009.

The Universal Health Care Foundation just sent out information about some upcoming plays to be performed by the HartBeat Ensemble throughout July. Here are some excerpts from their message:

Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut is joining with HartBeat Ensemble, Connecticut’s theater for social change, for a series of outdoor summer plays that spotlight the state’s growing health care crisis. These free performances are based on personal stories derived from interviews with Connecticut residents.

[...]

The HartBeat Ensemble scripts were developed from extensive interviews with state residents - including patients, health care providers, and business owners - who have suffered under Connecticut’s broken health care system. Although the plays deal with a serious topic, they use humor and drama to deliver the message.

[...]

Among the stories adapted for the stage are those of two beauty salon owners who can’t afford health insurance for their employee; a woman who can get the surgery she needs – if she leaves her husband and travels half-way around the world; an insurance company worker who can no longer stomach the job she’s asked to do; and a doctor’s office assistant who is losing ground in her battle against insurance denials and red tape.

• July 12 - Pope Park in Hartford
• July 13 - Goodwin Park in Hartford
• July 19 - Keney Park in Hartford
• July 20 - Sigourney Square Park in Hartford
• July 26 - Blue Back Square in West Hartford
• July 27 - Elizabeth Park in Hartford

The Charter Oak Plan, which intends to provide affordable health insurance for adults who are neither eligible for HUSKY nor Medicaid and Medicare, received its first applications on June 30. Ellen Andrews at the CT Health Notes blog succinctly summarizes the key points of the plan:

...universal, and high quality.

Unfortunately that is not yet the case, but if it were, perhaps the health care costs of Hartford retirees would not be about to increase by over 200%. Christine Stuart at CT News Junkie reports:

Flora Long and her husband currently pay about $4,900 a year for their health insurance, but as of July 1, they will be asked to pay $12,100 a year.

As a retired executive assistant to a school principal, Long said the 251 percent increase is simply unaffordable. “It’s incredulous to take on the group that’s the most vulnerable,” Long said before rejoining the picket line of about 50 other retired city and school workers outside City Hall Wednesday.

“This is not the City of Hartford I worked for,” Kathleen Collins, vice president of the Hartford Federation of Retired Teachers, said.

These retirees are covered for as long as they can afford to keep up with the ever-increasing contribution levels asked of them, but what kind of security is that? The fact that the costs borne by the retirees can increase unpredictably (and exorbitantly) from year-to-year requires them to make difficult decisions based on financial considerations as opposed to what is best for their health.

The CT News Junkie report about these retirees just serves as a reminder of why we are working toward health care that is continuous, affordable, and sustainable. When we get to that point, retirees will no longer have to protest a 251% increase in their premiums, levied on them in order to balance a municipal budget.

This week on the Health Care for All blog, we'll be featuring health care stories from real people. Several powerful personal health care stories were filmed at the HealthCare4Every1 rally (and the council meeting that followed) in Bristol, this is Rhiannon's.