Single Payer San Joaquin is a dedicated group of activists with a common goal of advocating for fair and equitable access to health care for all – independent of the health insurance industry. Their basic premise is “Health Care is a Human Right”. This group has been active in the advocacy of a single payer, improved and expanded Medicare for all, for the past ten years.
At the federal level HR 676 (Conyers) has been introduced but has yet to be debated. And in those ten years, three (3) bills have worked their way through the California Legislature – two (2) passed and went to the Governor’s desk, only to be vetoed. The third attempt did not make it through the Legislature – the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became the focus of legislators.
During the past ten years of advocacy, Single Payer San Joaquin was a member of a local coalition of community, religious and union groups, all advocating for a single payer healthcare solution. In this unity, there were public forums, panels and education programs offered at Delta College, UOP, and churches. Street Fairs in San Joaquin County communities and Earth Day provided “tabling opportunities” to advocate and educate. Toward the end of the ten years, additional pieces of legislation offering promise for a major change to health care worked their way through the legislature. Many groups joined the call for these alternate programs – none of which made it through the legislative process.
Single Payer San Joaquin never wavered from the single payer movement. As an independent organization, Single Payer San Joaquin continued its advocacy and education – sponsoring the Mad as Hell Doctors on their California tour, and the one-act play Mercy Killers on its California tour.
Single Payer San Joaquin continues to advocate access to affordable health care – not access to health insurance. In the ACA, there is a provision for states’ to offer a health care program on their state exchange, if the program meets or exceeds the federal guidelines. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) has introduced a bill to make this possible for all states. Single Payer can be offered state-by-state.
In this effort, we are members of the Campaign for a Healthy California at the state level, and Health Care-Now at the federal level. In addition, we are affiliated with the California Alliance for Retired Americans and received the endorsement of the Peace and Justice Network of San Joaquin County.
Our enthusiasm and efforts never wane! Health care is a Human Right!