nurseThe Newsletter of the Massachusetts Nurses Association n Vol. 80 No. 1 Safe Staffing: Still RN’s top legislative priority in 2009 January 2009 For the latest news: massnurses.org Nurses’ Guide to Single Payer Health Care Huge victory for single payer ballot question In 2008, we witnessed an unprecedented unique American national universal health outpouring of grass-roots political activity in insurance program. The bill would create nurse Massachusetts, as well as across the nation. a publicly financed, privately delivered ISSN 0163-0784: USPS 326-050 Activists in 10 state representative districts healthcare system that uses the already President: Beth Piknick, ‘07–‘09 across the commonwealth placed a non-bind- existing Medicare program by expand- Vice President: Donna Kelly-Williams, ‘08–‘10 ing question on their ballots to press the case for ing and improving it to all US residents Secretary: Rosemary O'Brien, ‘07–‘09 a just health care system. On Nov. 4, the local and all residents living in US territories. Treasurer: Ann Marie McDonagh, ‘08–‘10 ballot initiative supporting single payer health HR.676 currently has 93 co-sponsors in Directors, Labor: care and opposing individual mandates passed addition to Conyers. H.R.676 has already Region 1: Sandra Hottin, ‘08–‘10; Patty Healey, ‘07–‘09 by landslide margins in all districts where it been endorsed by 474 union organizations Region 2: Ellen Smith, ‘08–‘10; Pat Mayo, ‘07–‘09 appeared. The measure passed with margins in 49 states including 20 national unions, Region 3: Stephanie Stevens, ‘08–‘10; Judy Rose, ‘07–‘09 ranging from 65 percent in the 5th Middlesex 117 central labor councils and 39 state AFL- Region 4: Margaret Darby, ‘08-‘10; Fran O'Connell, ‘07–‘09 Region 5: Ginny Ryan, ‘08–‘10; Barbara Norton, ‘07–‘09 district to 83 percent in the 3rd Hampshire dis- CIOs. trict. With almost all precincts tallied, roughly Delegates to the Massachusetts AFL-CIO’s Directors (At-Large/Labor): 73 percent of over 187,000 voters in the 10 dis- annual COPE convention in Andover voted Karen Coughlin, ‘07–‘09; Karen Higgins, ‘07–‘09; Richard tricts voted “yes” to the following: in September to endorse H.R.676. John Lambos, ‘07–‘09; Kathie Logan, ‘07–‘09; Diane Michael, “Shall the representative from this dis- Horgan, IBEW Local 2222 steward at Veri- ‘08–‘10; Marie Ritacco, ‘08–‘10; trict be instructed (1) to support legislation zon, had made a presentation on H.R.676 Directors (At-Large/General): that establishes health care as a human right to the state COPE Committee which voted Fabiano Bueno, ‘08–‘10; Donna Dudik, ‘08–‘10; Sandy regardless of age, state of health or employ- to endorse H.R.676. The COPE Committee’s Eaton, ‘07–‘09; Ellen Farley, ‘07–‘09; Gary Kellenberger, ment status, by creating a single payer health endorsement was approved by the state ‘08–‘10; Tina Russell, ‘07–‘09; Barbara Tiller, ‘08–‘10 insurance system that is comprehensive, cost federation’s executive board and passed Labor Program Member: effective, and publicly provided to all residents unanimously by the convention upon a Beth Gray-Nix, ‘07–‘09 of Massachusetts, and (2) to oppose any laws motion by Robert Haynes, state federation Executive Director: Julie Pinkham penalizing the uninsured for failing to obtain President. Horgan had earlier been respon- Managing Editor: David Schildmeier health insurance.” sible for several endorsements of H.R.676 Editor: Jen Johnson Here are the numbers and winning percent- by a number of Massachusetts Central Production Manager: Erin M. Servaes ages for all of the voting districts where the Labor Councils. MNA officially endorsed Photographer: Amy Francis question was on the ballot: “Medicare for All” in 2007. Mission Statement: The Massachusetts Nurse will inform, The Leadership Conference on educate and meet member needs by providing timely infor- % in District No Yes Guaranteed Health Care met in mation on nursing and health care issues facing the nurse in favor November at the AFL-CIO’s Washing- the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Through the editorial 1st Barnstable 6,252 13,341 68 ton headquarters. Massachusetts was voice of the newsletter, MNA seeks to recognize the diver- sity of its membership and celebrate the contributions that 4th Barnstable 6,897 17,262 71 represented by Mass-Care’s Benjamin Day. This national coalition will unite all single members make to the nursing profession on the state, local Barnstable, and national levels. 5,702 15,816 74 payer groups who sign on to its statement Dukes, Nantucket of purpose, and work through an executive Published 10 times annually, in January, February, March, 2nd Franklin 4,162 12,471 75 committee of leading national organiza- April, May, June, July/August, September, October and tions and a number of sub-committees on November/December by the Massachusetts Nurses Asso- 1st Hampshire 4,085 16,395 80 which any member organization can sit. ciation, 340 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021. 3rd Hampshire 2,571 11,437 82 The California Nurses Association has Subscription price: $20 per year agreed to match every dollar that any other Foreign: $25 per year 5th Middlesex 6,263 11,896 66 organization raises to staff a national office. Single copy: $3.00 12th Middlesex 4,384 11,556 72 The co-conveners of the conference—the Periodical postage paid at Canton, MA and additional mail- CNA, Physicians for a National Health Pro- ing offices. 4th Plymouth 5,312 15,381 74 gram, Healthcare-NOW and Progressive Deadline: Copy submitted for publication consideration Democrats of America—are responsible 10th Suffolk 5,221 19,757 79 must be received at MNA headquarters by the first day of the for getting this organization off the ground month prior to the month of publication. All submissions are Total 49,423 132,472 72.8 initially. subject to editing and none will be returned. Parallel to this, Labor for Single Payer Swelling support for “Medicare for All” Postmaster: Send address corrections to Massachusetts will be launched at a conference in St. Nurse, Massachusetts Nurses Association, 340 Turnpike With the tremendous ferment leading Louis on Jan. 10 and 11. All labor organi- Street, Canton, MA 02021. to and growing out of the coming changes zations that support the passage of H.R.676 in Washington, increasingly serious debate are invited to attend and participate in www.massnurses.org and action on healt h care are the order of launching a dynamic campaign for the the day. only workable solution to today’s health- The United States National Health care crisis, working within and through Insurance Act, HR.676, introduced by the labor movement. MNA is sending a Representative John Conyers, establishes a delegation to St. Louis. n 2 January 2009 Massachusetts Nurse Executive Director’s Column Breaking the link to employer-based health insurance By Julie Pinkham issue as a flaw in By the end of December, many of you prob- our social fabric, ably happily took down your 2008 calendar and employers opted to Health care in the U. S. swapped it out for a brand new 2009 version. cut costs and ben- 2008, after all, was a pretty tough year given efits. Now—as the is one of the greatest that we were sideswiped with an economic economy implodes meltdown that, for the most part, resulted in and the automak- failures of the 20th century, fallout that we couldn’t possibly have imag- ers look for the ined. taxpayer bailout, requiring most people to There was some good news in 2008 though: we need to ask deal with it in an employee/ the nation’s elected leaders and economic ourselves whether experts seem to have acknowledged the fact that or not this funda- Julie Pinkham employer relationship. economic trends don’t just affect a single socio- mental flaw can go economic group. If left unattended, unchecked unaddressed. or unresolved, dangerous economic trends But what are some of the components that manner. And I’d like to adopt a system for will—in essence—go viral. Today, thankfully, we most want for ourselves in a health insur- doing so that has already been successful rather we are making some strides in balancing a pre- ance program—whether that program is a than create new bureaucracies so insurance viously unbalanced system. single payer program or not? Well, freedom industries can maintain the cash cow of Ameri- But the financial meltdown of 2008 is of choice, both in terms of clinicians and facili- can health care. not the only current relevant example of an ties, would be nice. I’d like to know that once I’d like a health system that allows our econ- essential system that has been left unattended, I’ve established a relationship with my primary omy to grow—to encourage the small start up unchecked and unresolved. As nurses you can care practitioner (not one from a list supplied groups and small businesses, the backbone see this same example at work every day in your by my insurer) that I can then stay with that of our economy, to recruit and retain talent hospitals. The question in this scenario though individual . unlike today when the employer without their employees having to leave to find is when and how the system will be attended decides that the insurance is too expensive and better health benefits as they start their families to, checked on and repaired. forces you to switch plans. or find themselves with an illness or medical Health care in the United States is one of the I’d like to see medical testing, prescriptions issue for which they had no control over.