Elimination of U.S.-style private insurance has been a prerequisite to achieving universal health care in every other industrialized nation. One must ask, “What if the rest of the world is right?” …

As physicians, we are obligated to use evidence-based medicine in our decision-making. The reform debate must be held to the same standard. Ample evidence, including studies by the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office, have concluded single-payer can assure universal coverage while saving money.

For doctors, evidence-based medicine is an ethical duty and a moral imperative.

Would that our political discourse could be held to the same “evidence-based” standard!

Marisa: Since this is “Health Care Action in the States” in a listed state, could you add it to your list? Thanks!

Working from news.google.com on “Feinstein retirees” I found this article, which gives more detail on the event than the AP link does:

Cate Engel, a spokeswoman for the group California Alliance for Retired Americans [CARA], says the activists – all between 55 and 87 years old – wanted to talk to Feinstein about strengthening Medicare and using the program as a model for health reform.

That sounded like Medicare for All to me — single payer — so I took another minute to go to the CARA website, where I found this in their weekly action alert newsletter:

California’s seniors depend on Medicare for their basic health needs, but we must expand this program and open it to all!

I think it’s praiseworthy that these elders are advocating for a policy that benefits everyone.

Notice also that these elders are advocating for single payer at the state level. HR3200 (I am almost certain) allows for this (ERISA provisions need to be overridden). It’s important that FDL begin to whip for single payer at the state level, so that the efforts of these elder activists don’t go to waste.

Marisa: Since this is “Health Care Action in the States,” and from a large, important, and blue state not mentioned in the original post, could you update your list to include it? Thanks!

Police called on retirees at senator’s LA office
Thursday, July 30, 2009
(07-30) 20:28 PDT Los Angeles, CA (AP) –

Police were called on a group of retirees who refused to leave Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s West Los Angeles office until she talked to them about health care reform.

Los Angeles police Sergeant Rich Brunson said Thursday that police lured the group of seven outside somehow, then locked the building’s doors behind them.

Brunson had said earlier that eight people were being taken into custody, but corrected himself after getting new details from officers on the scene.

A spokeswoman for the 55- to 87-year-old activists said they arrived at Feinstein’s office around noon and remained in her conference room more than six hours.

Feinstein spokesman Gil Duran says staff offered the retirees an in-person meeting with the senator during a Los Angeles visit next week but that they demanded to speak with her immediately.

Fenderson said protesters will line the road to Big Sky Resort holding signs with slogans that read “Buy Back Baucus” as well as large scale faux checks that read “Max — A seat at the table. What does it cost? $4 million. Buy Back Our Senator!”

(click on Marissa’s link, then click on the blue “Camp Baucus” link)