Campaign Proposal

January 25, 2010

Background:

Health care has become one of the most economically pressing and yet politically difficult issues facing American residents in the 21^st century.  Massachusetts, like other states, has failed to rein in spiraling health care costs, and in fact faces the highest premiums of any state in the country.  These costs have continued to rise throughout implementation of the 2006 health reform law that was designed to extend insurance coverage to the uninsured and effective cost control proposals have faltered on the national stage. The lack of a political coalition to demand cost control - through Medicare-for-All health reform or other means - has meant that most efforts to expand access to care have been unaffordable over time, and also that the health care crisis for most people, most businesses, municipalities, and the state has gone unaddressed.

For most people in Massachusetts, thanks in part to the extension of coverage to the uninsured, the health care crisis is primarily a crisis of cost. This crisis facing the majority of the population has not been addressed by state or national health reform efforts. Union contract disputes increasingly revolve around health coverage concessions, or wage and benefit concessions to maintain health coverage; municipalities as well as the state are forced to choose between slashing social services or covering public sector workers; businesses are struggling to cover workers and compete nationally or internationally; and workers in non-traditional work settings such as self-employed or contract work face discriminatory high premiums that are simply out of reach for even middle-class people. Many individuals in our state are excluded from coverage under the new law by factors of cost, or are “covered” by poor policies with high deductibles and co-pays. Unions, student groups, immigrant rights organizations, seniors, safety net providers, and other key constituencies find themselves fighting isolated battles to at least hold the line on access to care. Most of us are losing that access for our constituents incrementally over time, and we are all losing the battle to keep health costs affordable.

The goal of this campaign is to launch a renewed effort to pass an  improved Medicare-for-All legislation for Massachusetts and the nation, while supporting grassroots efforts by labor, community groups, students, seniors, small businesses, and other constituencies. The goal is to channel grassroots action into legislative power while addressing day to day struggles around health care issues in our state. It is to build a unified movement for health care justice strong enough to overcome the powerful lobbies in our state opposed to real health care reform.

Goals:

The Massachusetts Campaign for Health Care Justice will be dedicated to winning health care as a right for all residents of Massachusetts, and will fight for all residents’ access to affordable health care. The focus of the campaign will be to:

1)      Coordinate a strategic legislative campaign to enact a comprehensive and improved Medicare-for-All legislation, which is inclusive of all residents in the state, controls costs, and prioritizes preventive care and equitable access for all;

2)      Support workers’ access to affordable health care through proactive campaigns and solidarity for workers’ organizing efforts and contract campaigns;

3)      Reduce health care disparities and support equitable access for immigrants, both at work and through public health care programs; and

4)      Defend and expand the health care safety net in Massachusetts, which provides care to communities failed by the current health care system.

Campaign Structure:

Organizations formally endorsing the Health Care Justice Mission Statement will be recognized as members of the Campaign. The Campaign will be coordinated by a Steering Committee consisting of organizations providing staff time and/or financial support to the campaign.  It will meet monthly or as necessary.

The Campaign will include a Legislative Subcommittee, a Workers’ Support Subcommittee, Disparities and Inclusion Subcommittee, and Patient Advocacy Subcommittee, which shall consist of organizations and activists willing to engage in ongoing work within these areas consistent with the overall goals of the campaign.

Campaign Activities

Campaign subcommittees will organize activities in their respective areas with overall approval from the Steering Committee. These will include a legislative push supported by grassroots organizing, focused on moving a bill through the Massachusetts General Court. The campaign will provide direct support to workers and unions engaged in health care fights by mobilizing public support. The campaign will continue to fight for immigrant inclusion and the need to address racial and other disparities in our system. Finally the campaign will rally public support for our embattled safety net system.

The campaign will engage in activities such as rallies, press events, grassroots lobbying, educational forums, etc. It will have a goal to organize across the state, especially in areas and districts with low organizing density. The campaign will focus on earned media opportunities through press events, op-eds and alternative and non-English media and social networking tools.

The overall goal of the campaign will be to win public support through grassroots mobilization and education for a fundamental change in our health care system and the need to defend existing health care access while extending coverage to those currently denied it.