On Saturday, September 13, 2008, single payer advocates from across New York will meet in Albany to form a new statewide organization. Our aim: to build an unbeatable movement for a single payer public system that would fully fund comprehensive health care, including prescription drugs, for all. We invite all single-payer supporters to join us!

Private insurance has no legitimate role to play in the care of patients. We believe it must be replaced by a public program of health financing. Under a single-payer healthcare system, we'll spend our healthcare dollars on care, not on bureaucratic waste, profit-making and corporate gain.

Our grassroots movement has gained momentum in 2008. Healthcare-NOW and other groups organized a nationwide protest on June 19 in support of single-payer healthcare. The U.S. Conference of Mayors, the New York State Assembly, and a growing number of unions and central labor bodies have all endorsed HR 676, the National Health Insurance Act. New studies found that a majority of physicians support national health insurance. And there is renewed support for single-payer among important groups like the League of Women Voters, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Presbyterian Church USA.

Looking ahead, healthcare will continue to be a central issue in the presidential election. And New York State, with a new governor and a changing Senate, has initiated an official evaluation and discussion of proposals for universal healthcare. Now is the time to strengthen grassroots activism in support of a single national, publicly-financed healthcare plan.

Already a wide diversity of groups and individuals across New York are working for HR 676, and also for a New York state-based single payer system. We have worked together spontaneously, organically, and successfully. We also work with many other groups that promote "universal healthcare" or "affordable healthcare," but not necessarily single payer. We are appreciative of their efforts. But the evidence is convincing that single payer reform is crucial for our state and our nation.

A formal statewide grassroots coalition will allow us to share resources, local news, publications, speakers and more. We have much to learn from one another--and from other successful state-based single payer organizations. Together we can build a vigorous single payer voice in every county in New York State?and, ultimately, a new healthcare system.

Please join us!

New York State Nurses Association
Mike Keenan, President, Troy Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Kathleen Scales, Executive Director, Capital District Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
Healthcare-NOW
Health Care Work Group of Otsego, Delaware & Chenango Counties
Mark Dunlea, Executive Director, Hunger Action Network of New York State
Tompkins County Health Care Task Force
Senior Legislative Action Committee of Sullivan County
League of Women Voters of Saratoga County
Patricia Friedland, member, Healthcare-NOW
Rev. Cass Shaw, Albany Presbytery
Long Island Coalition for a National Health Plan
Citizens for Universal Healthcare, Kingston
Solidarity Committee of the Capital District
Jeff Vogel, Delegate Assembly member, 1199 United Healthcare Workers East / SEIU
Joel Schwartz, President, CSEA Local 446, Staten Island Council
Christy Staats, Clifton Park Single Payer Committee
Barbara Warren, Executive Director, Citizens' Environmental Coalition
New York Metro, Syracuse, Ithaca, Capital District, and Finger Lakes chapters of Physicians for a National Health Program
Douglas Delong, MD, Physicians for a National Health Program, Cooperstown
Richard Propp, MD, Capital District Alliance for Universal Healthcare, Inc.
Doug Bullock, 8th District Representative, Albany County Legislature
Rochester Interfaith Health Care Coalition
Dr. Mo Therese Hannah Professor of Psychology, Siena College
Tompkins County Religious Task Force for a Living Wage
Gloria Mattera and Peter LaVenia, Co-Chairs, Green Party of NYS
Tompkins County Workers' Center
Saratoga County Coalition for Single Payer Health Care
Justin Cunningham, Executive Director, New York Statewide Senior Action