Dr. Margaret Flowers to Keynote at Conference on NJ Health Care Crisis June 11 Includes Press Release

This information is being shared be Decarcerate the Garden State as a public service announcement on behalf of a broad based coalition of organizations that are working to bring a humane health care system to NJ in response to a deadly health care crisis here.  This information is from a flier that was distributed at a recent POP meeting by POP member David Hungerford.

David has stated that there will be an organizing call:
Wed. nite June 1, 7 pm.
Call-in: 712-432-1438
Access code: 1019540#

Would be awesome for there to be a far reaching investigation into health care within NJ's prison and jail facilties - a part of the health crisis that is sometimes overlooked.

Scroll Down for Press Release

Healthcare Crisis in New Jersey 

 Hospital Closings — more coming  

Monopolistic OMNIA insurance scheme  

Giant mergers (RWJ-Barnabas) 

Lead in water, environmental hazards

Epidemic of gun violence 

June 11, 2016, 9:30AM

 Essex Room, Paul Robeson Campus Center 

350 MLK Blvd., Newark, 

NJ Conference Working to Make Garden State Care a Reality 

Keynote speaker: Dr. Margaret Flowers 

Nationally known advocate of Universal Health Care We need a publicly funded, publicly administered system to provide all medically necessary care for every resident of New Jersey. 

Sponsors: Coalition for Social Justice; NAACP, Irvington Branch; People's Organization for Progress; NAACP, Newark Branch; Popcorn Kidz; NJ Industrial Union Council; NJ Universal Healthcare Coalition; National Organization for Women-NJ; Essex-Passaic Green Party; International League of People’s Struggle-US; International Action Center; New Jersey Peace Action; Medicare for All-NJ; NJ Peace Action 

Contact: c4sj.nj@gmail.com; 973-951-6685

Draft Resolution on a Comprehensive and Universal Public Healthcare System (abridged)

WHEREAS the uncontrolled rise of healthcare costs in the United States continues, with a 5.8% increase projected in 2016; and 

WHEREAS the United States spends at least twice per person what most industrialized countries do, with higher infant mortality and lower life expectancy outcomes;
WHEREAS our healthcare system, dominated by private insurance corporations, limits choice of medical professionals and often denies necessary care in the interest of profitability;
WHEREAS pricing is chaotic, varying wildly from one facility to the next, and hugely overpriced compared to costs of provision;
WHEREAS the United States could save over $500 billion in health care costs by eliminating private insurance providers, enough to guarantee coverage for every American; and NJ could save at least $15 billion in health care costs funded and managed - for local and state government workers, with a publicly health care system;
WHEREAS despite the Affordable Care Act of 2010, 30 million Americans remain uninsured, including close to 1 million in NJ; 39 million American adults are underinsured, with deductibles and out of pocket costs above acceptable levels; and millions continue to face the threat of personal bankruptcy, and
WHEREAS New Jersey finds itself threatened with yet more hospital closings and yet more intensified monopoly control over healthcare; and –
WHEREAS Representative John Conyers has sponsored federal legislation - HR 676 - 

that will provide such a system at the federal level; and
WHEREAS given the current political environment in Washington, many states have proposed similar legislation that would operate at the state level, taking advantage of provisions in Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act, and the pending bill HR 3241 that would make it easier for states to implement publicly funded and managed health care systems; 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this assembly pledges to work for and to see the creation of a simple, economical, humane, universal and comprehensive public system that will provide all medically necessary care to every resident of New Jersey; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this assembly endorses HR 676 and the efforts of the NJ Universal Healthcare Coalition to get similar state legislation drafted and introduced in NJ; and
BE IT RESOLVED that this assembly supports all efforts aimed at educating  the public and building a movement to advance such legislation at both the federal and state levels.

Healthcare Crisis in New Jersey

Paul Robeson Campus Center 350 MLK Blvd., Newark

June 11, 2016, 9:30 AM

Working to Make Garden State Care a Reality

For Immediate Release                                                                                   31 May 2016

Conference Will Present Health Reform Solutions on June 11

A broad coalition of community-based organizations will address the issue of healthcare reform at a conference on June 11. The location is the Essex Room of the Paul Robeson Campus Center, 350 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Newark. The event will begin at 9:30 AM. It is open to the public and free of charge.

"The health insurance system does not work and can't be fixed," said Robert Palmer, an organizer  for the conference. "There are long delays because it is so hard to coordinate medical teams. Prescriptions are too expensive. People can't pay for them. Deductibles are sky-high, and there are still too many people without insurance."

"The health insurance system works badly. The experience of Medicare and of many countries proves comprehensive public health gives better outcomes and saves a lot of money."

The event will be moderated by Annette Alston of the Newark Teachers' Association.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Margaret Flowers of Baltimore, MD, a nationally-know advocate of universal healthcare. She has said, "I view the struggle for health care as part of a broader social, racial, economic and environmental justice movement."

Parent activist Sandra Hayward of the Popcorn Kidz will address the intensification of monopoly in healthcare. David Hungerford of the Coalition for Social Justice will speak on the topic of the damage  that monopoly in healthcare does to the economy as a whole.  Dr. Winthrop Dillaway of the NJ Universal Health Coalition will speak on his organization's campaign to create a single-payer public health system in the state.

There will be ample time for audience participation. "Everybody has horror stories," said an organizer. "We expect to learn a lot."

Resolutions calling for the creation of a universal healthcare system in New Jersey, and others linking the cause of healthcare reform to the cause of peace, and to the struggle to end community gun violence, will be presented to the assembly.

There will be workshops in the afternoon. One will develop ongoing work to achieve universal healthcare. A second will focus on the common economic roots of the medical-industrial complex, the military-industrial complex, and the prison-industrial complex. Another will deal with disparities of healthcare in black and brown communities, including environmental health.

The plenary session will include proposals for ongoing work such as marches, rallies, and speaking programs. A continuations committee will be formed.

Further information: c4sj.nj@gmail.com; 973-951-6685