WHAT: One time study sessions on what a single payer health insurance system could look like in the United States. Each month the topic will be the same and we'll cover pretty much the same ground.t

THE TOPIC: "Single payer" is a technical sounding term that simply means that only one agency will pay for medical services- this in contrast to the roughly 1500 insurance companies now operating in the US. Private insurance companies would be effectively eliminated from the medical market. The rough model for most single payer advocates in the US is the Canadian system. Another way of simplifying: An expanded and enhanced "Medicare for All."

The main national vehicle for single payer is HR 676 whose principal sponsor is Congressman John Conyers of Michigan. www.healthcare-now.org Among presidential candidates only Dennis Kucinich was a single payer advocate. There are also single payer bills in many state legislatures, including Maryland. www.mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/billfile/HB1125.htm

READING: Around 20 pages of basic introductory material. The focus reading will be the 8 page "Executive Summary" of THE LEWIN REPORT, a 2000 study of the prospects for reform in Maryland. www.mdsinglepayer.org/links.htm

THE GOAL: To help dispel some of the fog that surrounds the health care reform debate today. Whereas most people are concerned about the issue and open to a discussion of alternatives, the advocacy of "universal coverage" by politicians with many varied proposals has left many of us understandably confused.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 8 @ 7:30PM

WHERE: St. John's United Methodist Church, 2640 St. Paul St., at the corner of 27th St.

HOSTED BY: RED EMMA'S/ 2640 www.redemmas.org/2640/

CONVENER: Bill Harvey has been active on this issue since 1989 and works with Maryland UHCAN [Universal Health Care Action Network]: www.mdsinglepayer.org

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At every session we'll pass the hat to help RED EMMA'S/2640 defray costs.

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RSVP RSVP

If interested, please contact Bill ASAP. (bharvey (at) smart.net, 410-467-7756). He'll need to get you the packet of readings, and it would be good to have contact info for anyone who plans to be there in case there's a cancellation or other change in schedule. THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM for latecomers.

If you miss this session, you'll still be able to sign up for a later one.

PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD. Feel free to forward this message to any lists or individuals you think might be interested.