"Mad as Hell Doctors" Embark on Cross Country Care-A-Van to Demand Single-Payer from Congress

Since this is a press release, I'll post it in its entirety:

"Mad as Hell Doctors" Embark on Cross Country Care-A-Van to Demand Single-Payer from Congress

Aug 16, 2009 — KZeese Press Release

Frustrated with the health care 'options' coming out of Washington, D.C., six "Mad as Hell" Oregon physicians are taking an unprecedented road trip across America to lobby Congress for a single-payer health care system.

We're mad as hell because our health care system is run by people who profit from illness.

The rest of the civilized world has test driven single payer and it works. But elected officials in America won't even allow a discussion.

The public option is a trap.

It sounds very reasonable, but the problem with it, no matter what the final bill looks like, is that it will continue to allow private medical insurance companies to dictate America's public health policies. And that's just plain wrong.

People need to understand what single-payer is--and isn't
We're doing this because we care
The time to demand that a Single Payer Plan be put on the table is now. We may not get another opportunity for real change like this in our lifetime. Washington needs to hear all of us right now.

This isn't a campaign. It's a movement. Join us.

Portland, OR (PRWEB) August 13, 2009 -- Frustrated with the health care 'options' coming out of Washington, D.C., six "Mad as Hell" Oregon physicians are taking an unprecedented road trip across America to lobby Congress for a single-payer health care system. A big part of their plan is to take the entire country with them.

In September, a group of Oregon doctors take will an unprecedented road trip to lobby Congress for Single Payer
In September, a group of Oregon doctors take will an unprecedented road trip to lobby Congress for Single Payer

Called a "Care-A-Van," these road-tripping Oregon physicians will leave in a used motor home from Portland, Oregon on September 8th, inviting doctors and ordinary citizens from other states to join them on their twenty-city tour across the country. Their journey will culminate in a D.C.-based event on September 30th, scheduled to take place on the steps of Congress. Demonstrating with the doctors will be thousands of fellow 'Mad as Hell' single-payer advocates, all adorned with the movement's new symbol - the white ribbon. Their demand: Single-Payer Now!

"We're mad as hell because our health care system is run by people who profit from illness" says Dr. Paul Hochfeld, lead Mad As Hell Doctor and producer of the documentary 'Health, Money and Fear.' "The rest of the civilized world has test driven single payer and it works. But elected officials in America won't even allow a discussion."

"The public option is a trap." Hochfeld continues. "It sounds very reasonable, but the problem with it, no matter what the final bill looks like, is that it will continue to allow private medical insurance companies to dictate America's public health policies. And that's just plain wrong."

Several national, single-payer advocacy organizations including Physicians for a National Health Program, Health Care Now, Single Payer Action, and even groups like Progressive Democrats of America and Jobs with Justice are supporting the Oregon physicians by setting up Mad as Hell Town Halls across the country in anticipation of their arrival.

"People need to understand what single-payer is--and isn't," says Dr. Mike Huntington, a radiologist from Corvallis, Oregon and fellow Mad As Hell Doctor. "It isn't Socialism, any more than police and fire are Socialism. And it doesn't require any more money. Simply put, single-payer is a way to take current premium payments that go to a thousand different private insurance companies, and redirect them into a single, public fund that insures everyone. That's all it is. But when we do this, lots of wonderful things happen, not the least of which is to save Americans 500 billion dollars a year starting day one. That's billion - with a 'b.' America needs this information. That's why we're taking the tour."

Reality Television meets Political Activism

Every move the Mad as Hell Doctors make will be recorded on camera and then edited and uploaded to the Internet that same day. The uploaded segments will appear on social networking web sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, et al, making the Mad As Hell Doctors Tour the first of its kind: an unprecedented hybrid of reality television and political activism.

"We're doing this because we care," declares Dr. Gene Uphoff, a family physician from Portland, Oregon and fellow Mad As Hell Doctor. "The time to demand that a Single Payer Plan be put on the table is now. We may not get another opportunity for real change like this in our lifetime. Washington needs to hear all of us right now."

Hochfeld agrees. "This isn't a campaign. It's a movement. Join us."

For more information log on @ http://www.MadAsHellDoctors.com

CONTACT:
Adam Klugman
503.706.2006
adam (at) MadAsHellDoctors (dot) com
http://www.prosperityagenda.us/node/1327

I can't believe there are some good docs out there taking this stand. Thank you! :bounce: :applause: :loveya:

I hope by the time they get there, the six will have turned into 6000 or more.

recently rationalized threats of violence against government for promoting health care reform get on the bus with these guys. He might suddenly gain a new and very different perspective on the use of violence as a political tool. }(

After reading so much gloom and doom today, finally a spark of hope. Doctors are the health care system. Without them, the parasite insurance companies, could not make money. Profits, if any, should go to doctors and other health care workers for their esteemed services. Let the insurance companies find another way to exploit others and stuff their pockets not from sick people.

I knew that our president had an ace up his sleeve. This is it.

Lets go to Washington in September.

They GET it!

"It sounds very reasonable, but the problem with it, no matter what the final bill looks like, is that it will continue to allow private medical insurance companies to dictate America's public health policies. And that's just plain wrong."

I woke up this morning thinking about the weekend news that what Obama's administration really seeks is COMPETITION!

Competition is what has us in this mess, that we want to change. I could not find a certain specialist in all of this area of my county who accepts my insurance. The INSURANCE COMPANIES compete and the doctors and patients suffer for it.