Quincy Medicare for All Forum

Massachusetts Medicare  for All  (M4A) legislation,  to  establish  a  single  payer  of  all medical  bills  (the  Massachusetts  Health  Care  Trust),  is  popular  among  residents  throughout  the  state.  Last  year,  non binding  referenda  in  20  districts,  including  some  of  the  most  conservative  districts,  voted  in  favor  of  Medicare  for  All  by  significant majorities. Notably, in  the  3rd Norfolk  District,  which is  represented  by  Speaker of the Massachusetts House Ron Mariano, 61% of the voters supported Medicare for All.

Over  the  past  twenty-five  years,  Medicare  for  All  legislation  has  been  introduced  in  the  State  House  repeatedly and the Democratic House leadership has never allowed it to be voted on. Currently, Speaker  Mariano,  from Quincy, is outspoken about his opposition  to Medicare  for All, and he uses  the powers of  the speaker to block its passage.

Quincy is a  rapidly growing, increasing  diverse  community with a large  senior  population.  It’s also  the  largest  city  in  New  England  without  its  own  hospital,  or  even  an  emergency  department.  Access  to  facilities and services is difficult  for very many. Market  forces have created a society of haves and have nots, and that is especially glaring in the health sphere.

What  does  this  mean  for  the  City  of  Quincy  and  all  its  residents?  Would  switching  to  Massachusetts  Medicare  for  All  save  the  City  significant  money,  which  could  be  spent  on  other  programs? Would  the  financial sanity of Medicare for All have prevented the closure of Quincy Medical Center nine years ago?  Would  the  quality  of  the  coverage  of  this  financial  mechanism  surpass  that  provided  by  commercial  health insurance?  Are  city  employees  paying more  out  of  pocket  now  for  commercial  health insurance  than they would for M4A? Would having M4A secure continuity of healthcare providers?

Come to our forum, Saturday, November 18th, 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Thomas Crane Public Library,  40 Washington  Street, Quincy  Center, which  has available  public  parking and is  handicap accessible.  Learn what Massachusetts Medicare  for All could do  for the City of Quincy and all its residents. Ask the  questions about Medicare for All that you find most pressing. There are many profit-driven (and “not-for profit”) health companies who benefit from the current system, so getting trustworthy information is not  easy.

Stephanie  Nakajima  from  Mass-Care  and  Dr.  Alan  Meyers  from  Physicians  for  a  National  Health  Program,  two  healthcare  advocacy  organizations,  will  share  information  with  us.  Sandy  Eaton,  RN,  a  former  Quincy  Medical  Center  nurse  and  candidate  for  state  representative,  will  explain  why  he  is  a  Medicare for All fighter.

Join us and learn that we have options. Our current healthcare system, the most expensive in the world, is  patchwork, jerry-rigged,  rife with  communication  breakdowns, erratic and  sometimes  deadly. No  other  developed country would tolerate such a situation. We can demand and win change!

The United States has the shortest lifespan of any industrial country in the world. People in the US  die five years younger than people in other high-income countries!

Sponsors:  Mass-Care,  Physicians  for  a  National  Health  Program,  Our  Revolution  –  Massachusetts,  Progressive Democrats of America, Progressive Massachusetts, Franklin County Continuing  the Political  Revolution, South Shore Medicare for All, South Shore Coalition for Human Rights