A Peoples' Guide to the Healthcare Debate

In the United States, 18,000 people die every year from preventable illness and injury. In California, health insurance giants deny care to a third of applicants. Yearly, two million people are bankrupted from medical costs – most of them insured – while nearly 50 million have no coverage at all. Most Americans agree our costly, profit-driven health care system needs a complete overhaul. But in the recent debate, the real alternative of a Single Payer system was ruled out before it began. Insurance companies who profit from misery have been allowed to set the terms. With right-wing pundits denouncing every hint of public provision as “socialized medicine,” come along to hear what socialists really say about healthcare, and participate in the debate on how we can win a just healthcare system.

Speakers: LORRIE BETH SLONSKY is an Emergency Medical Services worker, unionist and long-time social justice activist. Her eyewitness account of the systemic failures of government and law-enforcement agencies in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina received widespread acclaim.

Check out the following Socialist Worker articles.

September 3, 2009 COLUMN: BRIAN JONES Why the free market can't cure health care
http://socialistworker.org/2009/09/03/market-cant-cure-health-care

August 3, 2009 COLUMN: LANCE SELFA Making excuses for health care non-reform
http://socialistworker.org/2009/08/03/excuses-for-health-care-non-reform

June 18, 2009 EDITORIALS Keeping real reform off the table
http://socialistworker.org/2009/06/18/real-reform-off-the-table