PENNSYLVANIA NEXT STOP FOR IMPROVED-MEDICARE-FOR-ALL ADVOCATES

The regional and national leadership of Progressive Democrats of America will be in Pennsylvania this week for a series of events to support a state improved-Medicare-for-all, single-payer healthcare system.

"The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which recently became law, will not solve the healthcare crisis in this country," said Tim Carpenter, PDA national director. "The Medicare system proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that government can do some things much better than the private sector," Carpenter explained. "Healthcare corporations exist only to deliver profits for their stockholders--they do not actually provide healthcare."

PDA national Field Coordinator Conor Boylan will be join Carpenter for meetings and events in the Keystone state April 8-10. Topics of discussion will include organizing support for HB1660/SB400 Pennsylvania's single-payer healthcare bill.

"We're looking forward to seeing colleagues and old friends, meeting new friends, and together advancing the cause of state improved-Medicare-for-all single-payer," said Boylan.

The trip will start with a “Meet and Greet” in Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, at the Healthcare4AllPA office at 2101 Murray Ave. Carpenter and Boylan will be joined by Dr. Mary-Pat Donegan, Healthcare4AllPA’s legislative director, for a discussion of state improved-Medicare-for-all, single-payer healthcare and PDA’s Brown Bag Lunch Vigil campaign.

On Friday, April 9, Carpenter and Boylan will be in McConnellsburg for "The Progressive Summit of Central PA" beginning at 6 p.m. in the community room of Community State Bank at 415 Fulton Drive. The event will also feature Chuck Pennacchio, executive director of Healthcare4AllPA.

Then, on Saturday, April 10, all eyes will be on the Central Baptist Church in Wayne for a daylong conference on "Building the Progressive Base to Win." The day will begin at 8 a.m. with a discussion of Medicare-for-all, single-payer plans led by Pennacchio; Carpenter and Boylan will present a national PDA overview and state PDA leaders from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other states in the regions will report. At 11 a.m., Boylan and Donna Smith, co-chair of PDA's Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign, will lead a panel on Healthcare NOT Warfare that will also include Katie Robbins of Healthcare NOW!, Rev. Robert Moore of the Coalition for Peace Action, Peter Lems of the American Friend's Service Committee, and Kathy Black of U.S. Labor Against the War. A 1 p.m. panel on state Medicare-for-all plans will include Pennachio, Smith, Walter Tsou of Healthare4AllPA, Ben Day of Mass Care, Dr. Alan Kenwood of PNHP New Jersey and Kurt Bateman of SPAN Ohio.

“We and the other groups represented will be sharing their successes and future plans,” said Carpenter. “It will be an energizing experience for us all on the road to realizing improved-Medicare-for-all, single-payer healthcare in Pennsylvania and the region.”

Progressive Democrats of America is one of the nation’s fastest-growing grassroots political organizations; it recently celebrated its fifth anniversary and has active chapters in 45 states. PDA is dedicated to reviving the progressive tradition of the Democratic Party through grassroots organizing and working with elected Democrats to advance peace, justice and social, economic and environmental responsibility. More information is available at:

http://pdamerica.org.