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American Medical Student Association Joins Physicians for National Health Program in Washington D.C. Calling for Expanded Healthcare for All

 

On May 21st, members of the American Medical Student Association gathered at George Washington School of Medicine and prepared to lobby on Capitol Hill for healthcare for all. AMSA National President Britani Kessler, Former Health Policy Chair Whitney McFadden, Education and Research Fellow Rachel Glassford, and Health Policy Coordinators Brandon Sandine and Katherine Ni joined other medical and pre-medical students for a pre-lobby training workshop. 

 

Students heard from physician Dr. David Rabin, co-founder of the Institute for Universal Healthcare, who introduced the troubled system we have in the US and how a single payer system can solve many of our healthcare needs.  Dr. Lawrence Deyton, a passionate OAT (Old AMSA Type) and now the Associate Dean of Clinical Public Health at GW School of Medicine told us his story navigating the field of medicine, HIV research, and incorporating policy into his medical career.  Nick Unger rallied AMSA members with an enlightening talk giving us as medical and premedical students hope that the community is ready to listen if we ask the right questions and have a strong message.  Rachel Degolia, Exeutive Director from the Universal Healthcare Action Network introduced the history of the single payer movement and broadened our network to join in this expanding, exciting, and evolving group of activists.  Last but certainly not least, Dr. Robert Zarr rallied our members demonstrating how our only affordable choice in healthcare is to bring comprehensive care to everyone.  His team has developed an engaging and inspirational 7-minute video on the American Healthcare System that is a must see!  

 

Cure All Video

 

The lobby day commenced with passionate words from Dr. Andy Coates, President of Physicians for National Health Program, reporting that the US healthcare system is tragic descrimination that has a solution.  Robert Weissman President of Public Citizen addressed how "a single-payer system would provide a fair and rational system for compensating drug makers and incentivizing new research".  Greg Junemann, president of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers gave a truly inspirational speech. 

 

Greg Junemann Speech

 

We were fortunate to have AMSA members from across the US including Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Massachusetts, California, and Florida.  Meetings focused on H.R. 676 Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act as well the American Health Security Act  H.R. 1200 .  Thank you to AMSA staff, our members, as well as speakers and PNHP staff who helped us to coordinate this lobby event.  We hope for many more successful events on our path toward complete and affordable healthcare for all!

 

Brad Zehr of Boston University School of Medicine shares his first experience lobbying.  

 

"I feel very empowered taking these first few steps.

 

I visited the offices of three legislators: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), and Rep. Katherine Clark.

 

For Rep. Katherine Clark, is very new to Congress (special election put her in office staring in December 2013).  The staffer we met with seemed uninterested in single payer.  He said Rep. Clark supports the ACA and wants to work on implementing and improving the ACA.   As we were talking to him, he seemed to be paying only half attention. 

 

Sen. Warren's staff was engaged and listened closely to our message.  She offered her own personal story being hit by a car and dealing with a health insurance nightmare. While she seemed sympathetic to single payer, she was very careful to say that Sen. Warren's focus is support of the ACA at this time. 

 

Sen. Markey is a co-sponsor of HR 676 and we asked that he re-sign as a senator. His team is extremely well informed on single payer and wanted to know updated news in the single payer world over the past year.  Single payer will be a topic of further discussion with Sen. Markey.

 

These three different encounters made me realize how variable lobbying can be and how important is it to be prepared to work with many different personalities and attitudes. "

 

Speacial thank you to Brad for sharing his lobby experience!  Best of luck as you continue to be active in the healthcare for all movement!

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