Last week I spent the day of the elections at Hartford High school, asking people to sign petitions in support of the Healthcare is a Human Right campaign. One of the points I pressed was no matter what happened in the voting booth, we must continue to hold our politicians accountable for the things we need in order to live lives with dignity. My experience tells me that no matter who’s in office, without an organized force demanding change, those in power will continue to listen to the lobbyists that have their ear.
Even Anthony Pollina, the Progressive senator from Washington County, proposed using VSEA’s health care plan as a template for single payer, which would embed harmful barriers to care like premiums, co-pays, and deductibles into our new universal health care system. This is a compromise sparked by the failures of Vermont Health Connect, another attempt to write the legacies of an insurance marketplace into law.
This is why I call on Pollina and all of our elected officials to not compromise our health, by moving beyond the era of coverage and so-called “benefits packages” toward a system which is free at the point of service, equitably financed through progressive taxes and provides the care we need, when we need it.
For those of you who support this plan, please call the governor and your elected officials and tell them to stay committed to all care for all people.
GRIFFIN SHUMWAY
Wilder