In the movement to fix health care, we've just entered into a new phase. Health care legislation passed huge hurdles in the House and Senate last week, and experts predict a full vote within weeks. The New York Times declared, "this is a bill worth fighting for," but threats to this legislation appear to be growing with each day.

Because of this, Dr. Howard Dean has issued an emergency conference call on Wednesday, July 22 at 6:30 p.m. ET with nurses and doctors to discuss elements of the House and Senate bills, and how they will impact health care professionals. Most importantly, Dr. Dean wants to talk directly to nurses and doctors about the role they must play during this critical moment.

Are you a nurse or doctor? If so..... Click here to join the call.

In the fight to fix health care, Dr. Howard Dean is a stand-alone figure. A doctor, governor, and currently, a vocal advocate for a public health insurance option--Dr. Dean has brought fresh ideas and leadership to the often stale air of Washington, D.C. For the past year, he's been rallying Americans to band together to fix health care - and now he wants to talk to you.

President Obama recently said, "few understand why we have to pass reform as intimately as our nation's nurses." It's true. We see the emergency room care, the short-staffing of nurses and aides, the burdensome amount of paperwork, and the denial of coverage by insurance companies. We're the eye witnesses to the best and worst of our health care system - and now it's our job to speak up.

With nurses and doctors working together, there's no limit to what we can do. RSVP for this week's call with Dr. Dean: http://action.seiu.org/drdean

For months, we've highlighted repeated attempts by some Republicans to drive wrenches into the movement to fix health care.  Amidst an outbreak of H1N1 virus, they delayed Gov. Sebelius's confirmation as HHS Secretary. And when Frank Luntz's talking points were leaked to the press, it was clear that the GOP strategy on health care was only to confuse, conflate, and scare the beejeezus out the American public. Time and time again, Republicans have chosen partisan politicking over the hard work of crafting substantive policies that work for the American people.

For the most part, Republicans in Congress have left the dirty work of killing health care to pundits and Fox News anchors. Instead, they've pledged to be working in good faith with Democrats, despite their nonstop battering ram of rhetoric (re: "socialized medicine," "rationing of care" and blaming Canada). 

But now, there's been a slip-up. And not just by any Republican - but by a very prominent Republican leader, Senator Jim Demint, who exposed the Republican plan for what it really is--a plot to block health care reform at all costs in search of a desperately needed political victory. Sen. Jim Demint, on a recent conservative group conference call, said:

"If we're able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

Make no mistake about it, this is not principled objection to legislation, but cheap, partisan politicking.  President Obama wasted no time in responding directly to Sen. Demint's comments:

OBAMA: Just the other day, one Republican Senator said, and I'm quoting him now, "if we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him." Think about that. This isn't about me. This isn't about politics. It is about a health care system that is breaking American families, breaking America's businesses and breaking America's economy.

Below is the audio version of the quote:

It'll be interesting to watch Republicans explain away Sen. Demint's comments this week. Don't be surprised if you see some members of Congress talking out the of side of their mouth about "bipartisanship" and their so-called support for reform. Demint is only the latest to confirm what we've known all along - that some in Congress intend to kill health care reform strictly for political gain. We can't let them win.

In the time span that most Americans get up and go to their jobs, work a full day and return home, Congress made historic progress on overhauling our healthcare system. Within just hours of one another today, the House Ways & Means and Education & Labor Committees concluded their markup of healthcare reform legislation, joining the Senate HELP Committee in proving that comprehensive reform is both fiscally responsible and legislatively achievable this year. "If you don't have health insurance, this bill is for you," said Senator Chris Dodd in praise of the Affordable Health Choices Act, legislation that will drive down costs for families through meaningful reforms that reduce premiums and out of pocket expenses, guarantee the choice of a quality public health insurance option and enhance employer responsibility.

Yesterday on Capitol Hill, SEIU Healthcare 775NW member and Montana home care worker Pat DeJong stood alongside Senators Dodd, Mikulski, and Harkin to celebrate the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee's passage of healthcare reform bill, the first of the Congressional panels to approve the health legislation. "This legislation makes healthcare affordable so families like mine won't worry about losing their homes, ranches, farms or having to file for bankruptcy," said DeJong during the press conference. (Read Pat's story here)

For millions of Americans like Pat, real hope for changing the status quo of the nearly 50 million Americans not having health insurance--of families being able to choose an affordable quality public health insurance plan--is now closer than ever. "Today, we see the results of true political leadership and what a commitment to keeping your promises looks like: three healthcare reform bills passing out of committees in a single week," said SEIU President Andy Stern.

There's a simple standard that SEIU uses to measure the success of the health care system: how does it work for our members--like for Pat DeJong and her family? By that standard, without a doubt, our current system is failing. Fortunately, we have a president who agrees that healthcare reform is critical for this country and says he is confident of passing healthcare reform.

Tonight, Obama will continue his health care push with a primetime nationally televised event in the White House called "Questions for the President: Prescription for America," which will be moderated with ABC's Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer. Home care aide and SEIU Healthcare 775NWmember Pat DeJong has been invited to participate in the ABC News special event, to discuss health care reform with President Obama. The president will answer questions offered by audience members from all walks of life "selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions in this historic debate," and Pat will most likely be the only home care worker present.

Here is just a small excerpt of Pat's story. This is why ABC News asked her to participate in the event:

Pat and her husband Dan were ranchers in Montana, but had a hard time finding affordable coverage, and were uninsured when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2000. The medical bills piled up for Pat and Dan, eventually forcing them to sell the land they loved and that had been in Dan's family for generations. Dan succumbed to cancer, and two years later, Pat still does not have health insurance.

One thing is clear: families like Pat's pay the ultimate price for our broken healthcare system. Her story--like so many other Americans without adequate coverage--stands as one more reason we cannot accept the obstructionist politics of those who wish to file hundreds of amendments to "just say no" to healthcare reform, and purposely distort the reality of what fixing healthcare means to millions of American families.

Watch the ABC News special "Questions for the President: Prescription for America" tonight, June 24, at 10:00 p.m. (EST). The healthcare conversation will be continued at 11:35 p.m. on Nightline.

Read Pat's story--told in her own words--after the break.

The Center for Tax Justice has released a report called "Progressive Revenue Options to Fund Health Care Reform," which SEIU and Health Care for America Now are supporting. The report describes progressive revenue options to pay for healthcare reform and the amount of revenue they are likely to raise.

Everyone--individuals, businesses, government--should the burden of healthcare costs in the effort to reform our system, without resorting to measures such as taxing employer-based health benefits. The proposals described in the report would accomplish three objectives:

1. raise the revenue necessary to implement meaningful reform,
   
2. simplify the tax code, and
   
3. ensure a continued progressive structure of the federal income tax.

"The revenue options presented by Citizens for Tax Justice do not upend the current process for employees to receive healthcare from their employer like other proposals floating around Washington. These options prove it's possible to guarantee access to quality, affordable healthcare for everyone and to do it without creating an extra burden on taxpayers or our economy," said Bruce Colburn, Campaign Manager for SEIU Healthcare. Download the report here  

It didn't take long, did it?

First, it was Rick Scott's Conservatives for Patients' Rights-which was essentially a front group for, um, Rick Scott. Now we've got Patients United Now (PUN), a front group of Americans for Prosperity (reminder: sponsor of the Joe the Plumber tour and world-class climate change deniers). Seems you can't have too many groups crying "CANADA!" in a crowded cable market.

This latest attack is lifted straight off a messaging memo by Republican strategist Frank Luntz, whose talking points aim to undermine health care reform in three simple steps: scare, conflate and confuse the American public. The ad's format is similar to a series of Rick Scott ads from earlier this month (guess they're low on creativity in the Grand Old Party), paring up health care stories with misleading claims about reforming the system.

Below is excerpted text from this latest attack ad on health care:

Shona Holmes: I am here today because I was able to travel to the U.S. where I received world-class treatment. Government healthcare isn't the answer and it sure isn't free.

Announcer: Now Washington wants to bring Canadian-style healthcare to the U.S., but government should never come in between your family and your doctor. Learn more at patientsunitednow.com.

Shona Holmes: My advice to Americans - as patients, it's your care. Don't give up your rights.

Here's what we already know: health care reform will look nothing like Canada. Nowhere in the ad does PUN even try to explain how health care reform would "bring Canadian-style healthcare to the U.S." That's because, in the words of Rachel Maddow, it's complete bull-puckey.

We've got to fight back. The 60-second ad starts on tomorrow, May 27 and runs through June 2. It will run in at least nine key states, including Montana, and will also air on May 31st on the Sunday morning talk shows.

This blatantly misleading ad has no business airing on television. Join us in fighting back - sign the petition to stop the swift-boating of health care reform on television.

I'm getting a little tired of National Nurses Day being treated like another Hallmark holiday.

I know I'm not alone; I've been talking to the RNs in my hospital about this. So, we've decided today isn't going to be like any Nurses Day before it. This year, you can keep your flowers and candy. This year, RNs are demanding something real. We're calling a code on our broken health care system.

Click here to help us take back National Nurses Day: www.seiu.org/RNs2congress

One member of Congress, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) has always gotten how important nurses are to fixing health care. And she's asking RNs to make sure her colleagues get it, too:

"You are on the frontline of our failing medical system, so you know where we can cut waste, how we can eliminate bureaucracies, and what it will take to improve care.

Nurses are the most trusted messengers in this upcoming debate, and your voices are critical in shaping reform and ensuring its passage."

Will you help me call a code on health care? Dial toll-free 1-866-210-3678 to be connected to your Senators' offices. Click here to learn more: www.seiu.org/RNs2congress

I decided long ago it's not only my responsibility, but also my duty - to my patients and my fellow nurses - to stand up and lead in the fight for quality, affordable health care.

I hope you share that same sense of duty. If you do join me in calling a code today. Call 1-866-210-3678 to connect with your member of Congress. While you're on the call, click here to see a sample script and a report-back form on our website.

Thanks for speaking out for your patients,

Cathy Glasson, RN
Value Care, Value Nurses

P.S. If you're looking for a little inspiration, check out this video of Linda Bock at the White House. It's moments like these that National Nurses Day are all about.

Nurses from across Florida gathered with State Representative Alan Williams and Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell in Tallahassee this week to ensure elected officials understand the dire state of our healthcare system.

Participants shared their experiences with families who face critical healthcare decisions. "I've had patients who have had strokes because they didn't have enough money for their very probably inexpensive blood pressure medication but they had to feed the kids," said Betsy Marville, an RN from West Palm Beach. Meeting organizers will send the stories to Congressman Allen Boyd next week.

>> Do you have a healthcare story to tell? Every story matters and it's time for our elected leaders to hear these stories.

Nurses from across Florida gathered with State Representative Alan Williams and Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell in Tallahassee this week to ensure elected officials understand the dire state of our healthcare system.

Participants shared their experiences with families who face critical healthcare decisions. "I've had patients who have had strokes because they didn't have enough money for their very probably inexpensive blood pressure medication but they had to feed the kids," said Betsy Marville, an RN from West Palm Beach. Meeting organizers will send the stories to Congressman Allen Boyd next week.

>> Do you have a healthcare story to tell? Every story matters and it's time for our elected leaders to hear these stories.

The latest issue of Modern Healthcare lists the Top 25 Women in Healthcare, naming our very own Mary Kay Henry as one of those on the front lines to reforming our healthcare system to provide quality, affordable healthcare for all.

In the article, Henry talks about the stress that's being put on healthcare workers as they're forced to accept pay-cuts and work multiple jobs, specifically citing home-care workers in California taking a 10% pay cut due to budget cuts.

The SEIU represents home-care workers in 14 states, and Henry is strategizing to organize those in more states. She says professionalizing home care is especially important as waves of millions of baby boomers age and want to stay in their homes for as long as possible. "A lot of home-care workers are ghetto-ized into housework," she says. [...] And she sees healthcare as a ladder out of poverty. "A lot of our members, because of the low wages, need to work multiple jobs," Henry says. "Home care could migrate them through the continuum of care, with proper training."

"We're on the cliff of very fundamental reform in our healthcare system," Henry told Modern Healthcare. "Our members want a seat at the table." She spends much of her time visiting members to give them a voice, both on the job and also as part of the debate over reforming the healthcare system.

The White House issued a report on health care this morning that serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for reform.

Released online at HealthReform.gov, the report documents the widespread effects of the health care crisis across the United States. It addresses three main areas of concern:

1. The rising cost of care.
The data show that, without significant changes to the health care system, Americans won't stand a chance at keeping up with rising costs. In the last 9 years alone, insurance premiums have doubled, while wages have only increased at a fraction of that rate.

High costs aren't just hitting patients, though. American businesses - large and small - are losing their competitive edge as they try to maintain decent health benefits for their employees. GM, for example, now spends more money on health care costs than they do on steel to make cars.

Health care spending is straining the balance sheets for federal and state governments as well. If we keep doing things the way we are now, health care costs are projected to be 25% of the GDP by 2025. Already, the United States spends approximately $2.2 trillion on health care - about 16.2% of the GDP.

You can see individual drill downs on key states in the Cost of Doing Nothing reports we released on SEIU.org last month.

2. Lack of access to care.
These numbers are particularly scary. It's clear that no matter who you are, where you live, or what your job is, you're at risk of being hit by the health care crisis. In the last two years alone, more than 86 million Americans went uninsured at some point; and even those with insurance couldn't always get the care they needed.

Just having a job isn't a guarantee that you have health care anymore - not by a long shot. In fact, more than 80% of uninsured Americans are members of working families. The cost that's had on workplace productivity alone is estimated to be as high as $135 billion every year.

And, in the eyes of the health care system, not all people are created equal. Lack of access to care is especially problematic for women and communities of color. That's why SEIU was proud to join in the launch of the Health Equality Project last week.

3. Lack of quality care.
Despite the fact that we pay so much for it, the quality of health care in America is among the worst in the developed world. Based on 37 performance indicators, the U.S. earned a final grade of "D" for the quality of our health care.

That's having a very real effect on patients. Nearly 98,000 Americans die from medical errors every year. That's more than double the number of Americans who die from car accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS.

We have the best nurses, doctors, and health care professionals in the world, but they're stuck in a broken system that leaves them with too many patients and too few resources. The result is thousands of patients falling through the cracks every year.

Right now, America's health care system is defined by high costs, poor access, and low quality. We're better than this. But if we don't act quickly, we'll be here again one year from now with new charts and new numbers - all showing the problem has gotten even worse. Tell Congress we can't afford to wait any longer; tell them to take the first steps toward fixing our broken health care system.

The numbers are in. A recent poll conducted by Lake Research indicates that 73% of voters want to see a public health insurance option as part of health care reform in 2009. And guess what? It's smart fiscal policy, too. From the Huffington Post :

"A public health insurance plan will have the same effect on health insurance premiums that Southwest Airlines has on airfares when it moves into a new market: all competitors lower prices. The rest of the market players have to scramble to figure out how to lower costs and increase efficiency -- that's what a competitive market is supposed to be about."

The point is to provide a choice of plans. The public health insurance plan would compete, side-by-side, with private plans. And if Medicare -- which is leaner and has lower administrative costs than private insurance -- is any indication, a public plan will promote increased competition and lower costs throughout the health care system. (And if you're looking for hard estimates, check out the Commonwealth Study, which estimated that a public option would reduce health care costs by 20%.)

What's more, the preference for a choice of a public or private plan appeals to everyone -- Republicans (63%), Democrats (77%) and Independents (79%). This week, former DNC chair Howard Dean told the Washington Times that members of Congress who oppose a public option should listen to their constituents on the issue, or else risk suffering at the polls in 2010. Judging by this latest poll, we'd say Dr. Dean is right on the mark.

Read more about the Lake Poll at the Huffington Post here.

Through the years, there have been many issues where labor and business don't see eye to eye. Here's one where we firmly agree: the need to fix healthcare, now, not in spite of the economic crisis, but because of it. For this reason, we are proud to stand together with President Obama as he reinforces the urgency of health care reform in the State of the Union speech before Congress.

America's economic recovery depends upon solving the healthcare emergency that is bankrupting families and eroding our competitiveness in the global economy. Bringing healthcare security to every American will help jump-start the nation's recovery and provide a foundation for new economic opportunity, innovation and job growth.

The evaporation of nearly 600,000 jobs in January alone makes the need for healthcare reform more urgent than ever. Each one percent rise in the national unemployment rate strands a million more people without health insurance. Even for many of the employed, healthcare costs are outpacing income and forcing hard choices, such as taking care of a family's health or keeping a roof over its head.

The Speaker of the House has released a report outlining the key points of the compromise the House and Senate have reached on the Economic Recovery Act. There's lots of good news for health care.

Here are the highlights:

The Economic Recovery Act is expected to go up for a final vote by the end
of this week.

Politico reports today that President Barack Obama plans to convene a White House working meeting to address the nation's health care system sometime in the late winter or early spring. The meeting would bring together key members of Congress and other stakeholders (we presume that means insurance industry types, various employers, health care professionals, etc).

This is just the latest signal from the Obama Administration that health care will be a top priority in 2009. In mid-December, former Senate Majority Leader and nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tom Daschle called on Americans to host health care discussions in their homes, workplaces and communities. (Watch highlights of our SEIU staff discussion here). More than 330 SEIU online activists signed up to host their own health care discussions during the holidays.

More good news, reports Politico:

"Obama and his point person on health care, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, have staffed up like they plan to push forward with it, lining up a roster of communications and policy strategists to assist in the effort."

I'm guessing Sen. Daschle is having no trouble at all finding qualified, hard-working people willing to head to Washington to fix our nation's health care system. Let's get to work! If you haven't already, support the Obama Administration's efforts by adding your name to keep health care on the map.

SEIU is here at the Sundance film festival with playwright, poet, actress and activist Sarah Jones, who is camped out in the Variety Lounge to discuss health care with filmmakers and celebrities.

On Friday, Jones sat down for a few minutes with hip-hop pioneer and philanthropist Russell Simmons to talk about fixing our broken health care system. Says Simmons, "We have to keep our voices at the same level, so we can make sure it gets done."

Watch here:

We'll be posting more videos from Sundance in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEIU President Andy Stern issued the following statement following President-elect Obama's speech on the economy at George Mason University:

"People keep trying to draw comparisons, but the truth is that this moment is like no other in history.

"For many, times have never been so tough. A failing economy and a broken healthcare system have put the squeeze on millions of families. Yet, people remain hopeful - excited about what could be.

"Yesterday, SEIU announced a huge 35-state effort to help Main Street by ensuring Change that Works through passage of an economic recovery package, passing comprehensive health care reform and ensuring workers have freedom to choose a voice at work. Our two million members agree with the urgency reinforced this morning by President-elect Obama that Congress must act now to address this crisis and relieve the pain for working families before a bad situation becomes dramatically worse.

"This is about saving jobs in cash-strapped states where the crucial services our families are counting on are being cut, such as Massachusetts, where one-quarter of caseworkers who help the mentally ill are being laid off. This is about getting people back to work by creating millions of new jobs where workers' voices are respected and where they earn wages and benefits that support a family. This is about investing in a stronger future by fixing our health care system so that keeping our families healthy poses no threat to our economic security and prosperity.

"If Congress needed just three weeks to pass a Wall Street bailout, then we should be able to count on our leaders to pass Main Street relief with as much urgency. Now is the time to make that change that works by getting our economy back on track and building a country where the dreams we have for our families and our children can come true."

People keep trying to draw comparisons, but the truth is that this moment is like no other in history.

For many, times have never been so tough. A failing economy and a broken health care system have put the squeeze on millions of families. Yet, people remain hopeful - excited about what could be.

We could finally fix our broken health care system. We could restore the freedom of every worker to join a union. We could rebuild our economy stronger than ever.

Let me be clear: we will.

Please join me in a live video chat at 4:00pm this afternoon to find out how. Submit your questions now, and tune in later today to participate:

http://www.seiu.org/livechat

Working Americans and health care consumers offer views & ideas on Obama health plan

Despite the busy holiday season, Americans throughout the country - from caregivers like nurses, doctors and pharmacists to ordinary health care consumers - have been gathering to hold their own health care meetings. You've brought your friends, your family, like-minded individuals, and even those who have different points of view together to share their ideas and input on health care reform that comes from the ground up.

News report after news report has been gracing our inboxes over the holiday season - from national papers like the New York Times to small, local papers from your areas.

Try this out - it's unbelievable:

1. Go to http://news.google.com. That's the Google News site.
2. Type in "obama health care discuss," and then click "search."
3. Voila! - that's right, there are that many articles that have been written about your health care discussions from around the country.

And it's not just the sheer volume of stories, it's what's contained within them. Each news story contains powerful anecdotes from meet-ups that include personal stories, concerns about the current health care system, and amazing recommendations and ideas on how to improve how we deliver care in this country.

We encourage you to read their reports in their own contexts. Because each and every meet-up has been a true discussion, picking and choosing small bits takes away from the power of reading them in their entirety - each is a portrait of our health care system.

Here are five highlights from the coverage:

1. New York Times: "At House Party on Health Care, the Diagnosis Is It's Broken"
2. San José Mercury News: "Citizens group answers Obama's call on health care"
3. Flint Journal (Michigan): "Health care reform topic of discussion at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Flint"
4. Norwalk News (Connecticut): "Group discusses U.S. health care"
5. The Herald-Mail (Maryland/West Virginia/Pennsylvania): "Group eyes big changes in health care"

We couldn't be more proud of the work that all of you are doing. You've taken the initiative, and this is the result. It's what real grassroots mobilization looks like. Keep it up!

(On a side note: We held our own health care meet-up here at SEIU a few weeks ago - read about the discussion and watch the video footage from the meet-up on SEIU's blog here).