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Health Democracy |
by Paul Glover
PHILADELPHIA, PA - It is often said that democracy strengthens when people take direct action to meet their needs, and fades when people merely vote. Many frustrated Americans without health insurance are demonstrating that fact by engaging in “health democracy” by starting their own nonprofit co-op health plans.
Until recently, the campaign for universal health coverage has relied on idealistic liberals, most of whom are insured. Health Democracy organizes the uninsured to advocate universal coverage, while meeting specified medical needs. These co-op plans, whose members pay merely $100/YEAR, prove that health security can be provided at low cost. And their growing national co-op network will be ready to defend universal coverage, once enacted, from inevitable attacks.
Among these co-ops are the Ithaca Health Alliance - www.ithacahealth.org, PhilaHealthia -
www.healthdemocracy.org/philahealthia.html and Cape Care - www.capecare.info. They’re not only less expensive than traditional plans, they’re more transparent-- all payments and denials of payment are posted on their websites. They’re more democratic, of course, since members elect their boards of directors. There’s a maximum wage for administrative staff, so that the organization is not distracted from its mission.
Co-ops contrast with insurance companies in other ways. Nearly all membership payments are dedicated to paying for member services, like medical payments, community health grants, interest-free community health loans, health libraries, free clinics. People can rely on any doctor anywhere, for specified categories of care, and receive discounts with holistic healers, too. Ithaca’s Alliance has even sponsored a Massage Army, recruiting therapists who give free rubs. They also convene a Public Health Committee to advocate cleaning up food, water and air--the foundations of health. As the number of members increases, these benefits increase. Benefits stabilize when membership
peaks.
Though the movement’s aim is to establish co-ops in every community or region, these rare pioneer plans cast their networks wider, enrolling members statewide. Any New Yorker can join the Ithaca Health Alliance, for example.
Glover is author of “Health Democracy.”
Contact: www.healthdemocracy.org
www.paulglover.org
Tel: 215-805-8330
PHILADELPHIA, PA - It is often said that democracy strengthens when people take direct action to meet their needs, and fades when people merely vote. Many frustrated Americans without health insurance are demonstrating that fact by engaging in “health democracy” by starting their own nonprofit co-op health plans.
Until recently, the campaign for universal health coverage has relied on idealistic liberals, most of whom are insured. Health Democracy organizes the uninsured to advocate universal coverage, while meeting specified medical needs. These co-op plans, whose members pay merely $100/YEAR, prove that health security can be provided at low cost. And their growing national co-op network will be ready to defend universal coverage, once enacted, from inevitable attacks.
Among these co-ops are the Ithaca Health Alliance - www.ithacahealth.org, PhilaHealthia -
www.healthdemocracy.org/philahealthia.html and Cape Care - www.capecare.info. They’re not only less expensive than traditional plans, they’re more transparent-- all payments and denials of payment are posted on their websites. They’re more democratic, of course, since members elect their boards of directors. There’s a maximum wage for administrative staff, so that the organization is not distracted from its mission.
Co-ops contrast with insurance companies in other ways. Nearly all membership payments are dedicated to paying for member services, like medical payments, community health grants, interest-free community health loans, health libraries, free clinics. People can rely on any doctor anywhere, for specified categories of care, and receive discounts with holistic healers, too. Ithaca’s Alliance has even sponsored a Massage Army, recruiting therapists who give free rubs. They also convene a Public Health Committee to advocate cleaning up food, water and air--the foundations of health. As the number of members increases, these benefits increase. Benefits stabilize when membership
peaks.
Though the movement’s aim is to establish co-ops in every community or region, these rare pioneer plans cast their networks wider, enrolling members statewide. Any New Yorker can join the Ithaca Health Alliance, for example.
Glover is author of “Health Democracy.”
Contact: www.healthdemocracy.org
www.paulglover.org
Tel: 215-805-8330
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