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Our Work


The Health Care Team researches, educates and advocates for comprehensive, quality, affordable physical and behavioral health care. To support this mission, we monitor local, state and national legislation and study health reform proposals.


The team collaborates with community organizations and other Leagues to educate and create awareness on health-related topics. We are passionate about health equity and the intersectionalities of health with housing, civil liberties, and other related issues. Our current priorities are:

  • Affordable physical and behavioral healthcare for all
  • Gun safety as a public health crisis
  • Public health

If you would like to get involved, join our team meetings on the second Thursday of the month, attend our forums, or ask to be added to our newsletter. 

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Our Positions


We promote a health care system for the United States that provides affordable access to a basic level of quality care for all U.S. residents, including behavioral health that is integrated with and achieves parity with the physical health care system.


We believe every U.S. resident should have access to affordable, quality in- and out-patient behavioral health care including needed medications and supportive services that are integrated with, and achieve parity with, physical health care.


We protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. Support regulation of firearms for consumer safety.


Find details on Health Care Related Issues and Positions here:  LWVUS  LWVCO

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National LWV Health Care Toolkit


This TOOLKIT is created and maintained by the national League Healthcare Reform interest group.


Their website and group are dedicated to educating and mobilizing League members to work toward legislation and other reforms that enact the goals of our LWVUS healthcare position, with a strong focus on expanded and improved Medicare for All (a single-payer system).


The materials are varied for different audiences, and include pointers to resources for those who want to delve more deeply, and/or would like to do programming for local League or community meetings.

Medicare Advantage: Educational Resources

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1. PNHP Website: Short Presentations
1. PNHP Website: Short Presentations

Among other videos, you'll find these at the Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) website:



A. Medicare Advantage: What single-payer advocates need to know


B. Upcoding, Medicare Advantage, and DCEs (privatization of medical providers by private equity companies)



C. Direct Contracting Entities (DCEs)... Handing Traditional Medicare to Wall Street


VIEW HERE

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2. PNHP Website: Written Material
2. PNHP Website: Written Material

More from the Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) website:


One-pager: Medicare Advantage: Bad for Patients, Great for Profiteers

Policy primer: The Problems with Medicare Advantage

Comparison chart: Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare for All

PNHP comment: CMS Should Terminate the Medicare Advantage Program

PowerPoint slides: Don't Let Naked Profiteering Destroy Our Medicare


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3. Medicare Advantage Is Not Medicare
3. Medicare Advantage Is Not Medicare

This is a 2-minute public service announcement by members of Congress about Medicare Advantage:


VIEW HERE

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4. Medicare Advantage History; How Medicare Differs
4. Medicare Advantage History; How Medicare Differs

In this November, 2023 presentation, Dr. Marvin Malek, internal medicine doctor in Berlin, VT, talks about the history of Medicare Advantage and how it differs from Medicare:


VIEW HERE



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5. The Battle Against Corporate Health Care
5. The Battle Against Corporate Health Care

National Single Payer Presents Marianne Pizzitola: Fighting for Our Lives -- The Battle Against Corporate Health Care


VIEW HERE

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6. Mayo Clinic Refuses Medicare Advantage Plans
6. Mayo Clinic Refuses Medicare Advantage Plans

Article: Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Florida Warns It Won't take Most Medicare Advantage Plans


READ IT HERE

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7. Should Investors Own Health Care?
7. Should Investors Own Health Care?

Public policy and health in the USA miniseries: Should investors own healthcare?

The Lancet Webinars, September 6, 2023


During this 1-hour Lancet Webinar, a panel of US-based experts examined the implications of growing investor ownership of physicians' practices, hospitals, and other health services in the USA, and their consolidation into giant corporate enterprises that dominate insurance and care delivery in many regions of the USA.


VIEW HERE

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8. "Single Payer" Explained
8. "Single Payer" Explained

Single Payer: The basic outline of "single payer" (financing, delivery, access, and services), with reference to Obama Care can be READ HERE on the Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) website.


Additional resource: A brief delineation between socialized medicine and a single-payer system is outlined HERE on the website of healthinsurance.org.

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9. Privatization: McMedicare for All
9. Privatization: McMedicare for All

McMedicare for All: What Privatization Means for the Single Payer Movement

January 10, 2024


In a health care "accommodation" (because it's too generous to call a system) that has become so corrupt and compromised, how can single payer activists call for Medicare for All, public funding and private delivery when health care providers are owned by Kroger and Best Buy and Amazon?

Hosted by National Single Payer

Presenter: Ana Malinow, MD


VIEW HERE

Affordable Health Care: Videos & Documentaries

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Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point
Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point

Documentary film by Vincent Monillo and Richard Master.

2016, 58 minutes.

The documentary takes a hard look at how our dysfunctional healthcare system negatively impacts the nation's health, discourages physicians and hurts the bottom line of our businesses and national economy. Fix It proposes a common-sense solution to the out-of-control cost, while ensuring full access to quality healthcare for every American. DVD available locally.

WATCH HERE


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The Power to Heal: Medicare & the Civil Rights Revolution
The Power to Heal: Medicare & the Civil Rights Revolution

Producer and project creator Dr. Barbara Berney, a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healthcare system.

2018, 60 minutes.

Based on the book by David Barton Smith, the film tells the poignant chapter in the historic struggle to secure equal and adequate access to health care for all Americans. Central to the story is the tale of how a national program, Medicare, was used to mount a dramatic, coordinated effort that desegregated thousands of hospitals across the country in a matter of months. DVD available locally.


WATCH HERE


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Sick Around the World
Sick Around the World

Documentary film by T.R. Reid

2008, 60 minutes

The U.S. healthcare system needs reform. Can the U.S. learn anything from the rest of the world about how to run a healthcare system, or are these nations so culturally different from us that their solutions would simply not be acceptable to Americans? This Frontline film examines first hand how other advanced democracies deliver health care and what we might learn. DVD available locally.


WATCH HERE


Team Actions to Promote Health Care

The following recorded educational forums were hosted by our team and are available for your view.

 

Strengthening our Public Health System Webinar: The public health system in Colorado and around the country has been challenged and, in many cases, threatened during the COVID pandemic. The need to de-politicize public health has been shown in the many attempts to override public health expertise and evidence in favor of political expediency. Public health leaders presented their ideas on the value of evidence-based decision-making and other strategies to maintain a solid public health system to protect our communities. Representative Cathy Kipp addressed political strategies and plans to support public health. Watch here


Colorado Takes Action for Gun Safety Webinar – find supporting details here.

Behavioral Health Issues during COVID: A panel discussion to learn about the mental health and substance use issues resulting from COVID-19 and other 2020 stressors. The panelists discuss how families have been impacted, the role of disparities, and how providers have transformed their ways of working. Watch here

Community Health Care Resources

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LWV Health Care Reform Toolkit
LWV Health Care Reform Toolkit

Explore resources in the toolkit created and maintained by the LWV's national networking group "Healthcare Reform for the U.S." (HCR4US)

TAKE ME THERE



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Mental Health & Substance Use Resources
Mental Health & Substance Use Resources

Visit the Health District of Northern Colorado's website for connections for services to meet your mental health and substance use needs TAKE ME THERE

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Crisis Services
Crisis Services

Whatever you're going through, Colorado Crisis Services will help you through it. TAKE ME THERE

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Larimer County Department of Health and Environment
Larimer County Department of Health and Environment

Explore the information and resources at the Colorado Department of Health and Environment website. TAKE ME THERE

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Health District of North Larimer County
Health District of North Larimer County

See health services provided by the Health District of North Larimer County TAKE ME THERE

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Treatments for COVID
Treatments for COVID

Read about treatments available for COVID in Larimer County HERE

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Moms Demand Action
Moms Demand Action

Moms Demand Action is a national grassroots movement fighting for public measures to protect people from gun violence. TAKE ME THERE

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More Resources on Gun Violence Protection
More Resources on Gun Violence Protection

Visit ColoradoCeasfire.org for gun violence protection information focused on Colorado laws and statistics TAKE ME THERE

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Resources for Protecting Youth
Resources for Protecting Youth

Visit BeSmartForKids.org to find resources for preventing youth suicide and unintentional shootings TAKE ME THERE