Physicians for a National Health Program presentation Wednesday

David McLanahan, MD

David McLanahan of Physicians for a National Health Program will be guest speaker at a meeting of the Aggressive Progressives on Wednesday, March 1, 7:30 - 9pm at the Shoreline Library, small meeting room 345 NE 175th, Shoreline 98155. All are welcome.

Healthcare is under attack and the effort to repeal Obamacare threatens health coverage for millions of Americans. Is it time to go all the way and push for a single payer healthcare system?

David McLanahan will present on the benefits of a national healthcare system, what the PNHP is doing about it, and how you can help.

David McLanahan is a retired surgeon who has spent 42 years working with and advocating for the medically underserved, including 25 years at Pacific Medical Clinics in Seattle and 25 years half-day/week at surgery clinics he established at the Country Doctor and International District Community Clinics.

He is Associate Professor of Surgery Emeritus at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and five years ago co-founded and has since served as Coordinator for the Western Washington Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program. He is on the PNHP National Board and in 2007 was awarded PNHP’s Dr. Quentin Young Health Activist Award.

PNHP Position Statement: Our health care system is built around more than 1000 private insurance companies and this structure is a major reason our system is in critical condition.

Of every health care dollar we spend, 31 cents goes to administrative expenses, most unrelated to providing care and unnecessary. The insurance industry is in trouble. Due to spiraling health care costs, it can no longer offer affordable, comprehensive policies to middle class families.

Current legislation under consideration in Congress represents a bail out – delivering the industry millions of new customers, most with subsidies at taxpayer expense. It will not get to us to where we need to be – to control costs, cover everyone, and improve quality.

To achieve these goals, we must break the stranglehold the medical industrial complex has on our system (and our politicians). We need to move to a national single payer system that would cover everyone and save us $400/year.