Healthcare-NOW! is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

grassroots A grassroots movement is one that uses the people in a given district, region or community as the basis for a political or continent movement. Grassroots movements and organizations use collective action from volunteers at the local level to imp ...

coalition in support of the

single-payer health care Single-payer healthcare is a type of universal healthcare, in which the costs of essential healthcare for all residents are covered by a single public system (hence "single-payer"). Single-payer systems may contract for healthcare services from pr ...

movement for the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Healthcare-NOW!'s stated goal is to implement the Medicare for All Act.

History

Healthcare-NOW! was founded in 2004, originally under the name of the Campaign for a National Health Program NOW (CNHP NOW). The first meeting of the coalition was the Campaign for a National Health Program NOW Conference: "Health Care Crisis and Election of 2004." On August 31 and September 1, 2004, the conference was held as well as a rally during the Republican Convention.

Funding

All of Healthcare-NOW funding is from individuals, unions and grassroots organizations.

Organizing methodology

Healthcare-NOW! uses various

community organizing Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other or share some common problem come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. Unlike those who promote more-consensual community buil ...

methods. Strategies and ideas are developed through annual national strategy meetings with volunteer organizers and health care activists around the country, including Rep. John Conyers. In 2007, Healthcare-NOW launched traveling Road Shows promoting single payer reform, as well as co-sponsored an Annual Health Care Justice Vigil held each September in Washington D.C. Other techniques include '' Sicko'' House Parties and Truth Hearings. On June 19, 2008, Healthcare-NOW! joined efforts with other organizations, including the California Nurses Association, to initiate the National Day of Protest Against Health Insurance Companies. This National Day of Protest took place in 18 cities nationwide in support of a single payer system. It was a campaign mainly about public health care not private.

Personnel

Healthcare-NOW is composed of 36 board members, in addition to the board of directors. The National Coordinator was Marilyn Clement. Board member co-chairs * Quentin Young, National Coordinator, Physicians for a National Health Program * Leo Gerard, President, United Steelworkers Union * Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society,

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was ...

* Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive Director of the California Nurses Association

Notes and references

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External links