The Healthcare Working Group was officially chartered on 9/19/2017.
Charter
As members of Silicon Valley DSA, we propose the creation of a
- Healthcare Working Group
- which would report to the Silicon Valley DSA Chapter
- to fulfill the following objectives:
- Win health justice for all people. We want to meet everyone’s specific healthcare needs and facilitate their dignity and autonomy in society, regardless of sickness or disability
- Establish a single payer healthcare system in the state of California or at the federal level. Features of such a system:
- Comprehensive coverage
- Free at the point of service
- One single system (not a patchwork), including a ban on redundant private insurance coverage.
- Universal to all residents regardless of immigration status, with privacy protections for undocumented patients, and equal access to and quality of care for people in rural areas and other underserved communities
- A just transition for affected workers, including a jobs initiative and severance
- Educate the public about the deficiencies of our current privatized and commoditized healthcare system, and how single payer would solve those problems and help individuals and our community
- Advocate single payer healthcare not as an end goal, but as a first step towards a fully socialized healthcare system
- using this strategy:
- Reach out to our community by canvassing, tabling, and holding town halls
- Pressure elected officials to support single payer at public events
- Work with allied organizations and community groups in coalition as part of the larger movement for single payer healthcare and health justice
- Direct work contributing to better healthcare outcomes in the local community
- to last until the above objectives are met.
- We anticipate that we will need to spend $100 per month for the following kinds of expenses:
- Outreach materials: signs, signup sheets, leave-behind flyers
- Canvassing support: water and snacks for canvassers
- Meeting spaces (for strategy meetings, public events, and canvass kickoffs)
- Membership is open to all Silicon Valley DSA members.