January 26, 2011
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Beyond Obama Care
Canada, according to public in­
c o n t i n u e d f r o m front
formation, spends less on health
opposition and get our message care coverage as a portion of its
into the mainstream. First, though, Gross Domestic Product than the
we need to convince people there’s U.S. Even spending less, the single­
a need for reform.”
payer system allows for coverage of
More than 120 people have reg­ basic dental, vision, long-term, even
istered for the conference, which mental health care for all citizens.
begins at 8 a.m. and is scheduled to
Almost 90 percent o f Canadians
last much of the day. Registration is feel their single-payer system pro­
a v a ila b le
fo r
$20
at vides quality care, according to at
singlepayeroregon.org.
least one well-respected poll. A simi­
Single-payer health care has been lar poll in the U.S. put citizen happi­
a divisive issue for social reformers, ness at around 30 percent.
but reached a new level of debate
Many other nations, even those
during the first two years of Presi­ without single-payer systems, also
dent Barack Obama’s administra­ spend less on health care.
tion while it worked to pass a na­
“Our health-care system is No.
tional health care bill.
37 in the world in terms of quality,
A significant part of the Patient and we pay more than many other
Protection and Affordable Care Act, countries for that care,” says Pat
fre q u e n tly
refe rred
to
as Eck, an educator who is one of the
“ObamaCare,” took away the ability conference organizers. “So we pay
of insurance companies to deny more for less service. It makes you
coverage based on a pre-existing wonder why we’re supporting a
condition. Those involved in sup­ failed system?”
port of single-payer coverage see
While the Obama reforms didn’t
“O bam aC are” as an im portant include a single-payer system at the
steppingstone to future reform.
national level, it did open a path for
“The Health Care bill added a bit states to create their own system.
of kerosene to the fire,” says Metz,
Conyers has introduced HR 676,
who is an anesthesiologist, “but which would create a single-payer
there’s still a lot of halfway inter­ system, in each Congressional ses­
ested people who don't know what sion starting in 2003.
(single-payer) means.”
“While the reform that was passed
Metz says Canada's single payer by Congress (in 2010) is the first
system and simple economics are national commitment to providing
two of the best resources reformers meaningful access to healthcare,
have.
Conyers wrote on his congressional
T he C an ad ian g o v ern m en t web site, “ I believe that a single­
handles payment for virtually all the payer, universal healthcare system
cost of basic health care for all citi­ is the only way we can truly reshape
zens. Citizens fund the system by our broken healthcare system.”
paying higher taxes, which replace
Dr. Margaret Flowers of Physi­
premiums paid to insurance compa­ cians for a National Health Program,
nies. Social reformers promote the is another headline speaker at
single-payer system as providing Saturday’s conference.
the same basic care available in the
While the purpose of the meet­
U.S., but at a reduced cost because ing might be viewed as promoting
the profit margin insurance compa­ single-payer coverage to the pub­
nies need to survive are eliminated. lic, Metz says the first goal is to pool
A man who died from a shooting early Monday
outside J D's Bar and Grill, a strip club located at
4523 N.E. 60th Ave., has been identified as Deon
Moisan, 24 of northeast Portland.
Two other shooting victims in the apparent
gang-related altercation were identified as Joe
Barker, 26, who was shot in the arm, and Jontae
Dean, 30, who was shot in the chest, Portland
police said.
Shortly after the l
a.m. shooting, Gresham
Police officers detained Micah Murphy
two men after stopping
their suspect vehicle near Northeast 18 1 st Av­
enue and Halsey Street. Nathan Geigle, 37, and
Micah Murphy, 27, each were booked into jail on
parole violation warrants.
No charges have been filed in connection
Nathan Geigle
with the homicide.
• I
1
the experience of those who’ve reg­
istered and produce a strategy for
fostering public debate, especially
with a bill promoting single-payer
care potentially headed for the Or­
egon Legislature.
State Rep. Michael Dembrow and
Sen. Chip Shields, both residents of
northeast Portland, have publicly
said they will introduce such a bill
that would make Oregon the first
state to create its own single-payer
system.
Were a single-payer plan some­
how passed in Oregon, it would still
need support at the federal level and
then years of legal wrangling to
negotiate current federal programs.
Metz says more than anything,
the mission of statewide health re­
form is simply to get attention.
“What we’re hoping for from the
Oregon Legislature is that this bill
gets a public hearing and we have
an opportunity to talk for 10 minutes
about a single-payer system,” he
says. “We want to present the prob­
lem, our solution and how we can
get there.”
MMWICewCWfcines
"An Interdenominational C hurch"
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THEME:
Reaching
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Location: Concordia University Campus
2800 NE Liberty (The GRW Library, room 303)
Portland, OR. 97211
To inquire about our Church please call: (503) 863-6545 or
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www.nwvoiceforchrist.com
■
Dr. Billy R. Flowers (above center) and his skilled sta ff are ready to help those in need
THE
SPINAICQLUMN
Man Killed Outside Strip Club
Two arrested after suspect vehicle stopped
Page 9
TM
An ongoing senes of questions and answers about Americas natural healing profession
P a rti: CHIROPRACTORS: Justhowqualifiedaie
they to take care of your health?
I know that physicians need
four full years of medical
school to become doctors. How
much training do Chiropractors
actually get?
: Following our under-gradu­
ate college training, Chiro­
practors must also complete
extremely demanding four-year
curriculum. By the time we gradu­
ate, w e’ve received a degree of
competency in anatomy, chemis­
try, bacteriology, toxicology, pa­
thology, physiology, diagnosis
and x-ray. In fact, today’s doctor
of Chiropractic have as many hours
of government approved classes
in these health-related subjects as
A
any doctor graduating from medi­ care?
cal school. Most importantly for
: It varies from one insurance
you, we also spend fo u r fu ll years
carrier to another. But for
studying the spine, joint relation­ many people, Chiropractic care
ships and adjustment procedures. is covered. Check with your
W hat’s more. Chiropractors stay c o m p a n y ’s personnel d ep art­
up to date with the latest health ment. Or feel free to call us. In
an developments by attending fact, for answ ers to any ques­
care
on-going seminars.
tions you might have about your
: Will my health insurance health, ju st call us at the num ber
help me pay for Chiropractic below.
Q
Flowers* Chiropractic Office
2124 NE Hancock,
Portland Oregon97212
Phone: (503) 287*5504