Podcasts about california nurses association

It's hump day and as it so happens technical hiccup day. But don't worry, we got some scotch tape and paperclips and have McGyvered this thing for now. Republicans in Congress are doing what they can to push their massive tax cut through reconciliation, and you'll never get who's gonna benefit from that (it's rich people). To make it happen, Republicans are now trying to sneak in cuts to Medicare. We talk first to Singrid Steinmetz, an ICU nurse and a member of the California Nurses Association, which represents nearly 2,200 at Long Beach Medical Center who will be striking tomorrow. Here's the contact info for LBMC in case you want to tell management there to support it's nurses: https://www.memorialcare.org/locations/long-beach-medical-center After that, we hear from The Guardian U.S. investigative reporter George Joseph about his stunning new piece out today about how United Health Care has secretly paid nursing homes that helped it gain Medicare enrollees and reduced hospitalizations: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/21/unitedhealth-nursing-homes-payments-hospital-transfers  In the Fun Half, Emma, Sam and Matt respond to Skelator look-alike Rick Scott trying to make the case for making cuts to Medicaid by arguing that if you want health care in America you should have to work for it. Steve Scalise is singing the same tune. Bernie went on Andrew Schulz's show and managed to get him and his bros to acknowledge the problem of inequality and the absurdity of being the only industrialized country in the world without guaranteed health care. Also, Andrew Cuomo talks to Bari Weiss about what's ailing Democratic-run cities and states (hint, he blames the left) and he seems to be pushing an Abundance™ style agenda. Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com: https://fans.fm/majority/join Follow us on TikTok here!: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here!: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here!: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here!: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase! Check out today's sponsors: Shopify: Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/majority Fast Growing Trees: Get 15% off your first purchase.  FastGrowingTrees.com/majority Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @RussFinkelstein Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder – https://majorityreportradio.com/

In this episode of Nurses Uncorked, Nurse Erica and Nurse Jessica Sites welcome Michelle Mahon, Director of Nursing Practice at the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United (NNU). They discuss the ongoing advocacy for federal nurse-patient staffing ratios and the pressing issue of workplace violence in nursing. Michelle responds to backlash from a recent interview given by NNU's Industrial Hygienist. The conversation highlights NNU's commitment to improving workplace safety and advocating for comprehensive healthcare solutions. In this conversation, Michelle Mahon discusses the importance of organizing, solidarity among nurses and the critical role of safe staffing in preventing such incidents. Michelle emphasizes the significance of collective action among nurses and the need for mental health support in the face of workplace challenges. The discussion also touches on the importance of Medicare for All in shifting the focus from profit to patient care, and the structure of the National Nurses United (NNU) and its affiliates in advocating for nurses' rights and healthcare justice.    Thank you to our sponsor, Stink Balm Odor Blocker! Please visit:  https://www.stinkbalmodorblocker.com/ and use promo code UNCORKED15 for 15% off your purchase! Thank you to our Enema Award Sponsor, Happy Bum Co. Please visit https://happybumco.com/ and use promo code NURSESUNCORKED for 15% off your first bundle. Interested in Sponsoring the Show?  Email with the subject NURSES UNCORKED SPONSOR to nursesuncorked@nursesuncorked.com    Help Us Keep This Podcast going and become an official Patron of Nurses Uncorked! Gain early access to episodes, patron only bonus episodes, giveaways and earn the title of becoming either a Wine Cork, Wine Bottle, Decanter, Grand Preserve, or even a Vineyard member for exclusive benefits! Benefits also include patron only Zoom parties, newsletters, shout-outs, and much more.   https://patron.podbean.com/nursesuncorkedpodcast   Chapters: 02:20 Introduction 03:21 Cocktail of the Week 04:17 Guest Introduction 05:05 Federal Nurse-Patient Ratios: Current Status 09:29 Industrial Hygienist Interview 23:37 Workplace Violence Correlates to Staffing Issues 25:57 Advice for Nurses in Fear of Workplace Violence 29:10 Channeling Pain into Action 32:44 Organizing for Change 34:58 Rank and File Members 36:39 Non-Union Nurses Can Get Involved 39:50 Local and National Actions 42:34 Understanding Medicare for All 47:28 Enema of the Week Award 49:56 The Structure of NNU and Its Affiliates   Sources: National Nurses United: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/  Petition: https://act.nnu.org/sign/wpv-petition-2025/  The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act S.B.1176, H.R. 2663:  https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2663  Industrial Hygienist Interview: https://cbs12.com/news/local/nurse-attacked-by-patient-likely-to-lose-use-of-both-eyes-according-to-arrest-report-brutal-assault-on-nurse-at-loxahatchee-hospital-highlights-mental-health-care-challenges-palm-beach-county-sheriffs-office-south-florida-february-19-2025    Cocktail of the Week: Castello Del Poggio Moscato https://castellodelpoggio.com/wine/moscato/    New episodes of Nurses Uncorked every Tuesday (Monday for patrons!). 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Any information or opinions expressed or contained herein are not intended to serve as legal advice, or replace medical advice, nor to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, condition, illness or injury, and you should consult the health care professional of your choice regarding all matters concerning your health, including before beginning any exercise, weight loss, or health care program.  If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment. The views and opinions expressed on Nurses Uncorked do not reflect the views of our employers, professional organizations or affiliates. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Nurses Uncorked Podcast are their own; not those of Nurse Jessica Sites, Nurse Erica or Nurses Uncorked Company. 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Today we welcome a first-time guest to the podcast: Stephanie Roberson, of Stephanie Roberson Strategies. Roberson formed SRS, a boutique, black-owned single member firm, in late 2022 after 15 years representing the California Nurses Association. During Roberson's tenure, the Nurses waged fierce battles in the capitol over guaranteed universal healthcare, and confronted the COVID epidemic. She sat down with us to talk about her decision to go out on her own, her experiences with CNA and her mentors and role models.2:01 A shift in the lobbying community3:06 Broadcast news?4:59 Pivot5:57 A broader group of clients8:48 The Nurses and COVID12:47 The reality of lobbying vs. the image14:03 The best and worst of times17:07 Going solo18:26 "Presumptive Eligibility"21:28 More women in prominent roles22:40 Bob Hertzberg!25:02 Role models and mentors30:51 Priorities for 202536:56 DC40:36 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io

Assemblyman Ash Kalra has put forth AB 2200 a policy bill meant to enable healthcare for all in California. Carmen Comsti of the California Nurses Association and Sheila Bates from Black Lives Matter California are ardent supporters of the bill known as Cal Care. On this podcast we look at why we CAN afford universal health care, how this plan could move us closer to health equity and what it will take to get it across the finish line in the Golden State. www.a25.asmdc.org www.blmla.org www.nationalnursesunited.org

This time on Code WACK!  With all its apparent advantages, why hasn't California passed single payer yet? Is organized labor fully in the Medicare-for-All game? Do managed care providers - like Kaiser Permanente - have outsized influence on healthcare reform in the state?  To find out, we spoke to Peter Shapiro, a retired letter carrier and author of Song of the Stubborn One Thousand: the Watsonville Canning Strike (Haymarket Books 2016). He represented his union at the founding conference of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer in 2009 and has been involved with the issue ever since. He currently represents the Alameda Labor Council on the board of Healthy California Now, a single-payer advocacy coalition. This is the second episode in a two-part series with Peter Shapiro.  Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  

This time on Code WACK!  Will California's new single payer bill, CalCare, be a tough sell for the state's legislature, even if most of the state's residents want Medicare for All?  What political hurdles must be cleared before such a bill would pass? And what would it mean for single payer efforts if Donald Trump is re-elected president this year? To find out, we spoke to Assemblymember Ash Kalra. As a longstanding champion of single-payer health care, Assemblymember Kalra introduced statewide legislation known as CalCare (AB 1400 in 2021 and AB 2200 in 2023), which would guarantee comprehensive, high-quality health care for all Californians as a human right. This is the second episode in a two-part series.  Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK! Once again, a new single-payer bill, AB 2200 or CalCare, sponsored by the California Nurses Association, has been introduced in the California state legislature. How will it help save lives? Will it break the bank, or will it save us money? What's different about this version of the bill and what kind of support does it have in the state legislature? To find out, we spoke to Assemblyman Ash Kalra. As a longstanding champion of single-payer health care, Assemblymember Kalra introduced statewide legislation known as CalCare (AB 1400 in 2021 and AB 2200 in 2023), which would guarantee comprehensive, high-quality health care for all Californians as a human right. This is the first episode in a two-part series.

This time on Code WACK!  Once again, a new single-payer bill, AB 2200 or CalCare, sponsored by the California Nurses Association, has been introduced in the California state legislature. How will it help save lives? Will it break the bank, or will it save us money? What's different about this version of the bill and what kind of support does it have in the state legislature?    To find out, we spoke to Assemblyman Ash Kalra. As a longstanding champion of single-payer health care, Assemblymember Kalra introduced statewide legislation known as CalCare (AB 1400 in 2021 and AB 2200 in 2023), which would guarantee comprehensive, high-quality health care for all Californians as a human right. This is the first episode in a two-part series.    Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  

This time on Code WACK! Once again, a new single-payer bill, AB 2200 or CalCare, sponsored by the California Nurses Association, has been introduced in the California state legislature. How will it help save lives? Will it break the bank, or will it save us money? What's different about this version of the bill and what kind of support does it have in the state legislature? To find out, we spoke to Assemblyman Ash Kalra. As a longstanding champion of single-payer health care, Assemblymember Kalra introduced statewide legislation known as CalCare (AB 1400 in 2021 and AB 2200 in 2023), which would guarantee comprehensive, high-quality health care for all Californians as a human right. This is the first episode in a two-part series.

Ralph sits down with three guests straight out of the latest edition of the Capitol Hill Citizen. First, world-renowned food politics expert and public health advocate Marion Nestle joins Ralph to discuss America's voracious junk food lobby. Then, Ralph speaks to legal expert Bruce Fein about Congressional staffers and the part they can play in making Congress stronger. Finally, Ralph welcomes Vishal Shankar from the Revolving Door Project to explain why President Biden is letting Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continue wrecking the Post Office. Marion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University. She is the author of a wide range of books about the politics of food, nutrition, health, and the environment, including Eat, Drink Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics, Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat, and Slow Cooked: An Unexpected Life in Food Politics. If you want to make a profit and grow your profit every 90 days, you have to sell as much food as possible. And what that food does to public health is not your responsibility, because that's the way our system works. Marion NestleWe have a law on the books that says that the Federal Trade Commission can do nothing to restrict the marketing of foods to children on television. They're not allowed to do that. So what we're talking about here is a situation in which Congress is so corrupt that it cannot take on anything that will fight the food industry.Marion NestleBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law.  Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.You really can't make a career anymore of being in the legislative branch as an employee or as an aide. And so everybody leaves after a couple years to go to K Street and become a lobbyist. And so with this rapid turnover, you have a lobotomized Congress. And what this letter was attempting to do was to say, listen, Congress still—when the architecture of the Constitution is honored—is the primary predominant branch among the three branches. It's simply that you're not exercising it.Bruce FeinVishal Shankar is a Senior Researcher at the Revolving Door Project, which scrutinizes executive branch appointees to ensure they use their office to serve the broad public interest, rather than to entrench corporate power or seek personal advancement. He has also worked at Inequality Media, as well as several government offices, nonprofits, and policy research projects. His work has appeared in The American Prospect and Common Dreams, and he has been quoted in The New Republic, The Lever, and the Capitol Hill Citizen.The crisis [with Louis DeJoy] is not as immediate to Biden, his voters, his supporters, and they very wrongly believe—in my opinion—that they can work with this man who has proven to be untrustworthy, a Republican mega-donor and partisan hack, and most importantly a committed privatizer of the United States Postal Service. Vishal ShankarDeJoy has been one of the single biggest impediments to piloting or expanding to creative new ideas that can grow out the Postal Service for decades to come…DeJoy has very stubbornly refused to consider these great potential ideas and is doubling down on service cuts and rate hikes as the only way he thinks he can run the agency.Vishal ShankarIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. Democracy Now! Reports the United Autoworkers union has called for a ceasefire in Gaza. They are the largest and most mainstream labor union to publicly come out for a ceasefire, joining the American Postal Workers Union, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, the California Nurses Association and the Chicago Teachers Union. UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla said "UAW International is calling for an immediate, permanent cease-fire in Israel and Palestine so that we can get to the work of building a lasting peace, building social justice, and building a global community of solidarity," per CBS News. At the same time, UAW is “launching simultaneous, public organizing campaigns at more than a dozen automakers including Toyota… Volkswagen…and Tesla…aiming to organize nearly 150,000 employees…which would double the number of autoworkers in the union,” per Bloomberg. In short, UAW is setting a new standard for labor. We hope other unions follow their lead.2. A new Gallup poll shows the Israeli campaign against Gaza is underwater among key segments of American public opinion. Some top line numbers: 63% of Democrats oppose Israel's military actions in Gaza, as do 67% of adults under 35, 64% of people of color, and 52% of women. Moreover, this poll was conducted in the first weeks of November, so it is likely these attitudes have hardened since then.3. Responding to the protests against Israel's campaign, the House has passed a resolution classifying anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism, even among American Jews. In a surprising move, high ranking Jewish Democrat Jerrold Nadler took to the floor to decry this resolution, saying “the resolution suggests that ALL anti-Zionism is antisemitism. That is either intellectually disingenuous or just factually wrong. And it unfairly implicates many of my orthodox former constituents in Brooklyn, many of whose families rose from the ashes of the Holocaust…the authors, if they were at all familiar with Jewish history and culture, should know about Jewish anti-Zionism that was, and is, expressly NOT antisemitic.”4. Semafor reports MSNBC has canceled Mehdi Hasan's news program. This article implies MSNBC canceled the show because it was a “cult favorite” which never “translated to ratings successes,” though it seems likely that Hasan's willingness to push back on Israeli talking points during this recent conflict played a role as well. Lest we forget this is the network that canceled Phil Donahue's blockbuster news program for criticizing the Iraq War.5. Just Foreign Policy's Aída Chávez reports “Sen[ator] Rand Paul is forcing a vote this week on getting US troops out of Syria. His Syria War Powers Resolution would remove all US troops – approx. 900 [US military personnel] – from Syria in the next 30 days.” Chávez highlights that “US forces have been targeted with dozens of attacks in Syria [in recent days] over US support for war in Gaza.”6. From OtherWorlds.org: the Pentagon has failed yet another audit. The mammoth Department of Defense has never passed an audit, and only even completed its first in 2018. In this most recent iteration, “the Pentagon was able to account for just half of its $3.8 trillion in assets (including equipment, facilities, etc)…[leaving] $1.9 trillion…unaccounted for — more than the entire budget Congress agreed to for the current fiscal year.” Congress is now set to allocate an additional $840 billion for the agency.7. The Intercept is out with a story that could have made headlines during the Populist Era of the 1880s and ‘90s. According to the report, Dan Osborn, a military veteran and labor leader who was a key figure in the 2021 strike against Kellogg's, is running for Senate as an independent – and leading Republican incumbent Senator Deb Fischer in the polls. Osborn told the Intercept “Nebraskans have had it with Washington. We've been starving for honest government that isn't bought and paid for…This poll shows that Nebraska's independent streak is alive and well.” The article notes Nebraska Democrats have not yet fielded a candidate in this Senate race and are considering backing Osborn. Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said many Nebraska voters tired of one-party control in the state, arguing it “Makes politicians lazy…[and] more beholden to corporate interests since they don't have to answer to voters.”8. NBC is out with a bombshell report on carbon monoxide deaths among Airbnb renters. According to the report, “NBC News has identified 19 deaths since 2013 that occurred at Airbnb properties and are alleged to have involved carbon monoxide poisoning, according to interviews with family members of victims and a review of news articles, autopsy reports, police records, and court and government documents. The company is currently facing at least three lawsuits pertaining to carbon monoxide deaths or poisonings.” Perhaps most damningly, following one carbon monoxide related death in 2014, the company made a blog post promising “By the end of 2014, we'll require all Airbnb hosts to confirm that they have [carbon monoxide detectors] installed in their listing.” The company never made good on that promise, and that post has since been deleted.9. Tesla has released its long awaited Cybertruck, and along with it, videos of the vehicle's crash testing. These are distressing to say the least. As the American Prospect notes, “the Cybertruck's body panels…are made of stainless steel…[which] is much stiffer than…ordinary [automobile body materials], which makes it dangerous. Since the 1950s at least, automakers have understood that stiffer cars are more dangerous to people inside and outside the car, because in a crash they deliver energy to other parties rather than absorbing it. In early crash test experiments with more heavily built cars, collisions often did only minor damage to the car but turned the test dummies into paste. Since then, cars have been designed with progressively more sophisticated crumple zones to absorb impact forces. Musk's boasts of a Cybertruck “exoskeleton,” if true, are a recipe for gruesome carnage.”10. Finally, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has died at 100 years old. A Rolling Stone obituary, which ran under the headline “Henry Kissinger, War Criminal Beloved by America's Ruling Class, Finally Dies,” argues that while Kissinger deserves to be remembered as one of “history's worst mass murderers,” he instead has been given a place of honor, even in death, among the American elite. One can only hope that his many, many victims will someday see justice served.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

This week's show, our Labor Day show, features Lisa Maldonaldo, Labor Representative for the California Nurses Association, on the current state of labor unions. See the web archive page for this show to read the bio of the guest, reports on each segment, links referenced, announcements, this week in Herstory and the playlist. http://www.womensspaces.com/ArchiveWSA23/WSA230904.html

Almost every patient in America has had a frustrating experience in a hospital setting where we feel like we're on a medical conveyor belt that moves WAY too slowly. We sit for too long in a waiting room; then our nurses or doctors speak with us very briefly; we might feel more like we're filling out an online survey than we're being listened to; then we might have more waiting; and then we're pushed onto the next specialist or appointment too quickly. Of course some patients experience FAR worse disasters in hospitals. As patients, we know that something dysfunctional is going on, and it leads a lot of people to distrust their medical providers, and avoid healthcare altogether. But nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals themselves know that behind the scenes, they are being pushed to the brink by hospital corporations, and not really allowed to treat their patients to the best of their abilities. So today we're going to focus on one of the most crucial behind-the-scenes hospital policies behind patients' bad experiences: staff-to-patient ratios.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am1j0n0ZEfw Show Notes Our guest today is Gerard Brogan, RMN, RGN, RN. Director of Nursing Practice at California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. Gerard has over 40 years experience as an RN. He has practiced nursing in the USA since 1984, before joining the California Nurses Association in 1994 as a Nursing Practice Representative.  He is the Director of the Nursing Practice Department for the California Nurses Association/ National Nurses United. Gerard has extensive experience in nurse-to-patient ratio legislation, having been a part of the successful campaign to establish nurse to patient ratios in California and subsequent experience in seeing the efficacy of the ratio law.  He serves as an educator for the organization, teaching classes to nurses on a variety of  topics relevant to health care in general and  the scope  of nursing  practice  and patient advocacy in particular. Most of us will be patients at some point, so unsafe staffing practices in hospitals will have an impact on us or our loved ones. Studies show you have a lower risk of death, higher risk of poor outcomes, and a higher chance of re-admission if your hospital has adequate nurse staffing and your care is guided by providers' professional judgement. Sadly, in a for-profit healthcare system care decisions are made based on more on their budget impact. You'll recognize unsafe staffing when you see it: things like long wait times, or feeling like a number instead of a whole person because your nurse doesn't have enough time with you. The nursing profession takes a holistic approach to care, looking at the entire person and the factors that contribute to their health; that takes time, which the healthcare industry doesn't want to give nurses. Improving nurse staffing levels has been the #1 priority of nurses unions (and most unorganized nurses too) across the country for more than a decade. Gerard tells us that nurses are ethically and legally obligated to be a patient advocate and provide optimal care. When that can't happen due to the business interests of the employer, healthcare workers experience moral distress. (Rather than "burnout" which implies an individual, personal defect, Gerard uses "moral distress" to determine the suffering that happens when nurses are constrained by forced beyond their control from providing the care they should.) There has been a sea change regarding nurse staffing over the last several decades. When Gerard began his career, staffing was "impeccable," he had professional autonomy and the institution's respect of his professionalism. In the 1990s when the Clinton's healthcare reform attempt failed, "let the market decide" became the dominant narrative in healthcare. Corporate interests descended on healthcare to make a buck and nurse staffing began to decline.

0:08 — David Dayen is the executive editor of The American Prospect. His most recent book is Monopolized: Life in the Age of Corporate Power 0: 25 — Sara Starr-Cho is a registered nurse at Behavioral Health Center in Concord and a member of California Nurses Association.  0:33 — Zachariah Mampilly is a professor at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College. He is the author of Rebel Rulers: Insurgent Governance and Civilian Life during War.   The post Collapse of First Republic Bank; CNA Striking John Muir Behavioral Health; Plus, Sudan Update appeared first on KPFA.

Winning Medicare for All in the U.S. may be at a standstill at the federal level, but it's a different story In the states. In 2021 alone, 18 single payer bills were introduced in states such as Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Oregon. Winning in California -- the most populous nation in the state -- could be a game changer. And, not one but two bills have been introduced in the California State Legislature this year.  What's the latest single payer bill introduced in the California Senate and how is it different from previous bills? How will it work with CalCare, which was introduced in the California State Assembly this year for the second time? To find out, we spoke with Michael Lighty, president of the Healthy California Now Coalition, and former constituency director for Bernie 2020. What's the thinking behind this new strategy? Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  

A press release from the California Nurses Association alleges persistently unsafe conditions at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital due to understaffing. We spend the entire newscast listening to voices from the Grass Valley medical facility. Kelley Reese talks with 2 Sierra Nevada RN's who speak in depth about these claims and Cláudio Mendonça asks the hospital's President and CEO to respond. 

:53 Reality check: Can we get this done?2:38 Why now?4:41 Is CalCare a good idea?8:33 How do these proposals fit into the Federal system?11:02 How does the public feel about their current healthcare coverage?13:22 How does the Governor's proposal affect providers?16:15 The opposition to AB140018:12 Assuming AB1400 passes, how long would it take to implement?20:13 "A Healthy California For All"21:02 Opposition to the ACA was INTENSE. Has the conversation around healthcare changed that much since 2010?24:48 The difference between Single Payer and Universal Health Care27:39 The #WorstWeekCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.ioProduced by White Hot

Show Notes   Check out Code WACK!'s latest podcast featuring Cindy Young, labor advocate and expert in health benefit negotiations, discussing the significance of the labor movement in America's struggle for healthcare justice, and the need for Medicare for All.   Host Brenda Gazzar and Young, a board member of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and vice chair of the Healthy California Now coalition, explore the historic antecedents of our nation's current healthcare system, including the heroic role played by the United Mine Workers of America in 1946 to win health benefits for the first time.  Click here for the podcast transcript or visit our website: https://heal-ca.org/american-workers-desperate-fight-for-healthcare-security/     Ever since then, organized labor has set the bar on health benefits, not only for union members but for the workforce in general: “...nonunion employers were saying ‘Well, I don't want my workforce to organize so I'm going to provide benefits that are similar to what the union workers are getting so I don't have to deal with union organizing' and that really is the beginning of health insurance in this country,” Young explains. Yet employers were not required by the government to provide health insurance to their workers until the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed in 2010.  “...until the ACA passed, there was no obligation of any employer to provide any benefits at all, right, so an employer never had to provide health insurance to a worker...For years and years and years, how you got your benefits was either you were in a union and the union bargains wages, hours and working conditions or you got it, you know, through your employer who didn't want the union to organize,” Young says.   And though the ACA is truly a lifesaver, Young explains, it has not adequately addressed our healthcare system's most urgent needs - universality and affordability. Without those elements, millions of Americans still face a closed door when it comes to their care.    In addition, Young paints a grim picture of a reality where bargaining for health benefits has evolved into a zero sum game that completely fails to address the ever-spiraling costs to both employers and employees.  “..employers oftentimes, almost all the time, say to us, ‘here's how much money we have to pay for benefits...we've got 1% of salary to pay for wages and benefits. If you want to take it in wages, take it in wages. If you want to take it in benefits,  take it in benefits but we're not going to give you any more than x amount.'”    You'll also hear in this episode why Young pushes back on the idea that patients are “consumers” and continues to fight for improved Medicare for All.   Thanks for listening! And remember to subscribe to Code WACK! to catch all our episodes about America's broken healthcare system on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. Cindy Young's Biography ​​Ms. Young started her career at H.E.R.E., Local 2 in San Francisco as the Director of Research in 1985. She negotiated pension and healthcare benefits for 25,000 hotel and restaurant workers in San Francisco. She served as the key trustee for the H.E.R.E, Local 2, Pension, Education and Health and Welfare Trust Funds. She provided advice and counsel to Senior Union Staff on legislation impacting healthcare and pension benefits. She developed health reform education programs for H.E.R.E. International Union and its affiliates. She developed and organized the California Northern California Labor Health Coalition, which successfully improved Kaiser's Chiropractic and Drug and Alcohol Benefits.   From 1988 – 2010, Ms. Young served as the Senior Health Policy Advisor to California School Employees Association (CSEA). She negotiated healthcare benefits for 220,000 classified school employees and analyzed insurance renewals. She provided leadership and counsel to the CSEA management and staff on healthcare related strategies, legislation and in the delivery of healthcare training programs. She served as Labor Chair of the California Healthcare Coalition, as well as the California Education Coalition for Healthcare Reform.   From 2010 – 2014, Ms. Young served as Regulatory /Policy Specialist for California Nurses Association, and Special Projects Coordinator, leading the nurses single payer campaign.   Ms. Young currently has a small consulting firm and assists Minnesota Nurses Association and California's with bargaining health and welfare benefits. She serves on the Board of Directors for the California Alliance for Retired Americans. Representing CARA, she serves as Vice Chair of the Healthy California Now. Ms. Young has worked as a labor advocate and been committed to Medicare for All for 45 years. Helpful Links   John L. Lewis, United Mine Workers of America (Wikipedia)   The Promise of 1946 (United Mine Workers of America)   The Complete History of Employer-Provided Health Insurance, Gabrielle Smith (PeopleKeep)

The physical and emotional toll of treating COVID-19 patients is driving many nurses to leave the profession, and it's raising alarms about the state's capacity to educate their replacements. To learn more about why nursing programs are so impacted, and how to fix them, Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with Catherine Kennedy, a registered nurse and a president of the California Nurses Association, Ashley A. Smith, a reporter with EdSource, and Keisha Lewis Nesbitt, director of nursing at Fresno City College.

The physical and emotional toll of treating COVID-19 patients is driving many nurses to leave the profession, and it's raising alarms about the state's capacity to educate their replacements. To learn more about why nursing programs are so impacted, and how to fix them, Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock spoke with Catherine Kennedy, a registered nurse and a president of the California Nurses Association, Ashley A. Smith, a reporter with EdSource, and Keisha Lewis Nesbitt, director of nursing at Fresno City College.

In the midst of the back and forth since the CDC issued to those dramatic changes in recommendations around mask wearing, the California Nurses Association are now leaning on members of the legislature.  For more, KCBS Radio news anchor Stan Bunger spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier to talk more about what happens next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The California Nurses Association has called for a day of action this Saturday with car caravans in 22 cities across the state to promote single-payer health care. KCSB’s Ray Briare has details on the event in Santa Barbara.

The lights are going out in America’s rural hospitals and clinics at the moment they are most needed. Mark Kriedler speaks to Deborah Burger, co-president of National Nurses United and president of California Nurses Association.

CATHERINE LEW, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant The Lew Edwards Group With over three decades of experience in community organizing and politics, Catherine Lew is known as one of California's most successful advocates for local government and women running for office. A first-generation California native, she was raised in the Salinas Valley by parents who immigrated to this country to seek a better life. A California attorney and veteran of over 700 political campaigns, Catherine was a 10-year trainer for EMERGE – an organization working to elect more Democratic women to office. She has worked on behalf of political clients who include Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the California Democratic Party, California Teachers Association, California Nurses Association, children's organizations, Sierra Club, and scores of local elected women. She was Deputy Political Director of the Northern California Clinton-Gore campaign in 1992. Catherine’s firm --The Lew Edwards Group—is a nationally recognized, award-winning company founded 23 years ago. LEG has enacted $38.5 Billion in California revenue measures at a 95% win rate to repair classrooms and improve libraries, parks, and public hospitals consistent with the firm’s philosophy to empower voters to protect their local quality of lives. A graduate of UC Berkeley and the University of San Francisco School of Law, Catherine and her spouse live in Oakland, California. When she is not busy during an election cycle, she can be found at a barn with her American Quarter Horse Dakota. Twitter: @catherinevlew FB/LI/Instagram: Catherine Lew URL: www.lewedwardsgroup.com or email catherine@lewedwardsgroup.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/freeman-means-business/support

Nurses around the country gathered outside hospitals today, criticizing how the CDC and individual hospitals are handling the outbreak. The California Nurses Association, National Nurses Organizing Committee and National Nurses United issued a statement calling the CDC’s guidelines “weakened” and called employer responses “ineffective.” “Civic” spoke with one registered nurse at UCSF, outside the Parnassus campus, who said nurses felt left out of the conversation about responding to COVID-19.

This is episode 13, “We’ll Win by Building a Grassroots Movement.” My guest, Max Cotterill, is a community organizer with the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United. He works on their Medicare for All organizing campaign. Mr. Cotterill previously worked as the Deputy Field Director of the Real Justice PAC, helped to start an organization called Knock Every Door, and worked on the national organizing staff of the Bernie 2016 campaign. Do not miss episode 13 as it explains the most effective methods to build support for Medicare for All. If you want to help make Medicare for All a reality, here is the link that was mentioned in this episode, https://medicare4all.org.

In this Episode Jen Share's guest speaker Emotional Wellness and Self Sabotage expert Bonnie Kelly. When it comes to suffering, Bonnie Kelly has “been there and done that.” She understands the cycle of self-sabotage, because she's lived it and conquered it. With no one but herself to lean on, Bonnie overcame a childhood characterized by physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. However, that's not enough to satisfy her vision for an epic life. She's on a mission to give the world an emotional revolution. With so much negativity and pain in the world, it can be hard for anyone to break their own cycles. She shares a 3 step process to overcome self limiting beliefs and tips on allowing your fear to guide you rather then drive you back into your cycle. Bonnie has already brought her message to several stages as well as the Amazon bestsellers list. She's shared her strategies with companies like Vanir Construction, Union Pacific, SLO County Probations, Genentech, Envision Healthcare, Brandman University, Benicia Unified School District, California Nurses Association and many more. She's also a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF), an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, and an Energy Index Leadership Master Practitioner. But for all that, Bonnie takes the most pride in her personal journey from victim to victory. Enjoy the Show! Show Notes: [00:30]  About Bonnie [05:20]  Patterns and the cycle of self sabotage [07:30] Bonnie is no stranger to suffering and her path [12:30] How self sabotage shows up in our health and self worth [17:30] Why we need support to heal [23:00] HOW to let fear be your guide, but not to drive you back into your cycle [33:00] Give yourself permission with gratitude and compassion to do this work [37:30] Identify self sabotage through a 3 Step Process: Root. Release. Resolve [41:30] The 21 Day Emotional Detox or check out “Truth to your core“ book [48:00] It's time for an emotional revolution and to be rebels for JOY! Quotes: [05:19]  “You can eat as healthy as you want but if you don't understand patterns that show up as unhealthy relationship with your health and well being…..emotional empowerment is the super power to getting people from where they are to where they want to go.” [07:15]  “Coming from survival not thrival, when you are in survival you don't have the capacity to handle any more disfunction, trauma, or upsets” [10:25] “Our society has the worst problem in tuning out our emotions” [12:30] Most of our health challenges come from overwhelm, stress and low self worth. [13:45] “You don't need anything outside of you to connect to this truth.” [15:40] and [19:30] “It's not your fault AND it's your responsibility.” [18:20] Do nothing, you get the same result, do something and you get a different result. [20:09] When I started my healing journey, it didn't feel fair that I had to invest time in my healing when I was a victim of abuse [21:00] “Nobody is going to save you… we get to be the hero”” [22:00] “We get to choose and we are the author of our own life story” [26:15] “We don't want fear to go away, sometimes is just shows up in the wrong way” [31:15] “Give yourself permission to feel your fear and give yourself a timeline” [36:29] “Build your intuition muscle” [39:00] ‘Your neurological imprint is as unique as your thumbprint” [48:30] Let's become rebels for JOY! Resources: Where to find Bonnie “True to your Core” by Bonnie Kelly Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnie.kelly123 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonniekelly.me/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOfXBEMCEqjApQukHZWQKNA Website: https://bonniekelly.me PODCAST DISCLAIMER: This podcast is to educate, inside, and inform the listeners of various pathways to wholistic well being.  This information is not to replace the advise of your physician, specialist, medical doctor, therapist, nutritionist or dietician. Please refer to full Medical Disclaimer Here. The post Emotional Empowerment Expert Bonnie Kelly End the cycle of Self Sabotage: A better YOU awaits appeared first on Jennifer Mons Coaching.

Listen to this week’s Mini Podcast with RN and California Nurses Association board member Sandy Redding. Nurses national campaign for Medicare for All is off to a great start with thousands attending barnstorm meetings.

Nurses across the country are off to a great start with a grassroots movement to demand Medicare for All. Thousands of people interested in supporting the movement attended over 150 barnstorms from Maine to California where they shared their healthcare stories and learned about the new Medicare for All Act that will be introduced in Congress by Representative Pramila Jayapal. RN and California Nurses Association board member Sandy Redding talks about all ...on this podcast. www.medicare4all.org

California’s historic first-in-the-nation safe staffing ratios, sponsored by the California Nurses Association, took 13 years to win. The legislation has now been in effect since January 2004 despite continued efforts from the hospital industry to overturn the law. Safe RN to patient ratios have been proven to improve the quality of care and nurse recruitment and retention in California hospitals. Director of Nurse Practice Safety for California Nurses Association, National Nurses United Gerard Brogan joins us for this podcast.

Eric Leenson, Co-Director of the Business Alliance for a Heathy California, speaks to host Lisa Kiefer about the status of Single Payer Health in California and how a simpler, publicly funded system would deliver real reform.Transcript:Lisa Kiefer:Method to the Madness is next. You're listening to Method to the Madness, a biweekly public affairs show on KALX Berkeley, celebrating Bay Area innovators. I'm your host, Lisa Kiefer, and today I'm speaking with Eric Leenson, the co-director of Business Alliance for a Healthy California. They believe that healthcare is a human right, and that all Californians should have affordable, high quality, cost-effective healthcare.Eric Leenson:Hello. Thanks for having me, Lisa.Lisa Kiefer:You have always been a person I think of around sustainability, and in this new venture, you're working to make healthcare more sustainable as we move to the future, all of us citizens of the US. Tell us about what you're doing at the business alliance for Healthy California.Eric Leenson:Essentially, we created the Business alliance for a Healthy California about a year and a half ago, to support the implementation of a single-payer type system here in California. You know, we can get into discussion about what single payer means, but it was kind of a response to what's been happening in Washington, where we see all kinds of major roadblocks, as far as protecting people's healthcare and in not even talking about expanding it. So here in California, we have a very strong group of people who have been pursuing single payer healthcare for a long time.And back in 2017, the California Nurses Association sponsored a bill called the Healthy California Act, Senate Bill 562, which would bring a single payer healthcare to the state of California, because we just don't see it in the cards on a national level for long time. But here we are in California, as everyone likes to say, the fifth largest economy in the world. We should be able to provide quality healthcare to all of our people.Lisa Kiefer:But, as we all know, this SB 562 is dead in the water right now.Eric Leenson:Right now, it's dead. Basically-Lisa Kiefer:So tell us what happened, and what's going to happen.Eric Leenson:Okay. The bill garnered really amazing grassroots support and it passed the Senate, so it was approved by the California State Senate. In the assembly, it was blocked primarily by the Speaker of the Assembly, who did not want it to come to a vote.And he didn't want it to come to a vote, in my opinion, primarily because it's embarrassing to the Democrats. There's no Democrat these days in California, that's not "for single payer," but you know, we have people that really support it and are ready to implement it, and others who say they support it, because politically it's convenient.Part of of where the Democrats are going, certainly in California, but also nationally, is in the concept of a Medicare For All-type program. So what you have is a situation where, on the legislative floor, if the bill had been brought up, then the Assembly people would've had to take a vote and show whether they supported this for real or not. And it was much easier just to sort of stall on it.It wouldn't, he didn't allow it to go to committee. Even for further review and discussion, they were claiming, "Well, the bill's inadequate," and there's no doubt there was more that needed to be flushed out in the bill, but that's part of what the Assembly's supposed to do through their committees, and they wouldn't even allow it to go to committee.At this point, there is no bill. What's happened is, I think everyone's got their attention really focused on the elections coming up in November, particularly the Governor's race.Lisa Kiefer:Right. I want to talk to you about John Cox, the Republican candidate, versus Gavin Newsom's position on single payer.Eric Leenson:Well, it's pretty much black and white-Lisa Kiefer:Yeah.Eric Leenson:In many ways, although there's always gray with, when you talk about politicians, the black and white part is that John Cox is absolutely opposed to any form of single-payer.Lisa Kiefer:Is he fiscally opposed? I read that there's a range of, from $330 to $400 billion is what people are saying it's going to cost Californians.Eric Leenson:Well, so what I would say is that as a Republican, he's opposed to it not only financially, but ideologically. He does not believe that government should play an extensive role in healthcare. So these would be the same Republicans that want to cut Medicare, because it's government-controlled, in a way.Finance, I should say, not controlled. Gavin Newsom has been a strong proponent of single payer, and in fact has a history of introducing healthcare reform when he was mayor of San Francisco. So he has been an outspoken proponent of single payer, and that's the black part.The gray part is, well, when you actually get elected, what do you do? Because health care represents 20% of the entire economy of California, and nationwide, as well. You're not talking about a small budget item, you're talking about an industry, whether it be pharmaceuticals, hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, that affects a huge swath of people.And when this gets out, you know, it gets discussed. It affects people's interest dramatically. I mean, basically ,if single payer were to be implemented, there would be no role, not much of any role, I should say, for private health insurance any longer. Can you imagine how many people would possibly lose revenue, because they sell insurance, or the insurance companies are making a lot of money.So, you have the problem, whenever you're dealing with trying to make major reform to the healthcare system. And it's extraordinarily complicated. I don't mean by any stretch of imagination to try to simplify it. You're going to have huge vested interests. Everyone uses healthcare, so everyone's concerned about what their healthcare is going to look like as a consumer. And you have, as I'm suggesting, a tremendous number of industries and businesses that basically survive on the revenues that are generated through healthcare.So it makes it difficult, and it makes it difficult for an elected official to really implement. They're going to need strong support from backers in the legislature, and insistence by the general public that this is beneficial.Lisa Kiefer:So I was thinking about this, a great percentage of money will be saved. It seems like if inefficiencies will be gone, so you're going to save a lot of money, but all of those people who deal with the phone calls to the insurance company are without a job. So whoever has to figure out this fiscal analysis has to incorporate job loss to the state. Very complicated.Eric Leenson:It's very complicated.Lisa Kiefer:And do you know if that cost-benefit works?Eric Leenson:Well, let's put it this way. Virtually every study that's been done, that I'm aware of, shows enormous cost savings through single payer. If you look at the numbers right now, the administrative costs of private health insurance are around, between, let's say 10% or 15% administrative costs. For Medicare, which is, in fact, single payer-Lisa Kiefer:Single payer, yeah.Eric Leenson:The administrative costs are 3%, so you're talking off the bat, you know, 10-12% savings. Just by streamlining that system, number one, and part of that administrative savings isn't only on the insurance side of it, you know, who's financing. It's also on the doctor side.You realize that in this country, every doctor has to hire me. I mean, every two doctors have to hire at least one or two administrative people, just to deal with the billing. I mean, we all have the experience of going to the office, and, "Are you covered by this, are you..."They spend endless amounts of time, instead of giving healthcare, on the phone, arguing with the insurance companies, whether or not there's coverage. This simplifies that entire thing.Number two, the other large savings is that if there were a single payer, they would be able to negotiate pricing, with hospitals and with pharmaceutical companies, because right now we pay so much more in the United States for healthcare than any other country industrialized country in the world. It's kind of ridiculous. I mean, we're spending, often, more than two times as much as any other country and not getting results that are even as good as those countries. It's all about the cost.Lisa Kiefer:If you're just tuning in, you're listening to Method to the Madness, a biweekly public affairs show on KALX Berkeley, celebrating Bay area innovators. Today I'm speaking with Eric Leenson. He's the co-director of Business Alliance for a Healthy California. He's working to educate and organize the business community to support universal health care.Eric Leenson:Back to your question, there have been studies done, and serious academic studies. You can imagine, this debate's been going on for decades, and in the case of California, let's just hone in on California.Yes, the cost of cost of healthcare in the system right now, everyone kind of agrees on, is about $400 billion a year. And the opposition, the single payer has done a great job in propagandizing the role of who's paying for what? So they come out with this phenomenal number of increase in taxes.Well, let's walk through the numbers. So let's say it's $400 billion right now. That's $400 billion being spent, where you still have 3 million people in the state that don't have insurance, and you have 14 million people in the state who are underinsured. Under insured means they "have coverage," but the deductibles and the copays are so high, they can't afford to use their insurance. So they don't go for the help they need.Lisa Kiefer:It's just catastrophic, at that point.Eric Leenson:Yeah. Yeah. Well, it often gets a catastrophic, because they're not going on a preventative basis. But what people don't understand is, right now, of that $400 billion, 70% is already being paid by government, 70%, if you add in, you know what the federal government is paying through Medicare, through Medicaid, which is huge, especially in the state of California.What local governments spend, think about it, all the government employees there are in the state. All the firemen, all the policemen, all the teachers, they have health insurance, right? So you're talking about 70%.What you're really looking at funding is 30%. Well, where does that 30% come from? That comes from premiums, and typically, a lot of it is paid for by employers, and some of it's paid for by employees. And some of it is just paid by individuals who aren't employed at all.Well, it's all about how you look at the pie. The numbers show that you could probably insure, you could probably implement a Medicare For All type package in California, for everyone, paying less than what we're paying today. So there's savings in the system. The problem is, where are those savings coming from?And that is, I pay premiums for my health insurance. Is that a tax? I mean, we're playing a little bit of a semantics game. Someone's paying this money. There's $400 billion in the system. That's what we're paying. So why do people say, "Well, if we use single payer, and it costs," let's say, 400 billion, it'll actually costs less than that.Why do they say, "Well, we have to raise all these new taxes?" Well, it's because, instead of paying healthcare premiums, people will pay taxes. That's the difference. So based on studies, serious financial studies, it appears that single payer is financially feasible, without the scare of all these new taxes. The money's there.Lisa Kiefer:But will we continue to get the money from the federal government, if we win on single payer here in California? Or would it be cut off?Eric Leenson:Okay. It is dependent upon continuing to receive the funding that exists in the system today.Lisa Kiefer:Both state and federal.Eric Leenson:Correct. One of the largest stumbling blocks is about the federal portion, because it's not impossible. In fact, it's very likely that Washington, under this administration, would refuse to go along with this. There are what are known as waivers available for states to experiment and do different types of financing within healthcare, still using federal money, but it's got to be approved by the federal government.So it's not impossible. But when people raise the question about, "Well, it's going to be a really hard slog to get this done, because we're not going to have the federal government." Well, the reality is that shouldn't prevent us from doing it.I mean, it's like saying, "Well, we shouldn't regulate our car emissions, because we got to fight the federal government." What's the difference, in some sense? And the reality is, given the breadth and depth of the healthcare system impact on the overall economy, this is not something that's going to happen overnight.So it makes, in my opinion, lots and lots of sense, to get California prepared, to be able to launch a program. And by the time we have the laws in place and things happening, then we'll hopefully have a new type of administration in Washington, and see about those possibilities. But it's going to take time. If we don't start preparing now, we're really going to be caught cold.Lisa Kiefer:Are there other states? There are other states that are experimenting with single payer.Eric Leenson:Not really.Lisa Kiefer:You know, I used to lives in Massachusetts, and that was-Eric Leenson:What? That's Romney Care.Lisa Kiefer:Okay.Eric Leenson:Now, I mean, the difference between single payer is literally, you're taking private insurance companies out of the mix.That's where a lot of the savings come from, because I would contend that they provide no value. What they are are middlemen who collect a revenue, for basically not doing anything, and they game the system so that they can maximize their revenues.This is why you see, I mean, you know, getting into the business part of this... In the 562 bill, because you asked, there were clear provisions within that bill, there's a certain amount of money allocated for job retraining. So you asked about the people-Lisa Kiefer:Yes, whenever there's a disruption, people retrain jobs.Eric Leenson:Yeah. There's tremendous concern. No one wants anyone to get hurt on this, but you know, it's the reality. Okay, well, should we continue hiring longshoreman to unload ships by hand, and not use technology?Lisa Kiefer:Right. So I think you explained what single payer actually is.Eric Leenson:Well, [crosstalk 00:14:29]-Lisa Kiefer:Why don't you say it again, for people who... unless you don't really care.Eric Leenson:Okay, what's really important to understand, single payer is not what people think is "socialized medicine." It's not government control of the services, medical services, that people receive. Right now, the way Medicare works is, the federal government is the financer of this. They set the rules of what can be paid for certain services, devices-Lisa Kiefer:Prescriptions-Eric Leenson:Prescriptions, things like that. Although, unfortunately they can't set the prices for prescriptions.Lisa Kiefer:The Veterans Administration can.Eric Leenson:Yeah, the Veterans only, but it has nothing to do with the actual provision of medical services. So I, as a Medicare recipient, go out and I pick the doctor and the plan that I want, and the government does not control that. And all of the services I receive are run by individual plans, clinics, doctors. It's not owned by the government.So, understand we talk about single payer, it's only the financing part. It's got nothing to do with the benefits that you receive as a consumer. If anything, it will help regulate them, so that you get better services, and you know what you're entitled to, rather than having to play this game.I mean, you probably know, that you can go to eight different hospitals in the same area, if there were eight hospitals, everyone would have a different price.Lisa Kiefer:Right.Eric Leenson:And there's no way of knowing what you're getting, what the value is, and the prices are extreme. It could be 300% more in one place than the other, with absolutely no difference in service, right?Lisa Kiefer:So you've got the support of nurses, and do doctors generally support this too? I would think they would.Eric Leenson:I would say there are a number of doctors who do, and then there are many who don't, because they fear that since the government will regulate pricing, that they may not be as profitable as they were. I would say it kind of breaks down to the primary care physicians, for the most part, are in favor.Think of it this way, in some sense, and I don't want to take this comparison too far. Kaiser's like a single payer. Kaiser has hospitals, Kaiser has medical staff, so they're providing a one-stop service. You Pay Kaiser, and then you have all your medical care taken care of. Unfortunately, Kaiser is also an insurance plan. So Kaiser is against this, because-Lisa Kiefer:And they have high deductibles, depending on what you choose, I mean-Eric Leenson:Yeah. They're an insurance company, and unfortunately, the insurance company kind of dominates, I think, when it comes to the issue of single payer. But no, I think in the cases you're describing, there would be huge benefits.We allow doctors, and you talk to Canadians, doctors for example, who've been here and been there. It says, you know, single payer gives them a chance to really be doctors, instead of administrators and paper pushers.Lisa Kiefer:And I've saw something like this, I watched a wonderful documentary that I got through you.It's called, Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point. And in these next few minutes, you'll see the history of healthcare. It hasn't always been like this.Speaker 3:In 1969, Blue Cross Blue Shield had a community rating. Everybody paid the same rates. It was a truly nonprofit, and in every state, they were, Blue Cross Blue Shields were regulated to serve the public interest. That's what we gave up on.Speaker 4:Some executives at life insurance companies saw an opportunity to come into this area, to come into this space, and make some money. So they came in and started offering cut-rate policies, but only to those who were younger and healthier.Speaker 5:The group of people subscribing to Blue Cross Blue Shield became less and less healthy, more and more expensive, forcing the Blues to raise their rates more and more. And by the late '70s, early '80s, in every state in the union, the old Blue Cross Blue Shield model was dying. These companies were going bankrupt. Nonprofit companies couldn't make it.Speaker 4:For-profit insurance companies over the years became so dominant that they actually controlled, came to control the healthcare system. They bought a lot of the Blue Cross plans. A lot of the Blue Cross plans now are for-profit companies.Speaker 6:The US has, we're on the shortest length of stays in hospitals of any country, and we're told we have to shorten it. We go to the doctor about 4.2 times a year. The Japanese go 13 times. So we're told that we use too much healthcare, and we have to restrict access to save money, when in fact, we're below average when it comes to comparable countries.Speaker 5:The whole system is set up to discourage people from using healthcare.Speaker 7:The insurance companies are specialists at figuring out ways of covering less or paying less, the sicker you are.Speaker 4:So not only are people having to pay more money out of their own pockets for care in these plans, or they're finding that the choice of providers has been narrowed.Speaker 8:As a primary care physician, I have selected the specialists that I'm most comfortable working with. As it stands right now, I've got to say to my staff, "Check if Dr. Brown is a member of this patient's insurance." And so, referrals are so much more limited in the current system.Lisa Kiefer:They interviewed doctors, they interviewed business people, and that was the fascinating part, and I wanted to talk to you about that as how healthcare today affects small and medium-sized businesses. What have you seen as the challenges it presents?Eric Leenson:It's good that you've differentiated small, medium size from really big businesses, because they're two different animals entirely.In the case of small businesses, single payer would be a huge boon to small business.Lisa Kiefer:And why is that?Eric Leenson:Because under the Affordable Care Act, they're, they're not required to have insurance unless they have, I forget the exact numbers, either 25 or 50 employees. So you have a lot of small businesses, let's say 20 employees that basically are on their own, have to deal with the private health insurance market, and simply can't afford to have insurance.So right now, as I recall, of small business, only about 20% provide any health insurance for their employees. And it's not, they don't want to, it's, they really don't think they can afford it. So a single payer plan would really be beneficial to small business. Their employees would therefore have health insurance.So what that means, in the case of small business, is first of all, it gives them a boost in competition. Because right now, what happens, you're a small business, and you can barely pay a wage, but you can't provide benefits. Well, guess what? If you get a good employee, if you're able to get a good employee, qualified employee, as soon as they get an offer at a bigger company that's providing even a comparable wage, but providing benefits, they're gone.Lisa Kiefer:They take it. Because people need benefits.Eric Leenson:People need benefits, because you can't exist in this society.Lisa Kiefer:And they have children, and-Eric Leenson:Right. So, basically, it would sort of level the playing field for them, in a way that doesn't exist today. It would also be a real boon for entrepreneurs. Because a lot of people that would like to start their own businesses don't do it, because they're afraid of leaving where they are, because I have health benefits. And they can't go out on their own, and you know, they're taking a risk already by opening a business. You're doubling that by the question of providing for healthcare.Now I should mention this. I mean, the Affordable Care Act, it was passed,, Obamacare has helped the situation. I mean, a lot of people are able to get health insurance now, that are entrepreneurs, that weren't able to previously. But that's all up in in question.Now this will be tremendously beneficial for small business. Large business is a different story. It's a different story, because again, they have the resources to function within the system. Warren Buffett, the famous investor, has called healthcare the tapeworm of the US economy. You can't have a globally competitive economy that has 20% of the cost of healthcare.I mean, right now, the US businesses that go to Canada, and have the, the single payer system there, you know, are thrilled, because it reduces their costs significantly.Lisa Kiefer:And they can put that money toward capital investments, and-Eric Leenson:Employment, the whole, the whole business.Lisa Kiefer:Yeah.Eric Leenson:But you've got a situation in which, and in fact, there are a lot of initiatives now, starting up, of private companies that are beginning to do their own health insurance.I know there was a very, there's a very famous new grouping formed by Warren Buffett, I'm going to get this wrong, I guess Microsoft, and Citibank, I guess, that is looking into how they can provide health insurance for their combined million employees. Because they can't fathom the present system as being so expensive, that it's just not workable for them.Lisa Kiefer:And so, what you, backing up to what you said about large. So you're saying, it doesn't affect large businesses so much, because they have so much more moneyEric Leenson:Well, it does. I mean, it's gotten to the point where it is affecting large business so much, that they're looking for alternative solutions, but at the same time, they're not really interested in doing a generalized single payer type route for the whole society. They believe, first of all, for the businesses that don't want to do single payer, they believe they can handle it regardless, because of their incomes.And the other thing that's important is, a lot of the larger businesses, especially in like a Silicon Valley situation, they use health benefits as a perk to get employees, to attract employees. So there are a lot of large companies that don't want to give up the control of healthcare, because they see that as a way they provide value for their employees-Lisa Kiefer:Right.Eric Leenson:In a competitive mode. The other aspect is, you know, ideologically, there's generally a distrust of government. And even though you can show the numbers till you're blue in the face, they're going to raise this as, "Well, you know, we prefer a private enterprise solution. We don't trust government. The quality's going to be bad. Who's going to really be responsible?"So those are the issues. But at the same time, as I started to say, it's gotten so out of control, the costs, have gotten so out of control, that businesses now are beginning to set up their own alternative systems, in which they will negotiate the prices of services.For example, now you have companies that are contracting with specialized hospitals around the country, whereby, if one of their employees needs a specialized operation, they send them to that hospital rather than a local hospital.Lisa Kiefer:To most people here, it's a no brainer. Is there anything that could go awry with a single payer system here? What could go wrong?Eric Leenson:What could go wrong?Lisa Kiefer:Yeah.Eric Leenson:The people putting it together could be incompetent, and really not make it as efficient or as beneficial for the general population. I mean, it's got to be done carefully. It's complex. You run into a situation where you're now giving all these wonderful benefits to citizens. What happens in the case of an economic downturn? The government's on the hook now.Lisa Kiefer:Yes, in this case, it would be the state of California.Eric Leenson:Well, if there were single payer in California.Lisa Kiefer:Yeah.Eric Leenson:Yes, yes.Lisa Kiefer:And Jerry Brown had said that he, in 10 years, he predicted a serious downturn.Eric Leenson:Right.Lisa Kiefer:I don't know what he was basing that on specifically, but-Eric Leenson:Right. But then, I think it's important to look at values. I mean, you look at what a government is for, what our society should stand for. Well, it seems to me, that healthcare is a right, that everyone should have access to good healthcare. And if you have to pay for it, well guess what? You have to pay for it. And you figure out how a society should do that.Maybe there are other parts of the budget that are not so important as healthcare might be, especially for people that don't have any, or are really underserved.Lisa Kiefer:Well, what is it people should be looking at?Eric Leenson:We have the elections coming up now in November. I would really encourage people to look at the candidates, and what their standards are on this issue of single payer.And again, unfortunately, you have to go below the surface, because rhetorically, all the Democrats are going to be it. But within the Democrats, you have people that really want to push it now, and others who are gradualists, that say, "Look, we can't do anything for the foreseeable future. It's not worth the time."Well, that I think that's a defeatist attitude that we have to, you know, look out against. I mean, I know, here in this Assembly race, we have a situation like that, where there's one candidate who probably is mouthing the words, because they sound good, and one who's really serious about it. Then I would say, once the elections happen, to really hold people's feet to the fire, if they're elected based on the fact that they're going to do something, really, don't let them get away without doing anything. Just sort of, you know, work.There'll be groups organized to put pressure on legislators to continue to fight for it. I mean, again, it's going to be a process. There's so many stakeholders involved in this issue. There needs to be coming together of the various groupings.And one thing that has happened, you're probably not aware of, is that in the last budget, there was a $5 million allocated to set up a commission to study how to implement what they call unified healthcare financing. Now, they specifically didn't say single payer, but we believe the intention is to certainly consider single payer within that. Because it'd be very interesting to see-Lisa Kiefer:You're not involved in that-Eric Leenson:How it goes.Lisa Kiefer:Are you, on that committee?Eric Leenson:Oh, no, no, no. This is going to be, this is a five-person committee, that three people were selected by the Governor, one by the Assembly, and one by the Senate, and we're hoping to get at least one strong single payer representative on that grouping.We're going have to see, because again, it could be, we've seen it before. This could be a bluff, where they put together a commission to study something, which means, "Okay, we don't have to deal with it for two or three years."Lisa Kiefer:"We're still studying it."Eric Leenson:Because we've got a commission going on it, right?Lisa Kiefer:Yeah. Well, Eric, if people have questions for you, or do you have a website you would direct them to?Eric Leenson:Sure. They can go to the Business Alliance for a Healthy California.Lisa Kiefer:And I have to say it's a good website. That's where I found the link to the documentary, Fix it. I really highly recommend it to anyone, and you can watch it on Vimeo, online and everything, and-Eric Leenson:And we're sort of in the, in the process of repositioning, because as I say, things are going to change dramatically, once we see who become the new elected officials, particularly on the Governor's side, and the poss... It's going to open up a whole, especially if Gavin Newsom wins election, a whole new set of possibilities to be explored about really trying to do something positive.Lisa Kiefer:Well, thank you for being on the program.Eric Leenson:Sure. Thank you.Lisa Kiefer:You've been listening to Method to the Madness, a biweekly public affairs show on KALX Berkeley, celebrating Bay area innovators. You can find all of our podcasts on iTunes University. We'll be back again in two weeks. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Laugh, learn and listen to Nurse Talk Radio on Progressive Voices Tune In. You can download the PV APP @http://www.progressivevoices.com. On the show this week is RN Jane Sandoval. Jane worked closely with a team of dedicated nurses from National Nurses United, California Nurses Association and law makers to pass legislation that makes it mandatory for healthcare facility employers to subscribe to Workplace Violence Prevention measures. Nurses are hoping this will become a model for the nation. And, we visit with California State Director of Compassion and Choices, Matt Whitaker. Compassion and Choices, is the organization leading the state and national campaigns to pass End of Life Option Legislation.

California healthcare employers are required by law to have comprehensive, unit-specific workplace violence prevention plans in place by April 1, 2018. National Nurses United and California Nurses Association fought long and hard for these protections. RN Jane Sandoval visits with Nurse Talk Radio about the importance of these protections.

We go deep into health care this episode with Phillip Kim, a member of the California Nurses Association and of Democratic Socialists of America, Sacramento Chapter, who's part of local campaigns to get single payer rolling in California. If you've ever thought that getting health care should be as easy as entering a hospital, this is the episode for you. Big thanks to our featured musicians for this episode, Be Brave Bold Robot, a local folky-rocky-rappy-all-sorts-of-stuff band that's been out there pushing boundaries for years. The intro and outro songs are from their latest, But to Hate God Do Get a Hot Tub. (Incredible name.) The interstitial song is from their 2010 album, Take a Deep Breath. Check out their stuff here. As for our health care notes and links, get ready because this is an outright deluge: If you want more information about joining the state Medicare for All movement or have general questions, you can reach Phillip Kim at pkim@calnurses.org and join the Healthy CA email list at www.healthycaliforniaact.org/join-email-list. If you're thinking about the choice between socialism and barbarism, you can learn more about the Sacramento chapter of Democratic Socialists of America here: www.sacdsa.org; www.facebook.com/DSA.Sacramento. Phil also mentioned his other group, the Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento, which you can find here: http://wellstonedems.org; www.facebook.com/WellstoneDems. Phil would also like to note that a doctor or other health care provider interested in joining these struggles can email Keith McCallin at californianfromjersey@gmail.com or Dr. William Bronston at williambronstonmd@gmail.com to learn more about the Sacramento chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program: www.pnhp.org.

For the full show notes visit https://jeffagostinelli.com/podcast/bonniekelly/  What does it mean to seek better than the norm, to truly live an extraordinary life? Our life experiences and the meaning we attach to them create who we are and shape our reality. Bonnie opens this beautifully by saying "what you believe is what you perceive." On our journey to becoming whole, addressing our deeply held beliefs about who we are is the springboard for true healing and creating the life you envision. Bonnie Kelly teaches people how to de-weed their minds of underlying Negative Core Beliefs and cultivate a beautiful garden of emotional health and balance. As an author, personal development and emotional intelligence expert, motivational speaker and founder of Bonnie Kelly & Associates and MindFu Academy™, Bonnie has dedicated her life to helping others stop the cycle of self-sabotage. From her experiences as an abused child to her life on the streets as a teen to being in and out of jail and rehab, she has experienced life's lowest points firsthand. When she hit rock bottom, she became determined to change her life for the better. Now, she is supporting individuals, groups and businesses in understanding what it means to operate from a place of emotional clarity and wellness. Corporate groups she has worked with include Genetech, Union Pacific, California Nurses Association, Solano County Probation Department, Benicia USD, Keller Williams and Brandman University. At the heart of Bonnie's work is her year long Emotional Resilience Training program, which helps people end patterns of unconscious self-sabotage and transform their lives for the better. Her new book is entitled, “True to Your Core: Uncovering the Subconscious Beliefs Wreaking Havoc in Your Life.” Today we dive into Bonnie's book, True to Your Core and unpack what it means to create an extraordinary life. In this episode you'll learn How to let go of the old programming that leads to mental and emotional suffering Ways to “win the war of your worth” by turning down the critical inner voice Understanding how your emotional state impacts your decisions, actions, and the people around you Ways to unpack and rewire the subconscious beliefs that make you feel unworthy How to move forward and find a new path after losing your identity Why the muscles of self-development need to be trained on a regular basis Strategies to overcome procrastination and avoid self-sabotage How to make sure you don't settle for a less than extraordinary life and MORE…

Ready to get out of your own way and on with your life? I had the best interview with Bonnie Kelly on this episode of the SWP! We chatted the power of association, living your highest truth, changing your negative beliefs to positive beliefs and following your bliss!   Bonnie Kelly teaches people how to de-weed their minds of underlying Negative Core Beliefs and cultivate a beautiful garden of emotional health and balance. As an author, personal development and emotional intelligence expert, motivational speaker and founder of Bonnie Kelly & Associates and MindFu Academy™, Bonnie has dedicated her life to helping others stop the cycle of self-sabotage. From her experiences as an abused child to her life on the streets as a teen to being in and out of jail and rehab, she has experienced life's lowest points firsthand. When she hit rock bottom, she became determined to change her life for the better. Now, she is supporting individuals, groups and businesses in understanding what it means to operate from a place of emotional clarity and wellness. Corporate groups she has worked with include Genetech, Union Pacific, California Nurses Association, Solano County Probation Department, Benicia USD, Keller Williams and Brandman University. At the heart of Bonnie's work is her year long Emotional Resilience Training program, which helps people end patterns of unconscious self-sabotage and transform their lives for the better. Her new book is entitled, “True to Your Core: Uncovering the Subconscious Beliefs Wreaking Havoc in Your Life.” For more information, visit www.BonnieKelly.meand www.MindFuAcademy.com. Let's get deeper and play bigger in the I AM WORTHY Community! Come join me and our thousands-strong tribe of Spirit Rebels.   Visit Bonnie's website: http://bonniekelly.me/ Connect with Bonnie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnie.kelly123 Take the FREE 5-Day I AM WORTHY Challenge and let's raise your money vibes and charge your worth. Join the Tribe! www.ryanyokome.com/worthy See you in the community spirit homie! Much Love, Ryan Yokome Breakthrough Coaching PS: We would love to hear from you! For questions, coaching, or to book interviews, please email my assistant Brandi at brandi@ryanyokome.com  

SB 562 needs you! Don Nielsen, Director of Government Relations for California Nurses Association joins Nurse Talk Radio for an update on SB 562 the Healthy California Act. There is still time to call your California Assembly Members and tell them to support the bill. Why did Assembly Speaker Rendon table it? Listen to the podcast for the latest news.

A few weeks ago Executive Director of California Nurses Association, National Nurses United RoseAnn DeMoro spoke at the State Democratic Convention. Let's just say--she didn't mince her words and delivered a strong and forceful message to the crowd. Here are some of her comments.

This week on Nurse Talk Radio --How important is public policy and protective legislation for nurses and patients? Life saving is the answer. During the last two years alone nurses represented by California Nurses Association and National Nurses United fought to author and pass state and national legislation that includes “Safe RN-to Patient Staffing Ratio’s, and California’s Ballot Proposition 61, also known as the Drug Price Relief Act. Along with these bills, California State Legislation that was introduced and/or passed included: SB 1076, OBSERVATION UNITS, AB 2272 STOPPING TOXIC PLUMES IN OPERATING ROOMS, and the adoption of CALOSHA Regulations to Prevent Workplace Violence. With us this week is Lead Legislative Lobbyist for California Nurses Association, Stephanie Roberson.

This week on Nurse Talk and WIN(Workers Independent News) --How important is public policy and protective legislation to nurses and patients? Life saving is the answer. During the last two years alone nurses represented by California Nurses Association and National Nurses United fought to author and pass state and national legislation that includes “Safe RN-to Patient Staffing Ratio’s, and California’s Ballot Proposition 61, also known as the Drug Price Relief Act. Along with these bills, California State Legislation that was introduced and/or passed included: SB 1076, OBSERVATION UNITS, AB 2272 STOPPING TOXIC PLUMES IN OPERATING ROOMS, and the adoption of CALOSHA Regulations to Prevent Workplace Violence. With us this week is Lead Legislative Lobbyist for California Nurses Association, Stephanie Roberson.

Nurse Talk's "Progressive Healthcare In America" contributor Donna Smith talks about the passage of California Senate Bill SB 1076 (observation status") and what it does to insure patient protection. The law is sponsored by California Nurses Association and National Nurses United. The bill SB 1076 makes certain hospitals provide quality care while ensuring staffing levels that keep patients safe, irrespective of how a patient is classified."

This week on Nurse Talk... California Nurses Association Legislative Advocate Stephanie Roberson joins us to talk about the "making of a law" and the critical importance of legislation such as the landmark nurse to patient ratios bill passed in California in 1999.

This week California Nurses Association endorses Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for Governor, Donna Smith talks BIG PHARMA mergers, and Obamacare Exchanges....and we play "Don't Wait Tell Me Now" our Nurse Talk 'signature' quiz.

This week ..California Nurses Association endorses Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for Governor, Donna Smith talks BIG PHARMA mergers, and Obamacare Exchanges....and we play "Don't Wait Tell Me Now" our Nurse Talk 'signature' quiz.

USF Professor of Public Health, Barbara Sattler leads a revealing 2 part discussion about a growing national movement which includes nurses (California Nurses Association). The intent is to shine a public light on the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as Fracking, and its adverse health risks.

USF Professor of Public Health, Barbara Sattler leads a revealing 2 part discussion about a growing national movement which includes nurses (California Nurses Association). The intent is to shine a public light on the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as Fracking, and its adverse health risks.

Part 3 of Don Nielsen, Director of Government Relations for California Nurses Association. Don explains AB305, Gender Bias Compensation bill.

This week, we talk with the feisty and effective executive director of the California Nurses Association and Nurses United, RoseAnn DeMoro, about ebola, Robin Hood taxes and the problem with doctors.  Plus, Tanaka airbag update and listener questions.

California Nurses Association (18,000 RN's) rolled up their sleeves and went to the bargaining table but where was Kaiser? No where to be found. AND, veteran Bay Area Reporter, Jeannie Lynch joins Nurse Talk for a special interview with Dr. Steven J. Russell. Dr. Russell is leading the Bionic Pancreas Trials at Mass. General. All this week on Nurse Talk

Pam Allen spells out the latest Supreme Court anti union ruling in Harris v Quinn”. Everyone should be concerned about this decision. Listen to Nurse Talk at www.nursetalksite.com

We do have a great show this week. We are joined by California RN Sherri Stoddard, a veteran nurse with 31 years of labor and delivery on her resume. Sherri is passionate about her career and no less passionate about the health of her community and the country. She talks with us about the health and safety effects of the proposed Keystone Pipeline, and why nurses and healthcare professionals are opposed to it. Whether you are for or against the pipeline, the truth is there are short and long term health and environmental effects that all of us should be aware of. Sherri Stoddard also sits on the Board of Directors of the California Nurses Association. Read more...

A show so important we are playing it again. California RN Sherri Stoddard, a veteran nurse with 31 years of labor and delivery on her resume. Sherri is passionate about her career and no less passionate about the health of her community and the country. She talks with us about the health and safety effects of the proposed Keystone Pipeline, and why nurses and healthcare professionals are opposed to it. Whether you are for or against the pipeline, the truth is there are short and long term health and environmental effects that all of us should be aware of. Sherri Stoddard also sits on the Board of Directors of the California Nurses Association. And later—Bay Area health and fitness legend, Joanie Greggains will be in studio with us. Joanie will talk about her new segment called “Fit Happens.” The segment is heard only on Nurse Talk. Read more...

This week on Nurse Talk: Lynn Ruth Miller What’s it like to be a stand up comedian traveling the world? Oh..did we mention…an 80 year old stand up comedian traveling the world? Our resident comedian, Lynn Ruth Miller, is with us to talk about what keeps her young at her ripe age and how laughter saved her life.   Safe Lift Bill We’ll also visit with Marti Smith, RN Government Relations Lead for the California Nurses Association. Marti will talk about why hospitals are not complying with California’s Safe Lift Bill (AB 1136) passed in January of 2012. Is this something we non-medical people should be concerned about? YES! Trust us when we say you do not want to be dropped on your next hospital visit! Is this possible? Yes, indeed, so stick around and find out why you should know about your neighborhood hospital’s “safe lift” policy. Read more...

Safe Lift Bill We’ll also visit with Marti Smith, RN Government Relations Lead for the California Nurses Association. Marti will talk about why hospitals are not complying with California’s Safe Lift Bill (AB 1136) passed in January of 2012. Is this something we non-medical people should be concerned about? YES! Trust us when we say you do not want to be dropped on your next hospital visit! Is this possible? Yes, indeed, so stick around and find out why you should know about your neighborhood hospital’s “safe lift” policy. Read more...

A look at the concerns about The Affordable Care Act from those who work for hospital corps. This week Michael Lighty, Director of Public Policy for California Nurses Association,  joins us to talk about why he thinks the Affordable Care Act is “Bad Medicine” for nurses. The article, “Bad Medicine” recently appeared in the National Nurse Magazine and states, “…the biggest health reform of our lifetime does little to rein in healthcare corporations and insurers. Instead, it shifts even more in costs onto workers who can’t afford it and, at the same time, threatens the practice of registered nursing.” Professor Shayne! Nurses, we may send you mixed messages from time to time but now is (honestly) a great time to consider getting a master’s degree. And we have the best program in the nation (maybe we are prejudice since our co-host Shayne Mason just happens to be an instructor) to share with you. Read more...

California Nurses Association’ s Government Relations Lead Marti Smith talks about enforcement of the California Safe Lift Bill. The bill, AB 1136, was passed into law in January of 2012 yet some California hospitals are still not in compliance. Read more...

A look at the concerns about The Affordable Care Act from those who work for hospital corps. This week Michael Lighty, Director of Public Policy for California Nurses Association,  joins us to talk about why he thinks the Affordable Care Act is “Bad Medicine” for nurses. The article, “Bad Medicine” recently appeared in the National Nurse Magazine and states, “…the biggest health reform of our lifetime does little to rein in healthcare corporations and insurers. Instead, it shifts even more in costs onto workers who can’t afford it and, at the same time, threatens the practice of registered nursing.” Read more...

A look at the concerns about The Affordable Care Act from those who work for hospital corps. This week Michael Lighty, Director of Public Policy for California Nurses Association,  joins us to talk about why he thinks the Affordable Care Act is “Bad Medicine” for nurses. The article, “Bad Medicine” recently appeared in the National Nurse Magazine and states, “…the biggest health reform of our lifetime does little to rein in healthcare corporations and insurers. Instead, it shifts even more in costs onto workers who can’t afford it and, at the same time, threatens the practice of registered nursing.” Read more...

Nurses care for patients everyday that struggle with health crises aggravated by environmental pollution in its many forms. As a society we need to reduce the effects of environmental factors including climate change that are making people sick and endangering the future for our children. We are joined by California RN Sherri Stoddard, a veteran nurse with 31 years of labor and delivery on her resume. Sherri is passionate about her career and no less passionate about the health of her community and the country. She talks with us about the health and safety effects of the proposed Keystone Pipeline, and why nurses and healthcare professionals are opposed to it. Whether you are for or against the pipeline, the truth is there are short and long term health and environmental effects that all of us should be aware of. Sherri Stoddard also sits on the Board of Directors of the California Nurses Association. Read more...

Casey and Joanie visit with RN and CNA President’s Council member, Zenei Cortez about the CNA Nursing Angels Family Fund established by the California Nurses Association for the victims of the horrible limousine fire that occurred on the San Mateo Bridge here in Northern California. The news of the death of two RNs and three other caregivers in the tragic limousine fire brought deep sadness to everyone. Zenei will talk about the fund and how people can donate. * For more information about this topic visit calnurses.org. Read more...

Nurses care for patients everyday that struggle with health crises aggravated by environmental pollution in its many forms. As a society we need to reduce the effects of environmental factors including climate change that are making people sick and endangering the future for our children. We are joined by California RN Sherri Stoddard, a veteran nurse with 31 years of labor and delivery on her resume. Sherri is passionate about her career and no less passionate about the health of her community and the country. She talks with us about the health and safety effects of the proposed Keystone Pipeline, and why nurses and healthcare professionals are opposed to it. Whether you are for or against the pipeline, the truth is there are short and long term health and environmental effects that all of us should be aware of. Sherri Stoddard also sits on the Board of Directors of the California Nurses Association. Read more...

Casey and Joanie visit with RN and CNA President’s Council member, Zenei Cortez about the CNA Nursing Angels Family Fund established by the California Nurses Association for the victims of the horrible limousine fire that occurred on the San Mateo Bridge here in Northern California. The news of the death of two RNs and three other caregivers in the tragic limousine fire brought deep sadness to everyone. Zenei will talk about the fund and how people can donate. For more information about this topic visit calnurses.org. Read more...

We are joined by California RN Sherri Stoddard, a veteran nurse with 31 years of labor and delivery on her resume. Sherri is passionate about her career and no less passionate about the health of her community and the country. She talks with us about the health and safety effects of the proposed Keystone Pipeline, and why nurses and healthcare professionals are opposed to it. Whether you are for or against the pipeline, the truth is there are short and long term health and environmental effects that all of us should be aware of. Sherri Stoddard also sits on the Board of Directors of the California Nurses Association. Read more...

Casey and Joanie visit with RN and CNA President’s Council member, Zenei Cortez about the CNA Nursing Angels Family Fund established by the California Nurses Association for the victims of the horrible limousine fire that occurred on the San Mateo Bridge here in Northern California. The news of the death of two RNs and three other caregivers in the tragic limousine fire brought deep sadness to everyone. Zenei will talk about the fund and how people can donate. For more information about this topic visit calnurses.org. Read more...

Our guest, RN and Director of Government Relations for CNA, Bonnie Castillo talks about a new bill, AB 975 that aims to press California non-profit hospitals to fulfill their charity care obligation in exchange for the substantial public financing they receive through their tax-exempt status. It  passed its first hurdle last Tuesday in the California Assembly Health Committee, overcoming opposition from California’s biggest hospital corporations and its allies. The bill won broad support in the committee hearing from nurse members of the California Nurses Association who attended the hearing in a sea of red scrubs. And Bay Area health and fitness expert Joanie Greggains joins Casey and Shayne this week for her monthly house calls to the Nurse Talk studio to answer listener questions…including this one about facial fat transfers… Read more...

Why should anyone care about legislative bills that have to do with healthcare and staffing? Sounds boring? Not so fast! AB 975 Charity Care? Check it out. Or maybe SB 631 Observation Study? You don’t want to end up in a hallway at the hospital for over 24 hours do you? Listen as we check in to see what the California Nurses Association has been doing lately to fight for nurses and their patients. We have with us Stephanie Roberson the lead lobbyist for CNA working in the Governmental Relations department in Sacramento, Calif. Stephanie has been working with the nurses since 2007. Read more...

Nancy Duranteau, artist; Deborah Burger, California Nurses Association, Send a Nurse to Haiti Fundraiser; Pastor Greggory L. Brown, Martin King event; Avotcja, Pat Parker Event

This episode covers the dismissal of the Premiere Medical Management liens in the amount of $70 million. The SCIF announces the resignation of Janet Frank. The California Nurses Association surveyed hospitals and determined there is a high risk of health workers being infected with H1N1 virus. The California DIR prevailed in a sexual harassment suit. The CWCI issued a Spotlight Report on Schedule II prescription drug costs. Utah "meth-cops" are having difficulty filing claims for injury resulting from methamphetamine exposure during arrests. Adam Dombchik, partner with the Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation firm Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton and Goldstein, has been named President of the California Applicants' Attorneys Association leadership team (CAAA) for 2009-2010.

Physicians are taking a stand for a single-payer health care system for all. They say a public plan that cuts out for-profit insurers is the only way to fix our health care woes. Featuring:  Michael Lighty, California Nurses Association; Oliver Fein, Physicians National Health Program president; Elizabeth Frost, Physicians National Health Program; U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.).   The post Making Contact – July 17, 2009 appeared first on KPFA.

Geri Jenkins, Co-President of the California Nurses Association, discusses Single Payer - Medicare for All - An Economic Stimulus Plan for the Nation. Ms. Jenkins describes how a single-payer system would create 2.8 million jobs and more than 300 billion dollars in new revenues to the U.S. econnomy. A single-payer system would provide health insurance to all Americans, including children as well as families living below the poverty line.

Geri Jenkins, Co-President of the California Nurses Association, discusses Single Payer - Medicare for All - An Economic Stimulus Plan for the Nation. Ms. Jenkins describes how a single-payer system would create 2.8 million jobs and more than 300 billion dollars in new revenues to the U.S. econnomy. A single-payer system would provide health insurance to all Americans, including children as well as families living below the poverty line.

After Doug Henwood's usual opening commentary on the economic news, Michael Lighty of the California Nurses Association joins Henwood to talk about the economic impact of the health care sector, and the effects of a transition to a single-payer system. In the second half-hour, economic journalists Nomi Prins and Max Fraad Wolff talk about the economic/financial crisis. Doug HenwoodProducer, Behind the NewsThursdays, 5-6 PM, WBAI, New York 99.5 FMSaturdays, 10-11 AM, KPFA, Berkeley 94.1 FM"best music on a show about economics & politics" – Village Voice   The post Behind the News with Doug Henwood – The economic impact of the health care sector – January 17, 2009 at 10:00am appeared first on KPFA.

Bill Moyers Journal profiles the fight the California Nurses Association (CNA) has been waging over universal healthcare. "There shouldn't be a double standard," says Rose Ann DeMoro, executive director of CNA. "We, as the public, pay for Dick Cheney's care...why is the government not providing the same type of care to all Americans?"

Richard Holober has served as Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of California since 2001. In 2002, he co-founded Californians for Privacy Now, which was instrumental in winning the nation's strongest Financial Privacy Law (Senate Bill 1 of 2003). In his work with the Consumer Federation, he has advocated for legislation to expand health care patient rights, to protect the public from defective products, for food safety laws, and for stronger protections against fraudulent sales practices. Prior to joining the Consumer Federation of California, Richard served for over 20 years in leadership positions in the labor movement He served as a Legislative Advocate for the California Labor Federation for 13 years. In 1995 he founded the Liveable Wage Coalition and served as full time manager of the Proposition 210 campaign, which raised California's minimum wage by 35%. He has served as Political Director for the California Nurses Association and Southern California Director for US Senator Alan Cranston. Richard is a Trustee of the San Mateo County Community College District. He was elected in 1997, and re-elected in 2001 and 2005. Richard was elected to the Millbrae School Board in 1993, and served four years. www.consumercal.org

David Brancaccio speaks to Rose Ann DeMoro of the California Nurses Association about an important new labor ruling.

The impact of Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts on health services in California. Guest Carl Boice, spokesman for the California Nurses Association. Joy Moore Guest Hosts. The post About Health – January 12, 2004 appeared first on KPFA.