Welcome

     This is the home on the web of Chicago's pro-single-payer movement. We are a group of ordinary citizens that all share the belief that the current health care system is broken, and that the best way to fix it is to establish a publicly run Health Services Board that replaces private insurers as the payers of medical costs.

     Although the term "single-payer" has become more and more common in recent months, many people still may be unfamiliar with it. We encourage you to explore the links on the left to learn more about the system that we sincerely believe can save both lives and dollars. 

     Be sure to check back often to check for updates about meetings and upcoming events!   

Join CSPAN's Mailing List to get info about meetings, events and news! Just fill in the fields below and click 'Submit'.   

Or, Write us at chisinglepayer@gmail.com                  

Recent News and Announcements

02/03/2008 - Here are two great videos related to single-payer (one about the national legislation for single-payer, the other about the single-payer movement in Chicago):

"HR676 - The Single Payer Solution, Part 1 of 4"

 

"Labor Beat - SINGLE PAYER: THE SIMMERING STRUGGLE"

 

About the above video:

The leading slate of Democratic Party Presidential candidates have
proposed free-market answers to the health insurance tragedies most of us know are caused by the for-profit nature of the American health care system.

Since the release of Michael Moore's film SiCKO in 2007, the debate
about the lack of access to health care has come to the fore. A
national movement has sprung up to demand that the United States adopt a "single-payer," government-sponsored system like those in much of the industrial world. In this episode of Labor Beat, we feature the dynamics of that growing movement in Chicago, including actions by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Organization and the Chicago Single-Payer Action Network, in 2007 and 2008. The episode runs 29 minutes.

To see in full quality, watch it on CAN TV, Chicago cable TV Channel 19:

Thurs., Feb. 7, 9:30 pm
Fri., Feb 8, 4:30 pm
Thurs., Feb. 14, 9:30 pm
Fri., Feb. 15, 4:30 pm

To order a DVD: $15 by PayPal, go to www.laborbeat.org/3/forml604.htm
and fill out the form with your mailing address, and title of the DVD
"Single-Payer: The Simmering Struggle." You can also order by sending
a check for $15 to:
Labor Beat, 37 S. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60607.

Produced by Labor Beat. Labor Beat is a CAN TV Community Partner.

01/11/2008 - Below are some of the things ChiSPAN is currently working on.  We welcome participation and ideas from everyone!  Simply come to our next meeting or call us at 312.714.5154.

• We are planning local Actions along with Single-Payer groups across the country in solidarity with national Single-Payer organization Healthcare-NOW ( healthcare-now.org).
  
  
• We are going on a tour of public libraries with Michael Moore's film about the US health care system, SICKO.
  
  
• We are partnering with AMSA (American Medical Students Association) to give Single-Payer presentations to businesses and organizations.

01/11/2008- Rally against insurance giant Cigna and in support of the Health Care for All Illinois Act (HB 311) in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The demonstration will take place Tuesday, January 15, at 4:30 p.m. in front of Cigna Headquarters, 525 West Monroe , at Canal St. The demonstration is sponsored by the National Nurses Organizing Committee, Health Care for All Illinois, Physicians for a National Health Program, and Chicago Single Payer Action Network.

Speakers include:

• • Rep Mary Flowers
    • Chair of the Illinois House Health Committee and Chief Sponsor of HB 311
      
      
  • John Laesch (invited)
    • Single-Payer Supporter and Candidate for Congress (14th District)
      
      
  • Helen Redmond and Elizabeth Lalasz
    • Chicago Single Payer Action Network

01/10/2008 - It's a new year and ChiSPAN is excited to continue fighting for our health care justice!

11/23/2007 - ChiSPAN will be putting on a free viewing of Michael Moore's SiCKO on December 4th at 6 PM. Click here for more info.

10/14/2007 - Al Gore announced his support for a national single-payer system. In a video posted on current.com, Al Gore states unequivocally, "I strongly support universal, single-payer, government provided or government funded health care". As a recent Nobel Prize winner and environmental activist, ChiSPAN applauds Gore's endorsement.

Click the image below to run the video.