Montana MEA-MFT Endorses HR 676, President Speaks at Single
Payer Rally

Montana MEA-MFT Endorses HR 676, President Speaks at Single Payer
Rally

The largest union in Montana has endorsed HR 676, single payer health
care legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

The Montana Education Association (MEA) and the Montana Federation of
Teachers (MFT) merged in 2000 and are joint affiliates of both NEA and
AFT. The Representative Assembly of MEA-MFT has twice endorsed HR 676.

In 2008 the MEA-MFT was instrumental in getting the Montana AFL-CIO to
endorse HR 676 and to renew its endorsement in 2009.

Eric Feaver, President of the MEA-MFT, said: ‘Basically we know as
well as any union how ridiculous and unsustainable our nation¹s
reliance on employer provided health care insurance is. We are not
interested in promoting more growth in insurance companies. We want
quality health care for all at a price all can afford to pay.’

President Feaver spoke June 5th at one of five single payer rallies
held outside the district offices of Max Baucus, Montana¹s senior
senator and Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. You can see and hear Feaver¹s
speech at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA9z_3gvbqs #30#

HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding
a greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the U. S.

HR 676 would cover every person for all necessary medical care
including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services,
primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental
health, home health, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for
substance abuse), vision care, hearing services including hearing
aids, chiropractic, durable medical equipment, palliative care, and long term care.

HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments. HR 676 would save hundreds
of billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of
the private health insurance industry and HMOs.

In the current Congress, HR 676 has 83 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced SB 703, a single payer
bill in the Senate.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 541 union organizations in 49 states
including
128 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state
AFL-CIO’s (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC,
MO, MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA,
AK, MI, MT, NE, NY, NV & MA).

For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample
endorsement resolution, contact:

Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care–HR 676 c/o Nurses
Professional Organization (NPO)