Addison County People's Forum on Healthcare

When: 3-5pm, Sunday, Jan 10th

Hhere: Bixby Memorial Library, 258 Main St., Vergennes

What: This public event with Addison County state legislators including the House Committee on Healthcare Rep. Steve Maier will explore the how Vermont can establish healthcare as a basic human right and win single-payer healthcare in 2010. It is being organized by the Addison County Organizing Committee of the Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign, a project of the Vermont Workers' Center that seeks to change what is politically possible in healthcare reform efforts through grassroots organizing.

On December 1st, a similar event will held at St. Michael's College with Chittenden County legislators including Vermont State Senator Doug Racine who Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee could participate. Other Forums were held in Montpelier, Bennington, Brattleboro, Burlington, Rutland, Danville, St. Albans and Morrisville. The "Healthcare Is A Human Right" Campaign's long-term goal is a universal system where health care is recognized as a public good and provided collectively, rather than a marketplace commodity, and where the human right to health of all residents. Through these community forums the Vermont Workers' Center hopes to voice everyday Vermonter's values and visions for a universal system while urging our legislators to take the lead and make Vermont the first state to provide health care as a public good. The only legislation that has been introduced into the Vermont State Legislature for the 2009-2010 session that meets these standards are two bills, H.100 and S.88. On May 1st, 2009 the Vermont Workers' Center organized a "Healthcare Is A Human Right Rally" at the Statehouse which with over twelve hundred participants is considered the largest weekday rally at Vermont's state capitol in history.

More information: www.workerscenter.org/healthcare or call James Haslam at 802-272-0882.
-END-