Hugh Foy
Hugh Foy
Seattle social security protest
Approximately 75 spirited protesters celebrated the 57th anniversary of the enactment of Medicare in Seattle on Friday, July 29 2022, with a picket line and rally outside the Columbia Center chanting, “Whose Medicare? Our Medicare!” and “Medicare is not for profit! Keep your corporate hands off it!”
The Seattle rally and picket line was initiated by Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action and co-sponsored by Health Care is a Human Right Washington, Voices for Health and Healing, and Physicians for a National Health Program WA. Most of the crowd were from King County, reinforced by members from Clallam County, Everett, San Juan Island, Whidbey Island, Bainbridge Island, Vashon Island, and Kitsap Peninsula.
PSARA Co-President Jeff Johnson, retired president of the Washington State Labor Council, chaired the rally, leading the crowd in chanting, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, ACO REACH has got to go!”
PSARA Executive Board member Rick Timmins of Whidbey Island told the rally that it took seven months for his for-profit Medicare Advantage provider to approve treatment of a tumor on his earlobe.
PSARA Education Fund President Robby Stern pointed out that Seattle-based Amazon has dived into the ACO REACH feeding frenzy, purchasing “One Medical” and its subsidiary “Iora” in a $3.9 billion cash buyout.
Faye Guenther, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 3000 representing 50,000 grocery store workers in Washington State, charged that Wall Street banks and corporations “are getting their greedy fingers into health care. Greed does not help.”
Rachel Berkson, an aide to Rep. Pramila Jayapal, thanked the crowd for supporting Jayapal, who has recruited 54 of her House colleagues to sign a letter to Biden and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra demanding ACO REACH termination.
Seattle City Councilwoman Theresa Mosqueda thundered, “How many times do we have to stand here and say: ‘Don’t privatize Medicare?’” She led the crowd in a chant, “Hands off Medicare! Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security are here to stay.”
Other speakers included Katie Garrow, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of MLK Labor, a central council with 150 unions representing over 100,000 workers, and Dr. Hugh Foy, retired surgeon from Harborview Hospital and the UW Medical system. Both strongly defended Medicare, denouncing privatization and calling for a single-payer Medicare for All system.
A delegation of three—PSARA Co-President Karen Richter, Health Care Is A Human Right WA leader David Loud, and Timmins—went up for a meeting with Regional Director Ulrey and the Division Director of CMS. The group delivered a demand to Ulrey’s boss, Becerra, that the Biden administration terminate ACO REACH and all other schemes to privatize Medicare. Ulrey agreed to share our concerns with Becerra.[1]
80th anniversary of Social Security
80th anniversary of Social Security celebration in Seattle on Saturday, Aug. 8 2015 at Westlake Plaza, Seattle.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders, US Senate
- Rep. Adam Smith, US House of Representatives
- Sen. Pramila Jayapal, Washington Legislature
- Hon. Kshama Sawant, [Seattle City Council] Member
- Lynne Dodson - Secretary Treasurer, Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO
- Heather Villanueva - Senior Community Strength Organizer, SEIU 775, Board member, Ingersoll Gender Center
- Rebecca Saldana - Executive Director, Puget Sound Sage
- Gerald Hankerson - President of Alaska, Oregon, Washington State Area Conference NAACP
- Marcelas Owens - Youth leader, Washington CAN!
- Hugh Foy, MD. Physicians for a National Health Plan Western Washington, Professor of Surgery, UW School of Medicine, Director of the Surgical Specialties Clinic, Harborview
- Jackie Boschak - President of Washington Alliance for Retired Americans
Organised by Robby Stern of Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action, and Chuck Haunreiter, Washington Community Action Network.[2]