The People’s Summit 2.0 (Page 49)

By Katie Gjertson

Katie Gjertson
Katie Gjertson
MNA Political Coordinator

MNA Political Coordinator

This June 9 – 11, several thousand progressive activists from across the country will gather in Chicago for the People’s Summit 2.0. It’s a multi-organizational, multi-racial, multi-issue conference, co-hosted by the National Nurses United. The event goals are to form a broad coalition committed to building a people’s movement united around social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

MNA members are invited to attend, and those who haven’t been to an event like this before are the perfect candidate. These events feature high-powered speeches by progressive leaders that will leave participants fired up to get involved. Here are some questions and answers:

What is the speaking program like at the People’s Summit?

This year’s program is headlined by Senator Bernie Sanders. Other speakers include: educator Jane Sanders, activist Eve Ensler, actor Frances Fisher, actor Danny Glover, CNN commentator and Obama Administration adviser Van Jones, journalist Shaun King, author Naomi Klein, and filmmaker Michael Moore.

What kind of education sessions will be featured at the People’s Summit?

There will be educational breakout sessions and opportunities to connect with progressive activists from across the country. Some of the topics for breakout sessions include: Fight for 15; mass incarceration and criminal justice reform; voting rights and expanding democratic participation; a tax on Wall Street speculation to fund human needs and jobs; climate justice toward a sustainable economy; improved Medicare for All; the fight for free and debt-free higher education; secure retirement through expanding social security; ending HIV/AIDS; achieving Constitutional pay equity for women; and ending deportations and support for DREAMers.

Why are nurses involved in the People’s Summit?

RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of National Nurses United says about the People’s Summit 2.0, “what has consistently unified us is a common vision of opposition to policies of austerity and neo-liberalism, and solidarity in supporting each other’s work on health care, environmental, racial, social, and economic justice, and breaking the corporate grip on our political and economic system.”

Save the date for June 9 – 11: More information is available at http://www.thepeoplessummit.org/. The Minnesota Nurses Association will sponsor a limited number of MNA members to attend the People’s Summit 2.0. Stay tuned for details.

On:
In: Activism, Bernie Sanders, Home, Legislative Policy, Minimum Wage, Nurses, Robin Hood Tax, Single Payer

By Katie Gjertson

MNA Political Coordinator

This June 9 – 11, several thousand progressive activists from across the country will gather in Chicago for the People’s Summit 2.0. It’s a multi-organizational, multi-racial, multi-issue conference, co-hosted by the National Nurses United. The event goals are to form a broad coalition committed to building a people’s movement united around social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

MNA members are invited to attend, and those who haven’t been to an event like this before are the perfect candidate. These events feature high-powered speeches by progressive leaders that will leave participants fired up to get involved.
… Read more about: The People’s Summit 2.0  »

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In: Home, Insurance, Press Releases

An Insurance Industry Bailout Won’t Give Minnesotans Affordable Healthcare

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2249
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – March 30, 2017 – Registered Nurses of the Minnesota Nurses Association are calling on Governor Mark Dayton to veto a state reinsurance bill when it reaches his desk.  Despite last-minute lobbying by nurses at the Capitol on Thursday, reinsurance bill passed both the House and Senate by a slim majority.

“This bill, while giving insurance companies a massive taxpayer-funded windfall, does not solve the problems facing Minnesotans who need affordable healthcare in the individual insurance market, including better access to coverage, lower insurance costs, and more adequate provider networks,” said Mary Turner, MNA president.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses Urge Governor to Veto Reinsurance Bill  »

On:
In: Fairview, HealthEast, Home, Hospitals, Nurses

By Mathew Keller RN JD

Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

This past January, Pocono Medical Center (“PMC”) in Pennsylvania announced plans of a merger with Lehigh Valley Health Network. As details became more apparent, it was obvious that staffing changes and layoffs connected to the merger would affect more than 100 PMC nurses.

It’s no surprise that the word “merger” has come to be associated with “restructuring,” and “restructuring” with “layoffs.” And if a merger between a single medical center and a larger health system can affect 100 nurses, how much larger of an impact could a merger of two giant systems, such as HealthEast and Fairview, have?
… Read more about: Will HealthEast-Fairview Merger Hurt Nurses?  »

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In: Activism, Home, Politics

By Geri Katz

MNA Healthcare Reform Specialist

Among the group for today’s North Memorial Day on the Hill were two first-time attendees. Erica and Ayan had never been to the Capitol before, which allowed me to do my favorite part of my job: introduce nurses to their elected officials and start them on their journey as citizen lobbyists.

At this point in the legislative session, everything is moving quickly. Legislators are rushing to meet deadlines, and it can be hard to catch them. We were lucky to find both Erica and Ayan’s state representatives today (in addition to several others) and share with them what it’s like to be a bedside nurse at a Level I Trauma Center.
… Read more about: Nurses Visit the Capitol for the First Time  »

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In: Affordable Care Act, Home, Press Releases

For more information, contact:

Charles Idelson – (510) 273-2246

March 16, 2017

National Nurses United today sharply criticized President Trump’s proposed federal budget as a broad attack on public protections that also targets some of the nation’s most vulnerable people while shifting resources to the least needed areas.

“Slashing programs like Meals on Wheels, which brings food to some of our nation’s most vulnerable people, and heating assistance for low income people reflect a cruel and mean spirited thematic in Washington, evident also in the proposed health plan that cuts coverage for 24 million while giving a massive tax break to the rich,” said NNU Co-President Jean Ross.
… Read more about: National Nurses United Press Release: Proposed Budget Latest Attack on the Public Protections and the Most Vulnerable People  »

On:
In: Elections, Home, Politics, Press Releases

Contact: Barb Brady
(office) 651-414-2849
(cell) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org 

Rick Fuentes
(office) 651-414-2863
(cell) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – March 16, 2017 –  Minnesota Nurses Association nurses voted to endorse candidates for St. Paul mayor, Minneapolis mayor, and the Minneapolis City Council.

Nurses endorsed St. Paul City Council member Dai Thao for mayor.

“We are proud to support Dai Thao for mayor of St. Paul,” said MNA President Mary Turner. “He shares nurses’ progressive values and has committed to actively supporting nurses on our top issues including safe staffing in hospitals, single-payer healthcare, collective bargaining rights for all workers, and Earned Sick and Safe Time.”

Nurses voted to endorse State Representative Raymond Dehn for Minneapolis mayor.
… Read more about: Minnesota Nurses Association Endorses St. Paul, Minneapolis Candidates  »

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In: Healthcare, Home, Insurance, Mayo

 

By Mathew Keller, RN JD
Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

A recent statement by the Mayo Clinic’s CEO John Noseworthy, as reported in the Star Tribune, speaks volumes as to the true status of healthcare in America: those with the money get the care they need, those without, get something else. As Noseworthy put it, “if [a] patient has commercial insurance, or they’re Medicaid or Medicare patients and they’re equal…we prioritize the commercial insured patients enough so … we can be financially strong at the end of the year.”

A Mayo spokesman went on to say, “We can provide the care they require for complex medical issues.
… Read more about: Mayo Clinic’s Sad Statement on Healthcare in America  »

On:
In: Action, Elections, Home, Politics

By Eileen Gavin

MNA Political Organizer

There are some major races for political office this year in St. Paul and Minneapolis. St. Paul will be electing a new Mayor as Chris Coleman has thrown his name in the ring in the race for Minnesota’s next Governor. Also, Minneapolis residents will be voting for their Mayor and City Council. MNA has a long history of involvement in races at the state level, including state legislative races both in the House and Senate, Governor, and Attorney General. MNA has not been very involved in electoral work at the city level—until now. The MNA Board of Directors has made a strategic decision to participate in local elections, a decision welcomed and applauded by almost all of the candidates we interviewed last week.
… Read more about: MNA Enters the Local Political Scene  »

On:
In: Home, Sanford, Unsafe Staffing

By Mathew Keller, RN JD
Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

Limousine service, upgraded television sets, nurse-to-patient “scripts,” gourmet food service, nurse uniform requirements. Hospitals all over the U.S. are offering more “customer-centric” patient care in order to increase patient satisfaction scores, which are becoming more and more important to raise and maintain Medicare reimbursement amounts.

These efforts, however, often have unintended consequences.

In the first place, customer-centric interventions rarely (if ever) improve the quality of care patients receive. Rather, they merely improve patients’ perceptions of care.
… Read more about: Sanford Health Gets it Backwards  »

On:
In: Allina, Home, Insurance, Nurses

By Mathew Keller RN JD

MNA Regulatory and Policy Specialist

“In Minnesota, like the rest of the country, our health care system is in crisis. Healthcare premiums have increased at double-digit levels year-after-year. Employers are being squeezed by these costs, and healthcare has become prohibitively expensive for many self-employed, retired, and uninsured citizens. In this climate, nonprofit healthcare organizations owe a heightened duty to show proper stewardship.”

This was testimony offered to the U.S. Senate Finance committee not this week, not this year, not even this decade—but on April 5, 2005, by then-Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch. It was spurred in part by a comprehensive audit performed by the Attorney General’s office on Allina Health and its subsidiary insurance company, Medica.
… Read more about: With Allina-Aetna Insurance Partnership, It’s Buyer Beware  »