We are excited to bring you the first HJM blog post. Please read on to learn about our mission and (we hope) support us in the fight for achieving health justice.
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the inequities, inefficiencies, and fragility of U.S. health care financing. Millions lost job-based health insurance at the same time as they lost income, with people of color and those with the fewest resources hardest hit. According to recent polls, two-thirds of Americans believe that the government has a responsibility to assure health coverage for all. The time is ripe for fundamental health reform, an integral part of the progressive social agenda.
In pursuit of this vision, we are launching the McCanne Health Justice Monitor, a continuation and expansion of Don McCanne’s Quote of the Day (QOTD). Don single-handedly produced that informative and inspiring daily health policy update for over 20 years. His more than 5000 posts tackled a broad range of health policy issues, always ending with a call to common sense: “Let’s do single payer, already!” (or words to that effect – Don never repeats). Don offered a guide to understanding myriad policy developments as a tool in the pursuit of justice, a goal that can be attained only through single payer reform. Recently, Don chose to step back from his daily labors, and offered his support for our team to build on his efforts. Our debt to Don and our vision for this new undertaking are reflected in our name.
The McCanne Health Justice Monitor will continue and expand the QOTD mission. We will retain a focus on the failings of the U.S. health system and, of course, single payer reform. We expect to increase coverage of other areas vital to a progressive agenda for health, including racism and racial inequities, climate and environmental justice, and the global health injustices affecting low- and middle-income nations. Since no individual could match Don’s efforts, we have assembled a group of health policy experts as core contributors, with each contributing several items per month. We will also feature guest contributors on a broad range of topics.
There is no time like the present to replace the unequal and unjust U.S. health care system with a simple, practical, and humane single payer system. We will endeavor to regularly bring you informed and responsible policy updates and views on how to achieve health justice.