It was a packed house on Fri. morning Aug. 2nd at District Council 1707 AFSCME in midtown Manhattan when community and trade union activists celebrated the 54th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. Thank you to everyone who showed up, far exceeding our expectations. New Yorkers really love and care about these programs!
Our opening panel featured New Yorkers sharing their own personal stories about what Medicare and Medicaid have meant to them personally, grounding our event in everyday reality. Carl Ginsberg told the story of his recently-deceased uncle Max Fine who served on President Kennedy and Johnson’s Medicare Task Force back in the early 1960s, and how they pushed the law through Congress. United Federation of Teachers retiree member Millie Glaberman spoke about what Medicare means for her as an union activist. Mario Henry of New York Statewide Senior Action told the story of caring for his mother in her final years. Nurse Judith Cutchin and New York State Nurses Association member spoke of how important Medicare and Medicaid are to our city’s public hospital system where she works. Home care worker and 1199 member Patricia McAlmont described how important Medicaid is for the frail patients she cares for daily. Finally, Disabled in Action leader Nadina LaSpina told the story of how both programs have enabled her and her late husband Danny Robert to live full lives in the community despite shortcomings that Congress still needs to address.
Our second panel let us know what is happening in Congress this year with regard to Medicare and Medicaid bills and proposals. The speakers were Derek Ayeh from the Medicare Rights Center, and Ben Anderson with the Children’s Defense Fund of New York.
The final section of the forum showcased activist leaders sharing information about various Medicare and/or Medicaid advocacy campaigns underway here in New York.Doris Welch from the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans reminded us of the importance of telling our own personal stories as a very powerful tool with lawmakers. Beth Finkel with AARP-New York discussed “common sense” efforts to bring down the costs of prescription drugs. Heidi Siegfried from the Center for Independence of the Disabled spoke about protecting and improving Medicaid long-term care provided at home and in the community. Darius Gordon with the Center for Popular Democracy told us about new efforts to advance Medicare-for-All bills in Congress. Before we broke for cake and ice cream, Metro’s Director Mark Hannay wrapped things up by sharing information about public hearings slated for this fall about the New York Health Act, and called for everyone to help the public understand the health care claims and proposals of candidates as the 2020 elections approach so that people can affirmatively “vote for health care” when they go to the polls.
