National Nurses United

NewsBriefs:May 7/3/08 12:46 PM Page 5 hospital's stock. The RNs asked him to sign various pledges, including supporting RNs now in contract negotiations with HCA and those trying to organize at HCA hospitals, as well as one endorsing single-payer bill HR 676. Frist responded that he wasn't willing to sign any pledge unless it was in favor of "no new taxes." Frustration among the public with insurance company practices to deny or delay care is reaching an all-time high, and advocates for single-payer healthcare reform believe it is an opportune time to persuade voters to switch to a singlepayer system. The day before the protest, Los Angeles district attorney Rocky Delgadillo joined with CNA/NNOC to announce a new television advertisement produced by CNA/NNOC and its healthcare reform ally, the Courage Campaign, that targets insurers. In the ad, a nurse Republican presumptive nominee John McCain does not support single-payer— translates an insurance representative's instead, his plan would shift more of the cost "insurance speak" for a worried breast canand risk to families and individuals. Obama cer patient and her husband, explaining that has said that he would support single-payer the insurer is retroactively canceling their policy and dooming if the country were building a her to death. The system "from scratch," but for ad encourages connow wants to expand chilsumers unfairly dren's coverage and public "We are starting from treated by insurance programs for those who have scratch," says Rose Ann companies to confound it hard to get insured. DeMoro, executive tact Delgadillo's "We are starting from director of CNA/NNOC. office, which in the scratch," responds Rose Ann "There is no healthcare past several years DeMoro, executive director system, only a health has aggressively of CNA/NNOC. "There is no insurance industry." sued insurers such healthcare system, only a as Blue Cross and health insurance industry." Health Net for illeA CNA/NNOC-sponsored bill pending in California, SB 840, would gally denying care or cancelling policies, and establish single-payer for the state. The same hospitals for dumping uninsured patients on measure passed the Legislature in 2006 but city streets. "These insurance companies are engagwas vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. CNA/NNOC is sponsoring similar bills in ing in after-the-fact underwriting, and culling through people's applications to find other states. Besides the large action outside, a small whatever excuse, however irrelevant, to cangroup of Hospital Corporation of America cel policies," said Delgadillo, who also spoke nurses was able to enter the conference and at the June 19 rally. "We're sending a mesmanaged to address former Republican Party sage that we are no longer going to sit on the Senate majority leader Bill Frist. Frist's fami- sidelines." He said he encourages any govly founded HCA and he owns millions in the ernment officials with prosecutorial power JUNE 2008 W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G to pursue litigation against insurers for bad faith and deceptive business practices. Victims of the insurance industry were among the most powerful speakers at the June 19 protest. They included the brother and father of Nick Colombo, a 17-year-old refused a particular cancer treatment until CNA/NNOC helped stage a huge protest against PacifiCare; Cynthia Campbell, an RN who had her policy canceled after she developed stage 4 cancer; and the mother of Nataline Sarkisyan, another 17-year-old who died last December when CIGNA approved, too late, a liver transplant only after CNA/NNOC and the community bombarded the insurer with angry calls and emails. "I want to see the insurance company CEO face to face and ask him how he sleeps at night," said Hilda Sarkisyan, Nataline's mother. "If you have the guts, come out and see me eye to eye." – Staff report SutterRNs Receive Community Supportfrom EastBay, SanFrancisco CALIFORNIA hile sutter health rns remain deadlocked with management over vital patient safety demands, community support for the thousands of affected Bay Area RNs remains strong. On May 20, the city council of Berkeley, Calif. passed a resolution in support of RNs employed at Sutter's Berkeley facility, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. The city of Oakland, which also hosts ABSMC facilities, passed a similar resolution on June 17. The resolutions acknowledge the struggles faced systemwide by Sutter nurses, making reference to the three strikes called by RNs since October 2007, in addition to detailing the specific local ways in which Sutter RNs are valuable assets of the communities of Berkeley and W REGISTERED NURSE 5

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