From Bert Skellie:
The Grady Coalition will meet at 3:30 PM Monday (1/5) at McDonald's at Grady to discuss our plans for the board meeting. Everyone is welcome. Please do plan to come to the Board meeting on Monday (Jan. 5) at 4:30 PM at Grady on second floor at conference room B206 & speak against the proposal to cut free care.
You can also write or call CEO Young at
404.616.4252
and
myoung@gmh.edu
to voice your opposition to cutting free care to those with income above 125% of the federal poverty level.
We may have a press event just before the 4:30 Board meeting - I will let you know if so.Peace, Bert 404.378.5883
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Sunday, December 21, 2008
How to Act to Stop the Cuts at Grady
Bert Skellie of the Grady Coalition has sent this information on how to take action to stop the cuts:
"Please call or write CEO Young & Chair Pete Correll to urge them not to cut patients with incomes up to 250% of poverty from the rolls of Grady free care.
. . .
We plan to provide more details later on who else to contact & other addresses, but meanwhile you can call CEO Young's office at Grady at 404-616-4252 , and you can also leave a message for Pete Correll, Chair of Grady Board at the same number. Also, you can send a letter to either or both of them c/o Grady Health System, 80 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303. You can also send an email to CEO Young at myoung@gmh.edu.
Here's the text of an email I have just sent over. Please send your own letter or email by adding your own personal information at the beginning & putting in your own words concerns you have about the 250 – 125 cut.
'Greetings Mr. Young,
I am writing to urge you not to remove patients with incomes of up to 250% of poverty from the rolls of free care at Grady. As a resident of DeKalb County for most of my life, I appreciate Grady's crucial role as the safety net hospital for our area. I have had experience with Grady's good care of my son after an accident several years ago, and I have many friends who depend on Grady for their lives.
Thank you for referring the Grady Coalition to Mr. Ayers, who gave some of us a presentation on the proposal to change financial requirements for Grady patients.
I'm writing to urge you not to lower the free care income limits for Fulton and DeKalb patients from 250% to 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. I am concerned that most savings, if any, from this change, will come at the expense of the health and lives of patients who will be affected. Since many patients will understand that they must pay to get service, I believe thousands below this level of income ($26,000 for a single individual) will suffer, and some will die rather than seek the primary care they need.
Please do not make this dangerous change.'
Thanks for your help. Please circulate this email widely. A vote on this proposal is likely to be made at the January 5, 2009, Grady Corporation Board meeting."
"Please call or write CEO Young & Chair Pete Correll to urge them not to cut patients with incomes up to 250% of poverty from the rolls of Grady free care.
. . .
We plan to provide more details later on who else to contact & other addresses, but meanwhile you can call CEO Young's office at Grady at 404-616-4252 , and you can also leave a message for Pete Correll, Chair of Grady Board at the same number. Also, you can send a letter to either or both of them c/o Grady Health System, 80 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303. You can also send an email to CEO Young at myoung@gmh.edu.
Here's the text of an email I have just sent over. Please send your own letter or email by adding your own personal information at the beginning & putting in your own words concerns you have about the 250 – 125 cut.
'Greetings Mr. Young,
I am writing to urge you not to remove patients with incomes of up to 250% of poverty from the rolls of free care at Grady. As a resident of DeKalb County for most of my life, I appreciate Grady's crucial role as the safety net hospital for our area. I have had experience with Grady's good care of my son after an accident several years ago, and I have many friends who depend on Grady for their lives.
Thank you for referring the Grady Coalition to Mr. Ayers, who gave some of us a presentation on the proposal to change financial requirements for Grady patients.
I'm writing to urge you not to lower the free care income limits for Fulton and DeKalb patients from 250% to 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. I am concerned that most savings, if any, from this change, will come at the expense of the health and lives of patients who will be affected. Since many patients will understand that they must pay to get service, I believe thousands below this level of income ($26,000 for a single individual) will suffer, and some will die rather than seek the primary care they need.
Please do not make this dangerous change.'
Thanks for your help. Please circulate this email widely. A vote on this proposal is likely to be made at the January 5, 2009, Grady Corporation Board meeting."
Friday, December 19, 2008
How to Get Involved in the Grady Coalition
To get involved in the Grady Coalition (discussed in the post from yesterday), contact Bert Skellie at bertskellie@gmail.com or 404.378.5883.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Press Conference to oppose Cuts at Privatized Grady Hospital
The Grady Coalition held a press conference in front of Grady Hospital today to protest proposed cuts in service. As many of the speakers stated, if the cuts go through, "PEOPLE WILL DIE."
A statement from the Grady Coalition is below. And following that are two of the 19 video clips from the Press Conference. To view all of them, go to www.youtube.com/GRUSvideos.
And stay tuned to Georgia Rural Urban Summit to find out how to get involved in STOPPING THESE CUTS.
"We have been informed by Michael Ayers, Grady CFO, that he plans to bring to the new Grady Board [the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation] on January 5 a proposal to stop providing free care to large numbers of Grady paients [sic]. At present, Grady provides free care to patients with income up to 250% of the federal poverty guidlines [sic] (fpg), or up to $26,000 annually for a single person. Under the proposed rule, Grady will provide free care only to those earning under 125% of fpg, or $13,000 for a single person. Patients in Fulton & DeKalb from 126% - 250% will be required to pay 40% of the cost of services. Mr. Ayers did not tell us how many patients will be affected, but we believe it will be in the thousands."
A statement from the Grady Coalition is below. And following that are two of the 19 video clips from the Press Conference. To view all of them, go to www.youtube.com/GRUSvideos.
And stay tuned to Georgia Rural Urban Summit to find out how to get involved in STOPPING THESE CUTS.
"We have been informed by Michael Ayers, Grady CFO, that he plans to bring to the new Grady Board [the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation] on January 5 a proposal to stop providing free care to large numbers of Grady paients [sic]. At present, Grady provides free care to patients with income up to 250% of the federal poverty guidlines [sic] (fpg), or up to $26,000 annually for a single person. Under the proposed rule, Grady will provide free care only to those earning under 125% of fpg, or $13,000 for a single person. Patients in Fulton & DeKalb from 126% - 250% will be required to pay 40% of the cost of services. Mr. Ayers did not tell us how many patients will be affected, but we believe it will be in the thousands."
Monday, December 15, 2008
Atlanta Activists in Usher Video!
A certain GRUS blogger did City Year many, many years ago, and saw on City Year's Facebook page that Usher was wearing a City Year jacket in his new video.
So I watched the video and saw that one of the very first shots is of Stand For Peace, the weekly anti-Iraq War vigil* that's been going on at Colony Square in Atlanta since the lead-up to the war, and the people in that shot are Veteran for Peace Bob Goodman(on the right) and Brian S. Sherman of WRFG 89.3 FM (on the left). And then Bob Goodman gets a close-up. Peace activists as rock stars!
*Major players in Stand for Peace are WAND Atlanta, Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition, Grandmothers for Peace, Veterans for Peace, International Action Center, and Georgia Rural Urban Summit. (If we've missed someone, let us know.)
So I watched the video and saw that one of the very first shots is of Stand For Peace, the weekly anti-Iraq War vigil* that's been going on at Colony Square in Atlanta since the lead-up to the war, and the people in that shot are Veteran for Peace Bob Goodman(on the right) and Brian S. Sherman of WRFG 89.3 FM (on the left). And then Bob Goodman gets a close-up. Peace activists as rock stars!
*Major players in Stand for Peace are WAND Atlanta, Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition, Grandmothers for Peace, Veterans for Peace, International Action Center, and Georgia Rural Urban Summit. (If we've missed someone, let us know.)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Health Care for America Now! Endorsed by A.B.L.E.
On October 23, A.B.L.E (Atlantans Building Leadership Empowerment) held its annual Faith and Democracy Public Meeting. The group discussed issues of Health Care, Immigration, Education, and Affordable Housing with the public and elected officials, and endorsed Health Care for America Now! (HCAN), including giving a half-page statement of support for HCAN in the evening's program.
Friday, November 14, 2008
RUNOFF VOTING INFO
RUNOFF ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2
You do NOT need to have voted in the general election in order to vote in the runoff.
(But you must have been registered to vote for the general election - on or before October 6, 2008 - in order to vote in the runoff.)
Below please find info on how to be a good Progressive and VOTE EARLY, either in person or by absentee ballot.
Absentee Ballots
IF YOU INTEND TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, PLEASE APPLY FOR A BALLOT IMMEDIATELY AND NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 19.
Click here for the absentee ballot application: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/absentee.htm
You will have to:
1. Download, print, and fill out the form provided (it is a PDF); and
2. Mail, fax, or hand-deliver the completed form to your county elections office. Click here to get the address or fax number.
Given the short amount of time before the runoff, we recommend that you fax or hand-deliver the application if possible.
If the ballot does not arrive before November 25, please call your county's elections office. Click here for the contact information.
Absentee ballots will not be counted unless they are received before the closing of the polls (7:00 p.m.) on the day of the runoff, December 2.
Also, because of the limited time we have, you may want to consider forgoing the absentee ballot process and just planning to do Early Voting or Advance Voting instead.
Early Voting (One Location Generally Open Per County)
Early voting in person may begin as soon as Monday, November 17, depending on your county. For more information, please call your county's elections office.
You can find your county election office's contact info here: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp
Advance Voting (Different from Early Voting - More Locations Open)
Advance, in-person voting for the runoff will begin on Monday, November 24 and run through Wednesday, November 26 (and possibly also Friday, November 28 -- See below.) (the week before the runoff).
There will be NO advance voting on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27.
Depending on your county, there may also be NO advance voting on Friday, November 28, the day after Thanksgiving.
And there will be NO advance voting on Monday, December 1, the day before the runoff.
Theoretically, you should be able to click here for information on the advance voting schedule and locations in your county BUT please note that, as of November 13, the site is not up to date with runoff information: http://www.sos.ga.gov/elections/advanced_voting.htm
Better yet, simply call your county elections office. Once again: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp
You will need an approved photo ID in order to vote in person. More information is here: http://gaphotoid.com/
Election Day
Runoff Election Day is Tuesday, December 2.
The Secretary of State has a "poll locator" that tells you where to vote on Election Day. Click here to use the poll locator: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/polllocator/PollLocator.aspx
Again, you will need an approved photo ID in order to vote in person. And again, more information is here: http://gaphotoid.com/
Military and Overseas Ballots
If you are a military or overseas voter and would like an absentee ballot, please click here for the request form: http://www.martinforsenate.com/FVAP-FPCAandGeorgiaInstructions.pdf
Click here for general information: http://www.sos.georgia.gov/elections/uocava/
Please complete the absentee ballot request application and fax it to your county elections office immediately. Click here for the fax number: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp
As soon as you receive your absentee ballot via mail, send it back as directed.
It must be postmarked on or before December 2 and be received by your county elections office by 5:00 p.m. on December 5.
If you do not receive your absentee ballot by November 25, you should consider submitting the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot with the names of your candidate written in the appropriate lines.
This general federal ballot may be obtained by clicking here.
You do NOT need to have voted in the general election in order to vote in the runoff.
(But you must have been registered to vote for the general election - on or before October 6, 2008 - in order to vote in the runoff.)
Below please find info on how to be a good Progressive and VOTE EARLY, either in person or by absentee ballot.
Absentee Ballots
IF YOU INTEND TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, PLEASE APPLY FOR A BALLOT IMMEDIATELY AND NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 19.
Click here for the absentee ballot application: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/absentee.htm
You will have to:
1. Download, print, and fill out the form provided (it is a PDF); and
2. Mail, fax, or hand-deliver the completed form to your county elections office. Click here to get the address or fax number.
Given the short amount of time before the runoff, we recommend that you fax or hand-deliver the application if possible.
If the ballot does not arrive before November 25, please call your county's elections office. Click here for the contact information.
Absentee ballots will not be counted unless they are received before the closing of the polls (7:00 p.m.) on the day of the runoff, December 2.
Also, because of the limited time we have, you may want to consider forgoing the absentee ballot process and just planning to do Early Voting or Advance Voting instead.
Early Voting (One Location Generally Open Per County)
Early voting in person may begin as soon as Monday, November 17, depending on your county. For more information, please call your county's elections office.
You can find your county election office's contact info here: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp
Advance Voting (Different from Early Voting - More Locations Open)
Advance, in-person voting for the runoff will begin on Monday, November 24 and run through Wednesday, November 26 (and possibly also Friday, November 28 -- See below.) (the week before the runoff).
There will be NO advance voting on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27.
Depending on your county, there may also be NO advance voting on Friday, November 28, the day after Thanksgiving.
And there will be NO advance voting on Monday, December 1, the day before the runoff.
Theoretically, you should be able to click here for information on the advance voting schedule and locations in your county BUT please note that, as of November 13, the site is not up to date with runoff information: http://www.sos.ga.gov/elections/advanced_voting.htm
Better yet, simply call your county elections office. Once again: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp
You will need an approved photo ID in order to vote in person. More information is here: http://gaphotoid.com/
Election Day
Runoff Election Day is Tuesday, December 2.
The Secretary of State has a "poll locator" that tells you where to vote on Election Day. Click here to use the poll locator: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/polllocator/PollLocator.aspx
Again, you will need an approved photo ID in order to vote in person. And again, more information is here: http://gaphotoid.com/
Military and Overseas Ballots
If you are a military or overseas voter and would like an absentee ballot, please click here for the request form: http://www.martinforsenate.com/FVAP-FPCAandGeorgiaInstructions.pdf
Click here for general information: http://www.sos.georgia.gov/elections/uocava/
Please complete the absentee ballot request application and fax it to your county elections office immediately. Click here for the fax number: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp
As soon as you receive your absentee ballot via mail, send it back as directed.
It must be postmarked on or before December 2 and be received by your county elections office by 5:00 p.m. on December 5.
If you do not receive your absentee ballot by November 25, you should consider submitting the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot with the names of your candidate written in the appropriate lines.
This general federal ballot may be obtained by clicking here.
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