Conversation on Medicare for All

Marvin Malek, MD, MPH, from Berlin, VT, and Betty Keller, MD, from St. Johnsbury, VT, will lead a discussion on "What would EXPANDED, IMPROVED MEDICARE FOR ALL look like? And how can we get there?" at the Richmond Free Library, 201 Bridge Street, Richmond VT, on Monday, February 11, at 3 PM and repeated at 6:30 PM.

"Participants don't have to be 'true believers' of Medicare for All, so they may not all want to stay for the workshops that follow each discussion," Keller noted. "But often we find that people are asking, 'What can I do to help?' So we wanted to offer some training, and enable people to walk out with a concrete product they already made, or a new skill that they feel ready to start using."

When they choose groups after the discussion, Malek will be available to answer questions and lead further conversation.

Those who wish to learn advocacy skills may wish to bring a laptop or tablet, if they have one, for some of the workshops. Depending on participants' interests, workshops may include helping people increase their skills in writing letters to the editor and to legislators; finding legislators, bills, and resources online; initiating conversations on health care for all; and making public service announcements.

Among those leading the advocacy skills training along with Keller will be Tanya Vyhovsky, an activist with Rights and Democracy Vermont. Vyhovsky said, "As a social worker, I see the impacts of lack of access to adequate care in my office daily. I am also a person who has personally been affected by lack of access, so I understand this struggle from many viewpoints."

Katheryn Van Haste, Senator Sanders' Health Policy staffer, plans to attend the afternoon session, and at least two state legislators expect to attend a session, to hear their constituents' concerns.

Portions of the event will be televised by MMCTV, which will also assist in editing PSAs, if any are recorded during the training.

This event is co-sponsored by Vermont Physicians for a National Health Program (pnhp.org), and Rights and Democracy Vermont (radvt.org) and is planned in coordination with national events across the country as part of National Nurses United week of actions, February 9-13. Richmond Free Library is at 201 Bridge St., Richmond.

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