Video and Report by Bill Hughes, Reporter Extraordinaire

June 19, 2008

On June 19, 2008, a national protest was held in 19 cities across the country with regards to the health care crisis which impacts on millions of Americans' lives. Activists in Baltimore City participated in the action. They mounted a picket at the corners of Lombard and Charles St. in the downtown area, where Care First: Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Maryland has an office. Ten of the activists spoke on camera and shared their views about the mess that is our present health care system. They also offered their solution: a single payer health care system. Today in America, about 47 million citizens are uninsured, premiums are out of control and many of the HMOs are regularly denying coverage to their members. Many of big health insurance companies, the giant pharmaceuticals, too, don't want any change. In most cases, they have monopolies, and are are taking in huge profits, paying their CEOs mega millions in salaries and bonuses, while arbitrarily denying coverage to the premium payers. Advocates for change and genuine reform on the federal level are supporting H.R. 676, a/k/a the "U.S. National Health Insurance Act." For background on this important issue, check out: http://www.mdsinglepayer.org/ and http://www.healthcare-now.org/june19.html and http://www.guaranteedhealthcare4all.org. A shorter version of this video featuring only Dr. Margaret Flowers can be found on YouTube.