Tree of Life to offer 'Medicare for All' forum' March 7\
The Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry, will host and facilitate a public Medicare for All Forum at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 7.
The program will feature a showing of the 35-minute documentary film "Fix It - Health Care at the Tipping Point," followed by a panel discussion with physicians and experts in the health care system and open discussion.
The 2015 film by Vincent Mondillo and Richard Master examines the economics of the U.S. healthcare system from the perspective of business owners and makes a compelling case for scrapping our complex and dysfunctional system for a single-payer Medicare for All system.
"Unitarian Universalists believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. Equality and dignity in living are necessary toward that goal," said Tree of Life social justice co-chair Judy Stettner. "The skyrocketing costs of healthcare in the United States have forced many families into bankruptcy and even homelessness. We are, therefore, called to question the viability of our current system and look for solutions."
Dr. Lisa Messinger, a pediatrician with Centegra Health Systems and a member of the Tree of Life Social Justice Team, will host the program and moderate the panel discussion.
Panel participants includes Dr. Peter Orris, a founding member of Physicians for a National Health program PNHP, is professor and chief of Occupational and Environmental Medicine for the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System. He has been an attending physician in the Division of Occupational Medicine at the Stroger Hospital of Cook County (formerly Cook County Hospital) for over three decades, where he practiced and taught internal and occupational medicine on the teaching services. Dr. Orris has served as an adviser to many labor organizations, corporations, and nonprofit groups. On an international level, he has been an adviser to the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, World Medical Association, World Federation of Public Health Associations, and Health Care Without Harm.
Dr. John Perryman, a pediatrician in private practice in Roscoe, Illinois, is new to the single payer movement, having witnessed the problems with our current system in his practice. He has taken multiple graduate level business courses, and is currently working on presentations and articles geared towards business and conservative groups. Locally, he works with a dedicated group to reach out to community and political groups, businesses, farmers, and labor organizations.
With over 20 years of entrepreneurial and corporate experience in management, Donna Griffin-Lego understands what it takes to run a business. She has also been a licensed in-person counselor for the Affordable Care Act and will share stories of how Americans have been suffering because of our healthcare crisis.
Questions and discussion will follow the panel discussion. The program is free and open to the public.
For information, contact Tree of Life at (815) 322-2464, e-mail office@treeoflifeuu.org or visit treeoflifeuu.org.