Imagine, if you can, a healthcare system that covers everyone from birth to death, is automatic and does not change. This system covers all healthcare including vision, dental, mental, pharmaceutical, hearing aids, reproductive care, insulin…and all, with no out-of-pocket expenses to the individual. “Pie in the sky, crazy and not possible” you insist? Then you never met Dr. Anne Scheetz founder of the Illinois Single Payer Coalition.

Attendees at Northside AARP’s Community Group regular meeting, March 2, 2021 celebrated Women’s History Month and got to meet Dr. Scheetz (and now you can too by watching the above video) who not only described so well, what many of us would like from our healthcare, but also showed us how we can get there. She did this first by describing our present healthcare system which, according to Dr. Scheetz is expensive, has poor outcomes, with multiple barriers to access, care deserts, placing high financial burdens on individuals, and if all this isn’t enough it is highly inefficient and inequitable.

Dr. Scheetz through her above talk and Q and A tells us about the progress made to date and how we can go beyond imagining and actually achieve a more equitable and just healthcare system for all. She suggests that we all visit the Illinois Single-Payer Coalition webpage where we can find and sign a petition to Senators Durbin and Duckworth to stop taking money from the for-profit health care sector. She suggests that we watch the June 2019 video of the AMA action that was the final step in getting the the AMA to withdraw from the anti-Medicare for all Partnership for America’s Health Care future. Finally she seeks your input on the Illinois Single-Payer Coalition Working Group on Long-Term Care draft.

Northside AARP Community Group, nows your chance to make a difference in not only dreaming but actually bringing about a better healthcare system for all. Thank you Dr. Scheetz for your vision, inspiration and untiring work for all of us.