Greetings,

We hope everyone is healthy, safe and hanging in there during these difficult times.

This newsletter informs you and serves as a reminder that you are part of a community that cares about people and realizes that our current health care system continues to fail us. Education regarding our current reality gives us knowledge and incentive to do the hard work needed to push for single-payer, a foundational change. HC4US’ newsletters and website are meant to inspire you to action. HC4US is planning in-person and online events in the next few months as we rally for the re-introduction of CalCare in 2026. 

The California Nurses Association’s CalCare campaign is rooted in commitment to care for people and make systemic changes. See the link below to sign up for a CalCare Zoom meeting. California’s declining life expectancy driven by the COVID-19 pandemic amidst a profit-driven system drives home the need for CalCare.

Tell Congress: Protect Disability Services & Fund Our Future!

From The Arc of the United States: Congress is starting to make decisions about how much funding each program will get next year. The President’s budget proposal is the starting point of this process, and it suggests cuts to programs that millions of people with disabilities and their families rely on.

If Congress adopts the President’s proposal, it would eliminate funding for key programs under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act). This includes programs that support access to inclusive education, employment, community living, and more.

The proposal also includes policies that would weaken the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by combining multiple funding streams into a “block grant.”

This change could lead to:

• Cuts to preschool programs for young children with disabilities.

• Less federal support for special education teachers, counselors, therapists, and paraprofessionals.

• Fewer training opportunities for school staff to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

Tell Congress: We Need Expanded And Improved Medicare For All

Senator Sanders and Representatives Jayapal and Dingell reintroduced Medicare for All legislation. We need more cosponsors to show how popular and important this legislation is.

CA Nurses Association’s CalCare Movement Zoom – Tuesday, July 29,  6PM

They’re organizing for the CalCare campaign ahead of the 2026 legislative session, now is the time to come together, learn more, and get involved.

• If you’re new to the movement, there’s a breakout group to learn the basics of CalCare.

• If you’re a returning District Leader, there will be a breakout for you to share updates with other District Leaders and discuss organizing in your assembly district.

• For everyone else, there will be the opportunity to take action to build the movement while on the call with other supporters.

A CEO Wants to Run Dialysis Clinics Like Taco Bell

This 15-minute jaw-dropping video by More Perfect Union dated 7-18-2025 and the written comments demonstrate how dialysis treatment corporations are willing to risk harming patients to make higher profits. 

Judge Nixes Biden-era Rule Removing Medical Debt from Credit Reports 

Rebecca Pifer in Healthcare Dive explains that the rule never had a chance to go into effect. In a document filed on July 11th, a judge overturned it. More than 100 million Americans struggle with medical debt, the largest source of debt collection in the U.S. About 1 in 12 adults have unpaid medical bills of $250 or more. Medical debt affects credit scores and can limit financial opportunities.

Private Equity in Dental Practices – “McDonald’s for Teeth”

Once a private equity company buys a medical practice, nursing home or dental office, quality of patient care and worker satisfaction declines because all private equity cares about is making a profit. Helen Santoro writes for The Lever, “As these large corporations have begun buying up small, independent practices, patients increasingly face overcharging, understaffing, and, in worst-case scenarios, excessive dental treatments that destroy otherwise healthy teeth.”

This article from Rachel Madley in HEALTH CARE un-covered is a must read.

Find out how the federal budget reconciliation bill signed into law by Trump on July 4th will affect your health care options and costs, no matter how old you are, what type of insurance you have and whether you live in a rural or urban area. Some changes are occurring now and some in the next few years, forcing some individuals and families to go without medical insurance. 

H.R. 3467 was introduced by Republican Representative David Schweikert of Arizona on May 15th. This bill would take away choice by automatically enrolling millions of people into a Medicare Advantage plan and lock them into it for three years. Diane Omdahl, a nurse and Medicare expert explains why this is a terrible idea HERE. As compared to traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage costs taxpayers more, has narrow networks and higher rates of delays and denials.

We can track the progress of this bill and contact our congressional representatives once this bill starts moving. To track a bill, create an account on Congress.gov, go to the H.R. 3467 page and sign up for alerts.

UnitedHealth’s nefarious schemes don’t stop with their mistreatment of insurance enrollees and their physicians. They also try to silence reporters, filmmakers and physicians who rightly criticize them. Read the New York Times article by David Enrich HERE. You can also watch David Enrich on Democracy Now. 

Good Samaritan Hospital in San José, CA has created a program to manage rising costs and shortages of obstetricians-gynecologists while serving the needs of maternity patients. They report measurable improvement in patient satisfaction and continuity of care with their culturally competent and wraparound services. To read more about the program and see a list of provided services, read the article HERE.

ORGANIZE. AGITATE. EDUCATE. LEGISLATE.

THANK YOU!