There are many ways you can help the movement for single-payer health insurance. HCHP activists have a wide array of individual talents and experience. If you're just getting started, you may find it helpful to read the handout "Finding you Niche in Activism" (pdf). [insert link to pdf document] Follow the links below for ideas and ways to get involved in the struggle for Indiana single payer health insurance. The HCHP Bloomington Office is there to support the activism of our members. Feel free to contact us at info@hchp.org.

What You Can Do

Additional Things you Can Do

Additional Things Physicians Can Do

Additional Things Medical Students Can Do

Additional Things Labor Activists Can Do

What You Can Do

• Educate yourself about single-payer health insurance:

  • Visit: www.hchp.info/sphi.html and also see the resources found at

  • Visit: www.hchp.info/materials.html.

  • Visit: www.pnhp.org/facts/single_payer_resources.php

• Sign up for HCHP action alerts on important health policy issues and new research. Request that you be sent action alerts: email rstone@hchp.info.com.

• Invite an HCHP speaker to speak to your professional, social, neighborhood or community group. Contact Karen Green Stone at rstone@hchp.info.

• Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local newspapers or your school. See the HCHP Guide to Writing and Submitting a Letter to the Editor, Op-ed or News Article. [insert link to How to write… page] Sample letters to the editor. [insert link to "sample letters to editor" page] Sample op-ed Articles [insert link to "sample op-ed articles" page]

• Call or send a letter or email to your legislators: In Indiana: Find addresses at www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search or call toll free: (800) 382-9467 for the Indiana Senate, (800) 382-9842 for the Indiana House of Representatives: Outside Indiana: Find contact information about your members of Congress at Contacting the Congress.

• Organize a meeting with your legislators. In Indiana: Contact Julia Vaughn at vaughngyure@aol.com to set up a meeting with your Indiana legislators. Outside Indiana: The citizen single-payer group Healthcare Now has been holding congressional hearings and winning sponsorships for the Conyers single-payer bill all over the country. Visit their website for more information: www.healthcare-now.org/.

• Encourage your business, trade association, union or community group to endorse the HCHP campaign. See www.hchp.info/supporters.html

• Ask your city council to adopt a resolution calling for a comprehensive, single-payer health plan in Indiana. Sample Resolution [insert link to Bloomington City Council Resolution]

• Make a Tax-deductible Donation to HCHP.

Additional Things Physicians Can Do

• Attend a PNHP Leadership Training Institute. Join or Renew your membership in PNHP.

• Sign up for PNHP action alerts on important health policy issues and new research. (PNHP members are automatically subscribed)

• Give a grand rounds presentation with the PNHP slideshow at your hospital or institution.

• Organize a session or panel on health care reform at the next meeting of your medical association or specialty society. (You can speak yourself or invite a speaker).

• Perform outreach by speaking to your local church, civic or business group about single-payer.

• Organize an editorial board meeting with your local newspapers to tell them that physicians and citizens support single-payer reform.

• Attend PNHP's Annual Meeting to get updated on the latest health policy data and have fun with like-minded physicians.

• Introduce a resolution into your specialty society.

• Invite your colleagues to join PNHP.

Additional Things Medical Students Can Do

• Read "A Guide for Student Chapters" from PNHP NY-Metro.

• Invite a PNHP speaker to your campus. You might host a single speaker to talk about the U.S. health care crisis and the single-payer option, or consider a debate between a single-payer supporter and an advocate of market-based reform.

• Get faculty involved. Medical school faculty are overwhelmingly supportive of single-payer. An invite from interested students can often inspire them to become advocates.

• Form a student group at your school, either as a student PNHP group or though your school's AMSA chapter.

Additional Things Labor Activists Can Do

• Introduce a single-payer resolution in your local to express support for national health insurance and HR 676. Sample Union Resolution

• Organize a panel on national health insurance at your next regional, state or national meeting.