As our lives are upended by this pandemic, one thing is clear: our healthcare system is failing to protect us. Coronavirus is laying bare the deep inequities of the current system: working-class people have struggled to access testing and Black, Indigenous, and communities of color face higher rates of death. Millions have lost their jobs and insurance, just when many of us will need it most. Because we lack a safety net, we face deep economic insecurity as our lives are upended. 

We want to do everything we can to be stronger on the other side of this crisis than when we went into it. One way we can do this is by building public consensus that universal, single-payer healthcare must be a central part of the recovery from the pandemic.

One of the most effective ways to communicate about the need to transform the healthcare system is by writing and submitting letters to the editor of our local media. Letters allow us to reach a wide audience, educate our communities, and inspire others to join the movement for healthcare for all. We also know that elected officials watch closely when their name is in print. With letters, we can let them know what we want them to do.

Many letters in support of The New York Health Act and Medicare for All have already been published! Let's keep them coming!

Here is a list of regional print and online news sources that accept submissions from readers and here are some tips for writing your letter from Dr. Sunny Aslam of the Physicians for a National Health Program Syracuse chapter. 

Sign up below to get resources for writing and submitting a letter to the editor of your local paper. A team of volunteers is available to help you with drafting, talking points, and sample letters.

In the face of the ongoing public health crisis, we must keep organizing for the healthcare we need.

A central piece of the Campaign for NY Health strategy to win healthcare for all is uplifting the voices and leadership of New Yorkers who have been hurt by the existing pay-or-die healthcare system. Please share your healthcare story, and we will followup with you about ways to be more involved in the fight for guaranteed universal healthcare.

• Did you or a loved get COVID? What happened? 
• Has there been a time when you or a loved one needed healthcare but weren’t able to get it? Why? What happened? 
• Are you a healthcare worker who has seen patients delay care due to cost or insurance barriers?  
• Are you concerned about losing your union health benefits due to job loss or privatization?
• Have you lost a job that provided you or your family with insurance coverage? 
• Are you struggling with the high cost of medical bills or medical debt?
  

Thank you for being part of the movement to win healthcare for all.