Get Active
PNHP is an organization run by and for its members. Dues and individual contributions support our small staff and activities, but the bulk of PNHP’s work is done locally by our thousands of committed activists.
There are lots of ways you can help the movement for single-payer national health insurance. PNHP activists have a wide array of individual talents and experience. If you’re just getting started, you may find it helpful to read the PNHP handout “Finding you Niche in Activism.” (pdf)
Follow the links below for ideas and ways to get involved in the struggle for national health insurance. The PNHP National Office is there to support the activism of our members. Feel free to contact us at info@pnhp.org or by phone at 312-782-6006.
What Physicians Can Do
- Educate yourself about single-payer national health insurance with the PNHP website resources, PNHP slideshow, or by attending a PNHP Leadership Training Institute.
- Write a letter to your representative in support of HR676.
- 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.
- Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local news publications, or those of your medical association or specialty society. PNHP has a handout with tips.
- Help PNHP with media work by calling your local papers, radio and television stations with PNHP press releases (distributed about 5 times per year).
- Organize an editorial board meeting with your local newspapers to tell them that physicians and citizens support single-payer reform.
- Meet with your legislators to tell them that physicians support single-payer.
- Get involved with your local PNHP chapter or start a new one. A list of chapter leaders can be found here.
- 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.
What Medical Students Can Do
- Educate yourself about single-payer national health insurance with the PNHP website resources, PNHP slideshow, or by attending a PNHP Leadership Training Institute.
- Write a letter to your representative in support of HR676.
- Sign up for PNHP action alerts on important health policy issues and new research. (PNHP members are automatically subscribed)
- 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.
- Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your school paper, medical school publication, or local newspaper. PNHP has a handout with tips.
- Attend PNHP’s Annual Meeting to get updated on the latest health policy data and have fun with like-minded physicians.
What Citizen Activists Can Do
- Educate yourself about single-payer national health insurance with the PNHP website resources and PNHP slideshow.
- Write a letter to your representative in support of HR676.
- Use this handout "Top 10 Reasons For Enacting a Single Payer Healthcare System" from the California Nurses Assocation.
- Sign up for PNHP action alerts on important health policy issues and new research. (PNHP members are automatically subscribed).
- Invite a PNHP speaker to speak to your community group about single-payer.
- Organize a meeting with your legislators. The citizen single-payer group Healthcare Now has been holding congressional hearings and winning sponsorships for the single-payer bill all over the country. Visit their website for more information.
- Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local news publications. PNHP has a handout with tips.
- Donate to PNHP.
What Labor Activists Can Do
- Educate yourself about single-payer national health insurance with the PNHP website resources and PNHP slideshow.
Use this handout "Why SinglePayer Healthcare Is the Only Genuine Reform for Labor" from the California Nurses Assocation. - Write a letter to your representative in support of HR676.
- Sign up for PNHP action alerts on important health policy issues and new research. (PNHP members are automatically subscribed).
- Invite a PNHP speaker to speak to your labor union local about single-payer.
- Introduce a single-payer resolution in your local to express support for national health insurance and HR 676. A sample resolution is available here.
- Organize a panel on national health insurance at your next regional, state or national meeting.
- Organize a meeting with your legislators. The citizen single-payer group Healthcare Now has been holding congressional hearings and winning sponsorships for the single-payer bill all over the country. Visit their website for more information.
- Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local newspaper and union publications. PNHP has a handout with tips.
- Donate to PNHP.
Activism Resources
- Finding your Niche in Activism (pdf)
- How to Write an Op-Ed and Letter to the Editor
- Op-Ed Examples
- Letter to the Editor Examples
- How to Make Calls to the Press
- Sample Union Resolution (pdf)
- Sample Medical Society Resolution
- State Single-Payer Proposal Models (pdf)
- Press Releases
- PNHP Slideshow
- PNHP Newsletter
- PNHP Leadership Training Institute