Who We Are
We’re nurses, doctors and nursing home aides. We’re pharmacists and psychologists. We work in patient’s homes and in public hospitals. We’re your coworkers, your friends, and your neighbors. And we are united in our commitment to provide the highest quality care for our patients and our residents.
But we’re working within a healthcare system that no longer works -- for our patients, or for ourselves and our families.
Now is the time to make healthcare reform the top priority for the new administration and Congress.
It’s the time to raise our voices and make sure they’re heard above the interests of drug and insurance companies and HMO’s.
And it’s the time to speak out to make sure patient care is valued over profits margins.
Healthcare United was launched in February 2008 to unite the power of 12 million caregivers nationwide around our core mission of national healthcare reform.
Healthcare United has received the endorsement of Families USA. Families USA is a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Working at the national, state, and community levels, Families USA has been an effective voice for health care consumers for 25 years.
Along with national healthcare advocacy organizations, we seek to make the voices of frontline healthcare workers heard in the national healthcare debate, raise awareness about what’s working and what’s not in our healthcare system, and help to elect candidates who share our vision for quality, affordable healthcare for all.
Make your voice heard and become a part of Healthcare United.
Mission and Principles
Our Mission
We are nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers uniting to build a national movement to reform our country’s healthcare system. Our mission is to build a national healthcare system that delivers quality, affordable healthcare to all.
Our Principles
Universal Care
Healthcare for all needs to be a reality, not just rhetoric. We need to create a core healthcare benefit similar to one that is available to federal employees.
Caregiver Choice
No one knows the issues better. All caregivers should have a voice in the healthcare reform debate.
Prevention
A critical part of promoting health, controlling costs, and eliminating economic racial disparities.
Patient Choice
Patients deserve a choice of doctors and healthcare plans without gaps in coverage or access, and the delivery system must meet the needs of at-risk populations.
Staffing Standards
Higher staffing levels means better patient care, lower costs, fewer medical errors, and better working conditions for all caregivers.
Training for the Future
Healthcare reform must factor in training and education that will prepare us to meet the growing needs of the future and keep pace with increasing demand and ever-changing technology.
Controlling Costs
Healthcare reform must control costs by providing care that is cost efficient and medically effective.
Continuing Care
We need comprehensive long term care services that will reduce out-of-pocket costs, and maximize opportunities.
Sign onto Healthcare United’s Principles and make your voice heard!
Facts about the Crisis
Cost
At Healthcare United, we have seen medical costs skyrocket, leaving many of our patients unable to get the care they need – or even being forced into bankruptcy to pay for health care.
While big insurance and drug companies continue to rake in hefty profits, every 30 seconds in the United States, someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem.
Up to 25 percent of the cost that we are being charged for insurance premiums is being spent on administrative salaries or marketing costs alone. This doesn’t even account for the built-in profit margin of these companies. Yet a recent study showed that in 2001, two million Americans experienced medical bankruptcy -- bankruptcy caused by illness, injury, medical expenses, or a combination of the three.
Still even more shocking: 75% of these patients had health insurance coverage at the time they became ill or injured.
Quality
In 2005, the Commonwealth Fund surveyed sicker adults in six highly industrialized countries and found 51% of U.S. adults surveyed did not visit a doctor, get a needed test, or fill a prescription within the past two years because of cost. None of the other five countries came close to that percentage.
Other recent studies show that only a little more than half of adult patients in our country receive the basic levels of recommended care. This is true whether it is for chronic, acute, or preventive care, and it is true across all spectrums -- screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
So while the United States spends nearly $100 billion a year to provide uninsured residents with health services, these are very often for preventable diseases or diseases that physicians could treat more efficiently with earlier diagnosis – not only saving money, but sparing our patients from immeasurable distress and pain.
And what about our patients, and those of us who are underinsured? A new study found that 29% of people who had health insurance were “underinsured” with coverage so meager they often postponed medical care because of costs. Nearly 50% overall, and 43% of people with health coverage, said they were “somewhat” to “completely” unprepared to cope with a costly medical emergency over the coming year.
Access
Nearly 47 million Americans – that’s 16% of the population --were without health insurance in 2005.
This rampant lack of health insurance causes roughly 18,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the United States. These are our neighbors, our patients, and even our family members.
Although this country leads the world in spending on health care, it is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not ensure that all of its citizens have coverage.
So what are we as caregivers in this ailing system going to do about it? We’ve been silent for too long. The time has come for us to raise our voices together, and help bring about the change we know is desperately needed.
Our Team
Meet our organizers, communicators, and researchers who work to make Healthcare United work for you!
Madeline Talbott
Madeline Talbott is the National Field Director for Healthcare United. She has been a community organizer for 32 years, bringing together working families to make a difference in the struggle for living wage jobs, affordable housing, quality education, access to affordable healthcare, safe communities, equitable distribution of services and racial, social and economic justice. She has worked in Houston and Dallas, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Chelsea, Massachusetts; Harar, Ethiopia; and Chicago, Illinois.
She is the lead organizer for Action Now in Chicago, Illinois,
(www.actionnow.org) a grassroots organization that is fighting against
the foreclosures that are threatening families, communities and the
whole economy. She has been active in coalition work in Illinois to
require profitable hospitals that receive huge tax breaks from the
public to offer "charity care" or reduced cost care, to the uninsured
and those who need it. She has convened coalitions that have fought
for and won "living wage" laws and programs that recruit and train
teacher for hard to staff schools from the communities where those
schools are located, known as the Grow Your Own Teacher program.
Madeline is married, lives in an apartment in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood, and has three daughters in college in Illinois and Wisconsin. She graduated from Harvard University in 1975. Contact: madeline@healthcareunited.org
Mara Kieval, RN - Oregon
Mara is a Coordinator for Healthcare United in Oregon. She is a registered nurse specializing in Labor and Delivery. She's worked in high risk and rural hospitals for many years and while she enjoyed the experience of helping her patients have the best experience possible, she's now turned her attention toward creating positive changes in our healthcare system. In addition to nursing, Mara has worked for the Democratic party as both a volunteer and as an elected member of the executive committee. Her love for caregiving and political organizing is well-suited for the work of Healthcare United. When not working, Mara enjoys spending time with her family. Her adorable twin 3 ½ year-old boys inspire her everyday to work for a fair and just healthcare system that reflects our values as a society. Contact her at Mara@healthcareunited.org
Madeleine Mysko, RN
Madeleine Mysko is registered nurse who works part-time in a Baltimore retirement community. She is also a published poet and novelist. A graduate of The Johns Hopkins University Writing Seminars, she teaches creative writing at Johns Hopkins in the Advanced Academic Programs. Her first novel, Bringing Vincent Home, is based on her experiences as an Army nurse on the burn ward in 1969. Madeleine is a peace and justice activist whose OpEd pieces have appeared in national journals including American Journal of Nursing and The Baltimore Sun. She has a passion for the personal narrative. As a teacher and as a leader in her community, she tries to encourage others to tell their stories too.
Valerie Tate, RN
Valerie Tate, RN graduated with an Associate Degree from
the University of DC in 1983 and worked as a bedside nurse at a
Washington, DC inner city hospital until 1991. She is currently the
Quality Care Programs Coordinator for the Nurse Alliance of SEIU
Healthcare; working with RN leaders who represent 85,000 union RNs and
connecting with 200,000 nonunion RNs, on improving patient outcomes,
quality care and RN satisfaction in the acute care workplace. She has
previously served as President of the DC Nurses Association; Member of
the American Nurses Association (ANA) Congress on Nursing Economics;
and Member of the ANA NLRB Rule Task Force. Her political appointments
include the DC Statewide Health Coordinating Council (SHCC), advising
the DC State Health Planning and Development Agency on matters of
health planning, regulation, data collection and analysis. She was
elected Chair of SHCC Project Review Committee which reviewed
Certificate of Need applications and recommending appropriate action.
Valerie was appointed to the Temporary Commission for Pay Equity and
Training, which monitored a study and developed the plan to address DC
civil service wage discrimination and training needs. And she served on
the city's Nursing Shortage Study Commission in 1988, which conducted a
study and urged public and private sector improvements to RN wages,
working conditions, professional autonomy, flexible scheduling,
adequate staffing, and enhanced access to education.
Julia Greene
Julia Greene is the National Coordinator for Professional Associations for Healthcare United. She works on recruiting organizations of healthcare professionals to take charge of reforming healthcare by joining the Healthcare United campaign.Most recently Julia was the Director of Health Systems for SEIU Colorado. In that position, Julia was appointed as a Commissioner to the Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission on Healthcare Reform and served from November 2006-January 2008. She also worked in both Colorado and Arizona as the State Campaign Director for Americans for Health Care, a project of SEIU.
Prior to joining SEIU, she spent 8 years as a community organizer in the Boston area working with church-based coalitions on housing, immigration and healthcare campaigns. It was her work on a successful coalition effort to save a community hospital that Julia first discovered her passion for healthcare.
Julia has a BA in Economics from Trinity University in Washington, DC and an MPA from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. When she is not traveling for Healthcare United, Julia spends her time in her native Massachusetts riding her bicycle and polishing her accent.
If you are a member of a professional or specialty association that you would like to see join with Healthcare United, contact Julia @ julia@healthcareunited.org.
Lisa Boynton - Minnesota
Lisa is the state lead Organizer for Healthcare United in Minnesota. Prior to working with Healthcare United, Lisa was a community Organizer in the Minnesota 6th Congressional District with Working Familes Win. She also worked as a field Organizer for Senator Wellstone's campaign. She has a BA degree in Sociology/Political Science. To learn more about what Healthcare United is doing across Minnesota and in your community, please contact Lisa at lisa@healthcareunited.org
Patrick Flaherty - Wisconsin
Patrick Flaherty is the State Lead Organizer for Healthcare United in Wisconsin. He is a long-time Milwaukee resident with a history of issue and electoral organizing. As Director of Center Advocates, he led campaigns for four different successful initiatives at the Milwaukee Common Council around nondiscrimination and expanded access to family health benefits, fought for state funding for Milwaukee health needs, and co-founded the Fair Wisconsin campaign, a three year $5 million effort to defeat an antigay referendum. Flaherty has also participated in local initiatives to hold corporations that receive public subsidies to a higher standard, such as requiring living wages for workers paid hired with government contracts or community benefits in return for public assistance on development projects. Flaherty has served on the board of Citizen Action of Wisconsin since 2000 and lives with his partner in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood.
Nathan Gonzalez - Nevada
Nathan is a Community/Political Organizer for Healthcare United in Nevada. He is a veteran of political organizing around the issue of voter participation and civil rights. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA. Nathan feels that the long term effects of a worsening healthcare crisis in America are the most serious political challenge of this generation. Contact him at nathan@healthcareunited.org
Jason Groves
Jason is a coordinator for Healthcare United team here in Washington, DC. Jason’s involvement in community service began straight out of college when he went to work for the National Youth Connection Inc., a non-profit grassroots civil rights and social justice organization geared towards combating injustices that face youth in America. After a three year stint with the organization he traveled to South Africa where he became involved with the Southern African Arts Exchange located in Johannesburg. This organization sought to promote local and international poets in an annual festival held in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.After returning to the United States, Jason set his sights on service once more by working as a Legislative Assistant for a member of the House of Representatives with a primary focus on foreign policy issues. After a failed reelection bid in 2007, Jason came to work for SEIU as a healthcare policy analyst.
Ryan Hampton - Florida
Ryan is the State Leader Organizer for Healthcare United in Florida. A native Floridian, Ryan was a political junkie from a very early age. At thirteen, he campaigned for Jeb Bush. At nineteen, he was a staffer in the Clinton White House. He spent the last ten years working on a variety of grassroots political campaigns. His work includes fund raising for at-risk youth, advocating for local businesses in the face of a threatened Wal-Mart invasion, and preservation of open space in Southeast Florida. A personal, years-long battle with insurance providers prompted Ryan’s decision to join the fight for healthcare reform. Ryan attended Marymount University, and promises his mother he will return to earn those last ten credits necessary for graduation. He currently makes his home in Miami. Contact him at ryan@healthcareunited.org
Jess Kutch
Jess Kutch is an internet strategist for Healthcare United. In 2006 and 2007, she directed the online campaign for Value Care, Value Nurses—an organization of RNs advocating for quality patient care. Before joining SEIU, she served as an online organizer for Public Citizen, where she helped expose the corruption surrounding lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Rep. Tom DeLay. Prior to arriving in Washington, DC, Jess organized neighborhood committees for ACORN in Hartford, CT. She graduated with a B.A. from Bennington College in 2003. Contact her at JessKutch@healthcareunited.org
Brad Levinson
Brad is a new media strategist for Healthcare United. After being inspired by the Howard Dean campaign, Brad shifted his dreams from becoming a school psychologist towards using the Internet and new media to empower people to create social change. After completing his undergraduate degree in Philadelphia, Brad moved to DC to earn his masters in new media and politics.
Brad joins Healthcare United after several years of work in the new media and public affairs field, where he worked on a number of healthcare issues including preventative care, prescription access, and drug safety. In his spare time, he blogs, Twitters, and generally “friends” people all over the world. Contact Brad at brad@healthcareunited.org
Oscar Lopez - New Mexico
Before becoming involved in politics, Oscar Lopez worked as a Director of a Boys & Girls in New Mexico and witnessed families who lived in poverty that were unable to provide decent healthcare for themselves or their children. Oscar was inspired by leaders like John Edwards and Bobby Kennedy to pursue a career path in which he would have the opportunity to help families living in poverty and without healthcare. He went to work for Patricia Madrid for Congress, John Edwards for President and Martin Heinrich for Congress before joining Healthcare United. Oscar is a native New Mexican and graduated from the the University of New Mexico with BA in Psychology. He is engaged to be married in December to his fiancée whom he met working for John Edwards.
Jessica Lowe - Florida
Jessica Lowe is a doctoral student in Women’s Studies at Florida State University. For the past four years, she has worked for the Florida National Organization for Women as their lobbyist in Tallahassee. While with Florida NOW, she was privileged to work on a number of issues related to women’s rights, LGBT rights, civil rights, education, and public health. Additionally, she teaches a film course at Florida State University entitled, “Multicultural Film.” Currently, she is taking a hiatus from her dissertation on the presentation of high-achieving women in film and television in order to work for Healthcare United. While not teaching or engaging in political activism, Jessica likes to ride and show her horse, Devo, and spend time with her border collie, Hero.
Chris Mosley - Louisiana
Christopher Mosley is the State Lead Organizer for Healthcare United in Louisiana. Born in Yonkers, New York, Christopher Mosley was a 1986 graduate of Woodlands High School in Hartsdale, New York. In 1994 he received a BA in political science from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Chris' passion is in fighting for social justice, having served in the inaugural class of AmeriCorps, as a Kerry/Edwards GOTV team member in Philadelphia, as a field organizer under DNC Chair Howard Dean's 50 State Strategy, and as a project organizer for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.Mosley is the 2004 recipient of the National Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Southeast Regional Director's Award, a founding member of the Birmingham Precinct of the Alabama Democratic Conference, a former member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast Committee, a former member of the Catalyst Steering Committee, and a 2006 participant in the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama Roundtable. In addition, the Southeast Regional Director for the NAACP tapped Mosley in 2005 to participate as a member of the committee responsible for bringing Rosa Parks' body to the City of Montgomery, Alabama during her homegoing celebration.
Laura Nevitt - Michigan
Laura is the State Director for Healthcare United in Michigan. Laura found her passion for politics was rooted in her family lineage from both sides of her family. From her father, her grandmother’s roots of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and members of the Continental Congress and from her mother, her great-grandfather’s roots as a town council person Macomb County, MI.
She started working in politics over 10 years ago working for Ed Garvey and Barbara Lawton as they ran on campaign finance reform against Gov. Tommy Thompson. She worked on several state house races and issue campaigns, including Sen. Herb Kohl, Gore/Lieberman, Barbara Lawton, Howard Dean, Kerry/ Edwards, Patty Wetterling, Ford Bell for Senate, Midwest Values PAC and John Edwards ’08. Before coming to MI, Laura was working on a ballot initiative in MN to dedicate funds for the environment, the outdoors, parks and trail as well as the arts. You can contact Laura at laura@healthcareunited.org or via phone at (313) 354-2830.
Matt Pendergast - Virginia
Matt Pendergast is a Community/Political Organizer for Healthcare United in Virginia. He holds a degree in Political Science and Theatre from the University at Albany and spent the first eight years out of college working as an actor in New York City. Before coming to Healthcare United, Matt worked as a diversity consultant with investment banks and pharmaceuticals across the United States to foster a more respectful work environment around issues of gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. As an organizer, Matt worked with child care providers, home health aids, and adjunct professors for improvements in their wages and benefits and a strong voice in the workplace. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Caroline and their daughter, Fiona.
Monica Perez - Virginia
Monica is a state lead organizer for Healthcare United in Virginia. A native Arizonan, she was raised in the small border community of Douglas, where her passion for political involvement and social justice began. For the past ten years, Monica has worked on numerous local and state-wide political campaigns and in 2004 ran for the state legislature in her home district, narrowly missing a general election victory. Most recently she served as a regional director in Las Vegas working on the first Western presidential caucus for 2008 in an effort to organize Latinos and working families for her candidate. When not organizing health care workers in the state of Virginia, Monica can be found catching-up with her family and friends back in Arizona and planning her “cupcake revolution”. Contact Monica at monica@healthcareunited.org
Lynette Pitcock
Lynette Pitcock is a Campaign Coordinator for Healthcare United in the Central States. She hails from El Paso, Texas. She believes that ordinary people with vision and a plan can change the course of history.For over ten years, Lynette has focused her work on health care -with consumers and providers. In Denver, CO she worked on a campaign to win health care coverage for low wage janitors and their families. She ran campaigns in Chicago and Denver to improve accountability of public/non-profit hospitals to patients and tax payers. Working with a coalition of community leaders and healthcare workers, she won an unprecedented settlement with a public hospital that protected the 1st Amendment rights of healthcare workers to speak out on behalf of patient care.
Lynette is continuously inspired by the women and men who wake up every day - despite tremendous odds - and care for patients. She explains that "we hear from the drug companies, HMO's and the CEOs about our healthcare system all the time". But if you are looking for real solutions, Lynette says you should talk to the people who provide the care. And that is why she has joined Healthcare United.
Before joining Healthcare United, Lynette worked with the United American Nurses (UAN).
She lives in Chicago, Illinois with her family and her dog, Puppy.
Virginia Rodino
Virginia is a Senior Communications Strategist with Healthcare United. Before joining SEIU Healthcare, she served as the national organizer for U.S. Labor Against the War, a national coalition of union organization members committed to ending the occupation of Iraq and bringing the troops home safely. Previous to working in the labor movement, she was an assistant professor of public relations, communications, and media studies at a Maryland university. She also has extensive experience in communication management and social activism for economic justice and anti-war issues, at a local, national, and international level.
Eli Staub
Eli Staub is a researcher with Healthcare United, focusing on finding ways to inject some accountability and justice into our country's crazy healthcare system. He is a veteran of numerous SEIU Healthcare campaigns to help residents and employees of healthcare facilities speak out for their rights to quality care and quality jobs. He became totally addicted to this work during a victorious campaign to win better healthcare and living wages for 8,000 nursing home workers in Chicago. When he witnessed those workers speaking out about how their meager healthcare plan prevented them from delivering quality care to their residents, he saw firsthand the power that workers have when they come together in one voice! Outside of his campaign work, he published a paper in 2006 (jointly with the Center for American Progress) on rising financial insecurity for middle class families across the US. Prior to working for SEIU, Eli researched economic development policies at the Keystone Research Center in Harrisburg, PA (where he grew up) and spent many months hanging out with street vendors in Mexico learning about their struggles to make a living under NAFTA. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 2004.Eli is thrilled to join the Healthcare United team, and asks that if you come across any news stories, blog posts, or other tidbits of information that speak to the challenges that consumers and employees face in our healthcare system, shoot him an email at eli@healthcareunited.org
Mary Timmel - Missouri
Mary is the Lead Organizer for Healthcare United in Missouri. She began working with SEIU in 2005, specializing in organizing healthcare workers all over the country. In 2007, Mary left SEIU to join the Missouri Progressive Vote, but SEIU has managed to lure her back. We're excited to have Mary's expertise in healthcare systems , using her experiences to help change the healthcare system.
Ellie Van Houtte - Ohio
Ellie is the Lead Organizer for Healthcare United in Ohio.
After spending her early career working with candidates and voters across the country on local, congressional, and presidential political campaigns, Ellie is returning to her native state of Ohio to pursue her passion for helping people and her desire to takes steps towards breaking the inequality that exists in the American healthcare system.
Ellie’s previous experience in healthcare includes organizing advocacy and legislative programs for thousands of type 1 diabetics and their families for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF). In addition to her professional experiences, Ellie has volunteered in a women’s substance abuse recovery center, and worked in a peer outreach program for young adults.
Although Ellie began her career in Architecture, after graduating with a B.A. in Architecture from Miami University, she now utilizes her strategic planning skills to build community by strengthening and empowering human networks. Rooted in the belief that every individual can make a difference, Ellie tries to find time to share her enthusiasm and blessings with others through her work with community organizations that have included Jubilee Housing, The Women’s Information Network, and various politically active groups in the Washington, DC area.
When she finds a few moments of free-time, Ellie enjoys documenting the world around her through her camera, traveling to new places, and exploring the outdoors. Contact her at ellie@healthcareunited.org
Jessica Vollmer - Colorado
Jessica is the State Coordinator for Healthcare United in Colorado. She’s been working with SEIU since July 2007. Both of Jessica’s parents are doctors, and she was raised with a deep understanding of the problems facing our nation’s healthcare system. Jessica received a B.A. in journalism from Indiana University. She’s worked for Indiana PIRG, Coloradans for Fairness and Equality, and Citizens for Colorado. Jessica is getting married this June, and can’t put into words how excited she is for the “big day” and the honeymoon in Fiji that will follow. 
Karen Wohlleben - Iowa
Karen is the Lead Organizer for Healthcare United in Iowa. Before joining our team, Karen served as the state coordinator for the Long Term Care Coalition and Alzheimer’s Association in Iowa, an advocate and field organizer for child care workers with Child Care WORKS in Minnesota, and has worked on numerous local, state, and national campaigns, including as a field organizer in Iowa and Minnesota for the Obama for America campaign. Karen was also a field coordinator for Disaster Services for the American Red Cross. Karen is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Contact Karen at karen@healthcareunited.org