would the next step be to organize and work at the state levels? If we can get something going in several states at once, the Insurance lobby would be spread quite thin, and their influence not so troublesome.
One example of a statewide single-payer effort I've supported for a few years:
http://www.spanohio.org/WHO WE ARE – The Single-Payer Action Network Ohio (SPAN Ohio) is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals in Ohio seeking fundamental health care reform in our state and country so that every resident is guaranteed full and comprehensive coverage. This includes the full range of medical services, hospitalization, prescriptions, vision care, dental care, mental health care, home care, long-term care, and care for all injuries and illnesses.
We advocate the establishment of a public fund that would pay all health care bills without co-payments or deductibles. Funding would come from the savings realized by eliminating the administrative waste and profits of the 1,500 private insurance companies and HMOs, savings from greater utilization of preventive medicine, and from additional mechanisms deemed necessary to ensure that the public fund has the necessary financial resources, with adequate reserves. The plan we call for is known as a single-payer health care system.
Their plan to pay for it is simple and practical as well: Since Congress won't remove the SS Cap or roll-back the Bush Tax Cuts, equivalent measures can be done at the state level to pay for a state-controlled/funded single-payer program.
If there were 30-40 more of these under a national umbrella, promoting single-payer (or even public option) as a statewide program, I think we could kick the insurance company's assess.