Now is the Time: Healthcare for Everybody is a new free film screening at the Shepherdstown Opera House, Thursday, May 18, 7 p.m. The title aptly mirrors headlines popping up throughout the U.S. People in a growing nationwide movement are demanding improved Medicare for all. Dr. Margaret Flowers, featured in the film and a long-time champion of single-payer, will answer questions and facilitate discussion immediately after.

Using interviews, animations and expose, the movie is a personal journey for filmmakers, Laurie Simons and Terry Sterrenberg. Facing the expense, complexity and frustrations of U.S. healthcare after having lived in Canada with its universal system, they describe their worries about costs and stressful encounters with insurance companies during Laurie’s illness.

In the U.S., almost twice as much is spent for healthcare, but with poorer outcomes than other industrialized nations. The U.S. continue to leave millions with no, or inadequate, care. The U.S. system often delays healthcare-and sometimes people die early-because of the high cost of premiums, co-pays and deductibles.

More and more, people don’t have a choice of doctors or hospitals because the insurance company excludes them from their network.

The film illustrates how “Expanded and Improved Medicare for All,” a bill (HR 676) with 100 cosponsors in the House of Representatives, ensures that everyone will receive all medically necessary care through a publicly funded, privately provided system. Economist Gerald Friedman describes how savings can be achieved so that 95 percent of individuals will pay less additional tax than currently paid for premiums and out of pocket expenses.

The film shows how the tide is already turning, the tipping point is near, and the opening for change is now. Bring questions and learn from the movie and Dr. Flowers how Medicare for all can be achieved.

Dr. Flowers, pediatrician, graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and completed residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

After practicing in a variety of settings, she became a full time advocate for single-payer and economic justice. In 2009, she was arrested when she spoke out for single payer during a U.S. Senate Finance Committee roundtable on health insurance.

Flowers is a Board Adviser to Physicians for a National Health Program, Co-Director of Health Over Profit and on the Leadership Council of Health Care is a Human Right Campaign Maryland. In 2016, she ran on the Green Party ticket for Maryland’s U.S. Senate seat. Her many media appearances include Bill Moyers’ Journal and Fox Business News.

Sponsored by the Eastern Panhandle Single-Payer Action Network and Eastern Panhandle Central Labor Council. For more information, contact epspan@gmail.com and see the flyer at imgur.com/a/LgivK, and visit nowisthetimemovie.com to watch the trailer.