[SustainableTompkins] The Political Economy of Relocalization

[Bethany Schroeder]

The Ithaca Health Fund problems that occurred almost 3 years ago may not 
be the best example of a large body walloping a small one. Whereas the 
NYS insurance department (NYSID) did come down hard on the
program, to be fair, lowering the boom was the only choice
NYSID had, given NYS regulations. The Ithaca Health Fund made some 
well-meaning but naive decisions, which have now been redressed.

The amount of trouble the NYSID fight cost the members and volunteers of 
the Fund is regrettable, but getting through the struggle helped to map 
the organization's direction, now fully articulated in the body of the 
Ithaca Health Alliance (IHA). The corrective plan of action, as it's 
called in health care, also helped to attract some local talent that has 
since gone on to open and run the Free Clinic, develop community 
outreach in the form of a newsletter and other educational products, 
create new cooperation between the schools and conventional and 
complementary health providers, employ three staff, and manage the whole 
enterprise with a relatively small pool of volunteers. In short, the 
services the IHA now offers are better than ever and, I am happy to say, 
  are sustainable.

Not bad for a little local group.

Bethany





Margaret McCasland wrote:

> I also agree with Karl that aspects of local self-reliance that have 
> been sufficiently "successful" have been severely dealt with by "the 
> powers that be." Two examples I know of off the top of my head are a 
> local/regional currency in Argentina (the "truc"), and the original 
> form of the Ithaca Health Fund (which the NYS insurance regulators 
> came down on hard).
> 
> I look forward to hearing from more people.    Margaret
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