|
| |
AMERICA 'S TIME IS NOW!
Health care “should be a right for every American.”
President Barack Obama
Two Things You Can Do Right Now!
JOIN US ON CAPITOL HILL
HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA NOW! DAY
Thursday, June 25
Sign up today and join with Americans from around the country in support of President Obama's promise of health care for all.
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. - National Rally at Upper Senate Park on the north side of the Capitol
12:30 - 2:30 p.m. - MD Town Hall and Lobby Day with our Members of Congress
TELL AARP WE NEED A PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN!
SIGN OUR PETITION
We are approaching the decisive days in the health care reform debate. President Obama says that Americans should be able to keep their current insurance or buy into a public plan. We agree! However, those who are opposed to a public plan are bringing considerable resources to this fight.
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is a large and powerful advocacy organization. But, AARP has not endorsed a public health insurance plan in health care reform. With your help we will urge AARP to step forward in support of the public plan that could mean real reform for all Americans. We urge you to sign the petition: Ask AARP to take action now.
Learn more about the benefits of a public health insurance plan.
TELL AARP THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU -
ASK YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS
AND COLLEAGUES TO DO SO, TOO
|
 |
WHY IS HEALTH CARE REFORM IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Health Care Stories – See what others have said about health care reform
"Ted Kennedy has brain cancer. So does a woman in Maryland whose treatment has been constantly interrupted. At the start, she had state-of-the-art surgery at a premiere cancer center in NYC. But when she moved to New Jersey her radiation treatment was delayed 6 weeks. When she moved to Maryland she had to demonstrate 6 months' residency to get chemotherapy. Fearful of treatment delays, her devoted family drove her from Maryland to New Jersey – 5 and 1/2 hours each way – for months of chemo in order to keep the cancer at bay. Yet, she lived but a "stone's throw" from Johns Hopkins and Anne Arundel Medical Centers , two of Maryland 's best cancer centers.
Ask yourself: Why isn't insurance coverage seamless across state lines? Is treatment delayed, treatment denied?" Washington, DC
“I am now having increasing difficulty trying to pay for my co-pays. I am getting ready to retire--- and am now fearful that I will not be able to afford healthcare.” Washington, DC
“My wife and I have both been failed by the health care system. We had insurance and when each of us got a little sick, our finances got very sick. My daughter was failed by this system d/t lack of portability and eventually lost the ability to have any children. This country can do much better than at present. We need a patient driven system not the current profit driven system. ” New York
“Healthcare is not an optional "benefit" only for those lucky enough to get it. We need a real change and we need it right now. I have a life-threatening disease that is covered by insurance. If I didn't have insurance, I could die. Simple. ” Virginia
Share Your Experience
|
 |
2009 GENERAL ASSEMBLY - PROGRESS ON HEALTH CARE REFORM
Anne Kasper, Chair, and Leni Preston, Vice Chair, celebrated as Governor O'Malley signed into law the Foster Kids Coverage Act [HB580 - introduced by Delegate Heather Mizeur (D-20)]. They were joined by a group of young people who will benefit from the provision to provide access to health insurance until the age of 21 for those aging out of the foster care system.
Other legislation that the Coalition successfully testified on included:
Four bills created regulatory changes in the insurance industry - SB79, HB32, HB39, HB235 and HB1280 continue to help Maryland make progress in health care reform.
HB500 targets the enrollment of eligible Baltimore city children for medical assistance programs.
|
 |
 |
Partners Working Together Say
YES, WE CAN!
If you are not a member, join the Coalition and encourage your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to do the same. There is no cost to join.
If an organization you work with is not a member encourage them to join and sign on to our Campaign pledge.
Join our Advocacy Action Team and let your legislators know how you feel about reform – information or contact us.
Have you or someone you know been adversely impacted by a lack of insurance or inadequate health care – please share those experiences with us. They will bring the issues home to our decision makers.
Most important, we want to hear from you – please share your ideas on how we can work together to make health care a reality for everyone in Maryland .
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| An Interfaith Service of Witness and Prayer, Freedom Plaza, Washington, DC. June 24, 4 p.m. |
| |
| Health Care for America Now!, Citizens Lobby Day at Capital Hill, Washignton, DC, June 25 |
| |
| Purple Bus Westward Bound 2009 Tour. |
| |
|
 |
| Why a Public Health Insurance Option? Health Care For America Now!, March 9, 2009 |
| |
| Response to Proposal To Make Establishment of a Public Health Insurance Plan Contingent On A "Trigger", Health Care For America Now!, 2009 |
| |
| Too Great a Burden: Americans Face Rising Health Care Costs, Families USA, April, 2009 |
| |
| HealthReform.gov - President Obama's site for information on health care reform at the federal level. |
| |
| Women at Risk: Why Many Women Are Forgoing Needed Health Care, The Commonweath Fund, May 11, 2009 |
| |
| Seize Opportunity To Meet Obama's Commitment To Insure All Children, The Hill. April 29, 2009 |
| |
| A System From Hell, April 27, 2009. Article by Kate Michelman. |
| |
| National Health Insurance - A Brief History of Reform Efforts in the U.S.," March, 2009. |
| |
| The Maryland Women's Coalition is just back from the conference on implementing the new State Children's Health Insurance law, known as CHIPRA. The materials from this excellent conference |
| |
| The latest news on Health Care Reform on the Federal Level is kept at www.healthreform.gov |
| |
| Americans-At-Risk: One third of Americans Uninsured. Families USA report 86.7 Million Americans Were Uninsured at Some Point in 2007-2008! |
| |
| Kaiser Health Tracking Poll -- February 2009 by the Kaiser Family Foundation. |
| |
| Next Step: Health Care. To Fix Maryland's Economy, We Need To Fix Health Care Now. Report from Health Care For America Now. |
| |
| Majority of U.S. Residents Believes Obama Should Seek Major Changes to Health Care System, poll by the Washington Post and ABC News |
| |
| Economic crisis impacts health care: Facing Deficits, Many States are Impsing Cuts that Hurt Vulnerable Residents and State Fiscal Conditions and Medicaid |
| |
| Economic Crisis Demands Health Care Reform, report by American Progress that health care needs to be addressed now not delayed. |
| |
|
 |
| MD Current Coverage |
| |
Kaiser Family Foundation |
| Covering the Uninsured in 2008 |
| |
| Updated Fact Sheets on Women's Health Insurance Coverage |
| |
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation |
| Several useful advocacy resources on covering the uninsured |
| |
| The Annie E. Casey Foundation |
| Kids Count Databook contains 100 measures at the state and city level on child well being. |
| |
| Tips for Talking to Talk Radio about Health Care |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|