Action Alert!
On November 19th, 2008, at 10 a.m., the Senate Finance Committee will hold a host a hearing in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, in Washington, D.C., titled: “Health Care Reform: An Economic Perspective”
As of this time, only two U.S. Senators, Max Baucus of Montana and Charles Grassley of Iowa, are slated to offer statements, and only four other individuals are being offered as witnesses. There is no citizen or patient voice in this discussion of economic perspectives, and there is no nurse, doctor or other health care provider or professional voice in this discussion – no balance of perspectives from which our Senate can make informed choices.
Here is the hearing announcement.
We do not have a lot of time, but for those of us who are able, making some contact with the two Senate members offering comment and with other members of the finance committee might be important. Contact information is below (Fax and phone call is best, followed by email contact).
VoteSmart links to members of the Senate Finance Committee
Sen Max Baucus, Montana, chairman
List of full membership of Senate Finance Committee
The members are (some will not be back in the 111th Congress):
Sen. John Rockefeller, West Virginia
Sen. Kent Conrad, North Dakota
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico
Sen. John Kerry, Massachusetts
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas
Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon
Sen. Charles Schumer, New York
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Michigan
Sen. Maria Cantwell, Washington
Sen. Ken Salazar, Colorado
Sen. Orrin Hatch, Utah
Sen. Olympia Snowe, Maine
Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona
Sen. Gordon Smith, Oregon
Sen. Jim Bunning, Kentucky
Sen. Mike Crapo, Idaho
Sen. Pat Roberts, Kansas
Sen. John Ensign, Nevada
Sen. John Sununu, New Hampshire
Let’s make our voices heard. Fax, write, call and attend if you can.
EVERYONE PUT HR676 in your car window, in your house windows, in your apartment windows. Then hand out information to help people learn how to call their legislators. People were just shown how to get out and vote, now they need to know how to get out and change bad laws!!!
HR676 everywhere!!!
Health care reform is necessary. I hear the Republicans complain that we will lose our choice—the only choice I have is to get well without help or go in debt. I have insurance and it still costs me a fortune to go to the doctor. National health care is where we should go.
I am a teacher and It makes me sick to see students with rotten teeth, illnesses that last forever because they can’t afford a doctor. It s a real shame for a country as great as us to neglect its citizens so badly.
It is too bad that all the congressmen are rich and do not realize the problems of people who don’t make so much.
President Obama,
I am a 59 year old man living in Portland, Oregon. I work as an independent contractor, and an adjunct professor. The only way my wife and I can possibly afford health care for us both is through her employer. Our policy is adequate. However, my wife would like to change jobs because the physical demands of her present employment are straining her health. Ironically, this means she must find a job that has health insurance. Jobs are tough to find and those with a good health care plan are even tougher. I find it ridiculous that she must sacrifice her health to keep health insurance. In addition, our son has just turned 21 and no longer has health insurance. Since he is not a student I cannot afford to pay for his health insurance. If something were to happen to him it would financially wipe us out.
President Obama, you promised REAL change and TRUE health care reform. It is time that you use the public mandate given to you by the election and fulfill those promises. DEMAND A PUBLIC OPTION THAT DOES NOT COMPROMISE OR SURRENDER TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND BIG PHARMA INDUSTRIES!!
We have your back, Mr. President. The American people are behind you on this.
Sincerely,
Shelly Lipkin
Hey everyone,
I have just received an email from Avaaz describing how the healthcare companies are trying to derail Obamas reforms (surprise, surprise). I wanted to share this story with you. Please pass it on.
Last year my 13 year old fell off his bike and landed on his face. He wasn’t wearing a helmet and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. He was assessed straight away and was hooked up to a heart monitor. He was then taken for a CT scan to check he had no internal injuries. As a precaution he was kept in overnight and released the following day. 2 weeks later he was seen by a specialist to confirm there was no lasting damage. Guess how much all this cost us?
Yup, NOTHING! Not a bean.
We pay about 22% income tax and my wife and I together earn around £30000 a year.
Sure, the uk health service isn’t perfect, but I know that if I or one of my family are ill or injured we can get help straight away free of charge.
This could well be Americas last chance to reform this system within your lifetime. Please write to your political representitive and tell your friends.
Good luck.
If politicians (no matter the party) fail to pass sustantial medical health coverage for all americans. We the people of the United States should vote every sitting Senator, Representative and President out of office in the next election. Failure to act is criminal and will not be tolerated.
We can spend $100,000,000 dollars and the untold large sums the military deployment in Hatti. but they have a hard time ensureing that we the tax payer are medically covered and that we will not be devistated by an illness.
We should start a nation wide movement to tell these politicians that they will lose their jobs for failing to act.