Health Care Advocates Call on Voinovich to Support Affordable Health Care for All
Wednesday, health care advocates gathered from around the state concerned that the affordability standards in the U.S.
Senate Finance passed version of health care reform do not go far enough. On the heels of the Senate Finance
Committee's historic vote, advocates delivered their message and hundreds of signatures on postcards to U.S. Sen.
George Voinovich urging his support of affordable health care for all.
At a Statehouse press conference and rally prior to a meeting with Voinovich, Cathy Levine highlighted the historic
importance of the Senate action on health care reform.
"No issue before Congress could be more important than ensuring that cancer survivors, those with chronic conditions,
and those whose wages are stretched to pay for food and shelter have access to the richest health care system in the
world," said Levine, co-chair of Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage (OCHC). "We ask Sen. Voinovich to support health
care reform that gives all Ohioans access to high quality, affordable health care."
Joining the rally and meeting with Voinovich were health care advocates from across the state, many motivated by their
own personal experiences. Anne Creech, a two-time cancer survivor, traveled from Toledo to share her story. After
dropping her employer-based insurance at her employer's request, Creech struggled to find affordable coverage in Ohio's
individual market as a cancer survivor.
"I pay $500 each month for a high deductible insurance plan that excludes coverage for cancer screenings and other tests
I need," said Creech. "I am putting off important preventive screenings because I cannot afford to pay for them out of
pocket."
The issue of affordability is especially important to the age group just below Medicare eligibility, advocates pointed out.
Those aged 50 to 64 often face coverage exclusions or higher premiums because of pre-existing conditions and
age. "That is a key reason why 13 percent of adults age 50-64, or 7.1 million adults, were uninsured in 2007 - a figure
that is growing rapidly in our current difficult economy. Even those with insurance often struggle with high premiums and
cost sharing obligations that can make health care unaffordable."
George Sonnichsen, an AARP volunteer, called for fair treatment for older Americans: "We must prevent insurers from
denying coverage or charging higher rates based on age or health status and subsidies must ensure that coverage -
including both premiums and co-pays and deductibles - is affordable for everyone."
Health care reform is also an important issue to the faith community. The United Methodist Book of Discipline calls health
care "a basic human right," and states that it is a "governmental responsibility to provide all citizens with health care."
Alicia Rivers, a commissioned deacon in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church and a member of the
leadership team of Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage spoke to the faith community's responsibility in the health care
reform debate.
"Health care for all is not an option from a faith perspective, but rather a necessity. We are called to care for persons as
God cares for them, providing out of abundance rather than scarcity. Access to care is not a privilege but a right for all,"
explained Rivers. She continued, "We call on Sen. Voinovich, who is known as a man of faith, to make affordable health
care for all Ohioans - and all Americans - his legacy."
According to OCHC, the Senate Finance passed bill includes the some safeguards for consumers but the coalition wants
the Senate to adopt affordability provisions that go further to protect consumers - such as those which provide premium
credits on a sliding scale basis to individuals and families with incomes up to 400 percent Federal Poverty Level.
Ron
Current Financial Crisis Demands Health Reform
Now is the time to fix our broken system and spur economic growth
By Joanne Limbach
Skyrocketing health care costs have Ohio’s working families struggling to make ends meet and are pushing our employers to the brink. As wages tighten and unemployment rises across the state, soaring medical costs are squeezing individuals and families – forcing some into bankruptcy. We’re seeing major industries forced to close or impose drastic layoffs, finding the soaring cost of health insurance is putting their businesses (and our nation as a whole) at a global disadvantage.
Our current health care system costs too much, wastes too much, makes too many mistakes and returns too little value for our money. Still, some members of Ohio’s congressional delegation are telling us that we cannot afford to fix our broken health system, we need to wait. That doesn’t make sense. Now is the time to fix the system that if left unchecked will only worsen. We can’t afford the cost of doing nothing.
As state president for AARP Ohio, I can assure you that we will be working across the state and across the nation to convince our leaders to take on real health care reform now and ensure that all Americans have access to their choice of quality health care plans that they can afford. AARP believes we must:
● Make affordable health care coverage options available to everyone, especially people ages 50-64 who are among the fastest growing group of uninsured
● Keep Medicare affordable by rewarding doctors and hospitals for quality rather than quantity of care
● Promote prevention and healthy behaviors
● Eliminate fraud, waste and abuse
● Improve care coordination for people with chronic conditions, help them stay in their homes and out of institutions
● Cut administrative costs by replacing paper records with a secure online record system
● Use research to help doctors and patients determine the most effective treatment
● Reduce the cost of prescription drugs through bulk purchasing for Medicare and Medicaid
By making health care reform an important priority in his address to the nation and by providing funding for it in his budget, President Obama began building the momentum necessary to spur action on health reform this year. AARP believes that all of us – individuals, providers, purchasers, insurers, and government – have a role to play. We encourage you to join us in urging Congress to act now on comprehensive reform to bring down costs, improve quality, and ensure that all Americans can get affordable, quality coverage.
Please join us in telling U.S. Senators George Voinovich, a Republican, and Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and all of our U.S. Representatives – including Democrat Zack Space and Republicans Pat Tiberi, Steve Austria, Jim Jordan and Bob Latta – to end partisan bickering, put their best ideas on the table, and work together now to make health reform a priority met this year. You can learn more and find contact information for your congressional representatives at www.dividedwefail.org
(Joanne Limbach, who lives in New Philadelphia, volunteers as state president for AARP Ohio and as a member of the AARP National Policy Council.)
A message from the Black Professional Network:
President Obama Launches White House Internship Program
Dear Colleagues:
On February 26, President Obama launched the White House Internship Program for his administration and announced that applications are currently being accepted for the summer of 2009. Those selected to participate in the program will gain valuable job experience and an inside look at the life of White House staff while building leadership skills.
“This program will mentor and cultivate young leaders of today and tomorrow and I’m proud that they will have this opportunity to serve,” said President Obama. “I look forward to working with those that are selected to participate and I want to commend all who apply for their desire to help through public service to forge a brighter future for our country.”
In addition to normal office duties, interns will supplement their learning experience by attending a weekly lecture series hosted by senior White House staff, help at White House social events, and volunteer in community service projects.
The 2009 Summer Internship program runs from May 22 to August 14 and the submission deadline is March 22, 2009.
Those interested in applying to the White House Internship Program must be:
· US Citizens
· Eighteen years of age on or before the first day of the internship · Enrolled in a college or university (2-4 year institution) or must have graduated from college in the past two years
Interns will be placed in a departmental office for their internship. Below is a list of departments in the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President where interns could be placed.
· White House Department of Scheduling and Advance · The Office of Cabinet Affairs · The White House Communications Department · The White House Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs · The Office of the First Lady · The White House Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) · The Office of Political Affairs · The Office of Management and Administration · The Office of White House Counsel · The Domestic Policy Council · The White House Office of Presidential Personnel · Office of the Vice President
More information on the White House Internship Program, including application instructions, can be found at: www.whitehouse. gov/about/ internships.
Social Inclusion
I'm a Red Cross Disaster Volunteer. Are you? If not , why not? Join today.
January 19, 2008
Obama for Change Volunteer Victory Celebration at Zanzibar on the Waterfront 9pm-5am
700 Water Street, SW Washington, DC 20024 Tel: 202-554-9100 contactus@zanzibar-otw.com
$85.00
The space that was available in Alexandria has been taken. Thanks for your interest.
Gayle
Great location in Alexandria VA near the metro. $500.00 for 5 days Jan 16-21th. This hotel includes hot breakfast and free parking. Email me ASAP.
I'm between jobs right now and thought this might be a good time to share what I've been doing for the past year. Once I get my next job, I probably won't be able to blog again. So, I'm back, for a minute!
I have to give credit to my mother and Barack Obama for setting me on the course that my life has taken recently. Through my mother's death I found Obama and he has inspired me (please read my previous blogs for the details).
I spent the past year working for the Ohio Democratic Party as the Franklin County Field Director . We won the Presidency for Obama and we also took back the State House! I helped build the Neighborhood Leader Program. I recruited and trained Neighborhood Leaders until the program was folded into the Obama Campaign. My focus then turned to the entire Democratic ticket. In addition to Obama's Campaign, I worked on two State House races, Nancy Garland in the 20th HD and Ray Pryor in the 85th HD. Both candidates won!
The Ohio Democratic Party was hesitant about hiring me at first. I was a stay-at-home mother who walked in off the street and asked them for an internship and then a job as Field Director (once I found out the ODP was hiring). I had no campaign experience whatsoever other than the grassroots organizing I did for Obama. I hounded the ODP folks to get a job interview and I hounded them afterwards until finally they said I could work as an intern. They would see about the Field Director position. Well, I worked my butt off for a month and impressed them so much, they hired me as the Franklin County Field Director. For the rest of the year, I continued to work hard and to persist.
I cannot fully describe what a great feeling it is to have earned the respect of my peers. It wasn't because I have a degree from Mount Holyoke College (here in Ohio, no one cares :-) ) nor was it because my mother was the Director of Education in Mayor Coleman's administration (I never mentioned it). I earned their respect because I worked hard, I persisted and I got results. I tell you, that is one of the greatest lessons of my life! Thank you Doug and John for hiring me!
Oh, how I love President-Elect Obama and how I desperately want to work in his administration! I recently learned that my fellow Mount Holyoke Alumnae Mona Sutphen '89 (I'm in the Class of 92') has been appointed Deputy White House Chief of Staff!! Go Mona! Goodness knows, I am so tempted to start hounding Mona for a job. :-) But, I want to pay my dues and to earn my way. So, I'm going to stay here in Ohio. I helped win back the State House and now I want to help push a Democratic agenda (with bipartisan support) in order to improve the lives of Ohioans. I'm in the process of applying for a job at the State House.
As for the future, I want to improve the lives of others by one day running a federal agency or perhaps serving the State of Ohio as Governor. Ultimately, whatever I do, the goal is to reach the end of my life having done some good.
Thank you Mom and Obama for setting me on that path.
By DrGoo
October 15, 2008
4 comments
So, I was getting ready to make another satirical Pro McCain post, when I saw the debate. Today marks the day, John McCain crossed a line in my mind. He’s the first person that was on tv that made me want to assault the tv I was watching. Many people have tried to attack a tv over a dropped football, or a blue turtle shell. John McCain is the reason why I almost punched my mother’s big screen t.v. This post will not be about made up reasons why you should vote for McCain, but 3 points about the debate that really got on my nerves. 1. If he talks about Joe the plumber again I will seriously start mashing crap up. This is joe the plumber;Is this really a person a person we should hear about? I mean really? This is the guy McCain was talking about when he said “Hey Joe you're rich congratulations!”Really?Really?
McCain didn't even talk to the man..
2. I hated the fact that he said Sarah Palin should know all about Autism, because her of child. He went on so much you would think her kid had Autism. Sarah Palin’s child has Downs Syndrome. If you are going to exploit a disability for political gain, at least know what it is. 3. "I admire Senator Obama's eloquence... you really have to pay attention to... words." Just the way he said it was so amazingly creepy and condescending.He would then follow that line up by pointing out the most rational part of Obama’s argument. He brought Obama’s use of the word health. I don’t have the direct quote but basically he was belittling Obama being against partial birth abortion except in cases where the woman’s “health” is threatened. How do you screw up an argument where you are seen as moral person? I mean, prolife people are all about saving babies, and who is against that? Some how he turned an argument against killing unborn babies into belittling woman who could have complications from pregnancies. Abortion was probably the only issue I agree with McCain on, and some how I liked him even less after he talked about it. At this point I’m not sure if McCain is trying to win this election. Maybe he’s just not able to react to Obama’s campaing, or maybe he’s crazy. I just know I an tired of seeing him on my t.v.
by RONDA ARMSTRONG
One of the greatest annoyances in life has to be receiving an intrusive, late afternoon/ early evening phone call from a telemarketer during the “sacred hours”. You’re having dinner, going over homework with the children, or engaged in much too rare, highly cherished family time.Like bloodsucking leeches electronically dispatched from some paranormal command center, they impose on, and contaminate our precious time. They try to disguise the all too obvious desperation in their voices with excessively friendly, hair raising, condescending patois, while attempting to hustle off frivolous goods and services. Have they no shame?Last Thursday evening I was one of those callers. But I wasn’t soliciting their time to sell them some Disney vacation package, satellite dish, home security system, or cemetery plot. I was trying to sell the idea of change and reform. I was pushing the idea of hope for a better America for our children. I was peddling principles and values that I believe in. Among them: transition assistance for workers vulnerable to dislocation and job loss, tax relief for the middle class instead of the wealthy, high quality after school programs, the promotion of responsible fatherhood, a credit card bill of rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with unfair practices, strengthening care options for senior citizens, improving our schools and making college more affordable, supporting a womans right to choose, better healthcare, education and housing, and the resurgance of a defunct economy. And, oh yeah, I was hoping that someone would buy into the idea that the time has come for thousands of fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, mothers, wives, sisters ,and daughters who were shipped off to fight a senseless war, to come home. Last Thursday I was a phone bank volunteer at the Barack Obama headquarters in Solon.I nervously approached this endeavor expecting it not to be easy, and boy was I right. One woman snapped, ”I’m in the middle of having dinner with my family and you call me with this crap”? ( ouch)Another woman: I’m putting my children to bed, I don’t have time for this.A man with a voice that could turn steel to stardust told me,” Don’t ever call my house again” Of course not all the calls went that way. I talked to people who graciously took my call, and shared their feelings of woe and disenfranchisement and who despite it all, expressed how much they loved and believed in the potential of this great country. They shared my optimistic outlook and enthusiastically embraced Obama and his mission of change. They encouraged me to keep up the good work and praised my effort.Still, dealing with the cold rejection, naysayers, hang ups and harsh remarks of some made me want to throw in the towel and call it a night. I took the rejection personally and it hurt. They live in the same America I do, so how can they stand things the way they are? At one point I looked over at my daughter Britt, who was seated next to me. She was so eloquent and poised in her scripted delivery, and despite the occasional setback, she pressed on, undeterred, and at one point, even shocked me with the words, “ I could do this all night long“. It was from her, that I found the inspiration to continue on.The next day, at Hopkins airport I met a man from Philadelphia. He had been traveling around the country campaigning for Barack Obama. I shared with him my experience.and he smiled at me sympathetically as he told me that he had been canvassing neighborhoods, going door to door. “ Try getting doors slammed in your face“.Isn’t this what true crusaders for change, particularly a movement of this magnitude subject themselves to? Aren’t real advocates fearless and vigilante? Don’t they move unflinchingly among opposition and into potentially hostile territory? People who take social action seriously, particularly those of some of our histories most memorable movements, were bold and deliberate. In order to push for the change they so desperately believed in, with a burning passion and unwavering committent, they did whatever it took- protested, marched, picketed , arranged sit ins, boycotts and sometimes, even rioted. Every day they faced the possibility of imprisonment, bombings, dog attacks, public hosing and humiliation, and even death. But they did it because change meant just that much to them. They knew the change they wanted to see in the world started with them.This campaign hastens to an end - there are literally, days left, and still work to do. Those of us who stand harmonious in this crusade -a quest for a new America- new leadership, the restoration of hope, vibrancy, and integrity must do our part to see that it comes to pass. May we, in the spirit of the great advocates and crusaders of past movements, don ourselves with the full armor of the Obama mission and march boldly, onto the battlefield: knocking on doors, making calls, texting, e-mailing,and rallying our way, undeterred, as we press onward to victory.
WOW ! MUST SEE/SHARE !
Meet John McCain's Actual Slave Ancestors
* Mc's brother Joe visits black McCains every 2 years
* John refuses to acknowledge his black ancestors
* Black McCain's support OBAMA
To WatchVisit: http://www.Blacks4Barack.blogspot.com
Please visit www.Blacks4Barack.blogspot to watch the new Powerful Musical Message (like a new We Are The World) WAKE UP EVERYBODY '08.....ALSO Watch 'Behind The Scenes With The Obamas at the DNC Convention.
Countdown for CHANGE !
p.s. During the final days expect many desperate attacks and fake poll numbers showing McCain closing in.
Don't JUST Get Mad....Get BUSY !
Greg Jones
B4B
A multi-racial, net/grassroots org...
Together, We WILL Make The Difference !
By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent 33 minutes ago
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama warned his supporters to guard against overconfidence on Thursday as he and underdog Republican rival John McCain opened a 19-day sprint to Election Day.
The two candidates hit the campaign trail -- Obama raising money in New York and McCain holding a rally in Pennsylvania -- after their third and last presidential debate on Wednesday, a testy face-off that made an Ohio plumber famous.
So far, all the stars seemed to be lining up in Obama's favor. He leads in national opinion polls and in many of the battleground states where the November 4 race will be won or lost.
Traders betting on future events in the political prediction markets are overwhelmingly predicting an Obama victory, giving the Illinois Democrat a better than 80 percent chance of winning.
But Obama pointed out to deep-pocket contributors at a fund-raising breakfast in Manhattan that he was supposed to win New Hampshire last January in the Democratic primary but lost the state to Sen. Hillary Clinton.
"For those of you who are feeling giddy or cocky or think this is all set, I just have two words for you: New Hampshire," Obama said.
"I've been in these positions before when we were favored and the press starts getting carried away and we end up getting spanked," he said.
NEW POLITICAL STAR
The new star in U.S. politics -- at least for a news cycle or two -- is Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the plumber," who told Obama at a campaign stop that he wanted to buy a small plumbing business in Holland, Ohio.
Joe came up about two dozen times during the debate as each candidate argued that their prescriptions for America's economic ills would help the plumber best.
Wurzelbacher was all over morning television shows and was not saying who he would vote for, but he sounded like a McCain backer.
"McCain came across with some solid points, and I was real happy about that," he told the Toledo Blade newspaper.
Although McCain went after Obama aggressively in the final debate, it might not have done much to change the shape of the race in its final stages.
Karl Rove, the architect of President George W. Bush's two electoral victories and now a political pundit, wrote in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that McCain has difficult but not impossible odds.
"If Mr. McCain succeeds, he will have engineered the most impressive and improbable political comeback since Harry Truman in 1948. But having to reach back more than a half-century for inspiration is not the place campaign managers want to be now," Rove wrote.
The two candidates will be on the same stage again on Thursday night when they give speeches at the Al Smith charity dinner, a political tradition in Manhattan named for the former New York governor and a regular stop for presidential candidates.
Friends,
Stand up, step forward and commit to doing everything you can to elect Barack Obama President of the United States. During the next three weeks make one extra phone call, knock on one more door, urge one more person to vote early or recruit one more volunteer. You make the difference.
