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.
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