For Immediate Release                                                                        Contact: Steve Smith 202-637-5018

 

AFL-CIO Calls for Urgent Action on Health Care,

Pledges Support for Health Care for America NOW!

 

Washington, July 8 -- The drive to win quality health care for all—one of voters’ key issues—gets a huge boost today as a new coalition, Health Care for America NOW!, unveils plans for a nationwide campaign to build support for health care reform when a new president and Congress take office in 2009.  With support from grassroots, netroots, think tanks and broad based organizations, the dynamic new coalition is positioned to give advocates for reform a stronger voice and seize the moment for guaranteed, affordable high-quality reform.

 

“Working families are suffering mightily under health care that costs too much, covers too little, excludes too many and is getting worse,” said Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, saluting the launch of Health Care for America NOW!.  “The unions of the AFL-CIO and our members are campaigning to Turn Around America on health care and will continue to do so until the job is done.” 

 

Saying health care is a top concern of working families, Holt Baker said America’s unions are calling for action soon after the 2008 elections.  “Uncontrolled health costs mean health care in America is failing those with insurance and dramatically boosting the number of people without insurance,” she said, “so real reform must deal with both groups.”

 

“Union members are very concerned that health care policies proposed in this election year by John McCain and others will leave all Americans on their own to deal with giant insurance companies and will tax hard won health care benefits,” Holt Baker added. 

 

Since Labor Day 2007, the AFL-CIO and its affiliate unions have mounted a nationwide push for health care reform.  Recent efforts include over 300 Labor Council meetings on health care in April, Labor Walks that brought the issue to over 40,000 households in May, and an online survey that produced well over 25,000 responses that underscored the extent of the healthcare crisis.  One in three survey participants said their families had to skip medical care because of cost, a quarter had serious problems paying for the care they

 

needed and a huge majority—70 percent—say health care is a voting issue. Ninety-five percent say that big changes are needed in the health care system. 

 

For more information about the AFL-CIO health care campaign, go to http://aflcio.org/issues/healthcare/

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             Contact: David Newby (414-581-0942)

 

 Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Joins Health Care for America Now!

            We all know that our health care system is broken.  It costs too much, it covers too little, and too many are left behind.

            Early this year, the AFL-CIO did an on-line survey about people’s attitudes toward our health care system.  Over 26,000 took the survey—and over 7,000 submitted heart-wrenching stories about their experience with health care in America.  I‘d like to read two of those stories from Wisconsin.

            This one is from Marie, here in Madison:

                        “What would you do if you had to choose between food or medicine?  Because of rising health care costs, that is a question that is frequently asked in my home.  I work full time and have health care through my employer, but only a percentage of the cost is paid by them…..  I recently needed medication for an ailment, but did not get the medicine—I couldn’t.  What would I choose?  I chose my children and what they need, whether it be food or medicine.  I am the one who will go without before they suffer.”
 

            Here’s another from Patsy, from Milwaukee:
 

                        “I’m a 64-year-old single grandmother raising my two grandchildren.   Now we’re all covered under my employer.  When I retire  my employee health coverage will end because I will qualify for Medicare, but my grandkids will have no coverage.  It appears that I will make just too much money with my pension and Social Security for them to quality for state aid, but I don’t know that I can keep my house and buy private insurance for them too.  Both kids have disabilities that require daily medication and ongoing therapy.  I’m tired—very tired, and I’d love to retire, but I’m too scared.  I don’t think we’d make it if I do.”
 

            No one in America should be able to tell a story like Patsy’s or Marie’s.
 

            That’s why the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO has worked so hard over the past years to pass universal health care in Wisconsin.  It’s why we continue to fight for Healthy Wisconsin, which would guarantee comprehensive, quality health care to everyone in our state.

            That is also why the AFL-CIO is a member of Health Care for America Now, both on the national level and here in Wisconsin.  We are proud to be an active participant in Health Care for America Now—and along with these allies we will keep working and organizing until everyone in our state and nation is guaranteed to have the health care they need.

 

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DN/ls:opeiu#9,afl-cio