HCAN Rally at Aetna Headquarter to Protest Dropping of 600,000 Clients

Health Care Supporters Highlight Cost of Doing Nothing

See the complete rally here: http://www.civicspan.tv

Local businesses and health care victims will gather in front of Aetna Insurance Headquarters to protest their announcement to drop another 600,000 clients to meet profit expectations and discuss how that impacts the lives of Illinois families and the Illinois economy.

The health of our families and the health of our economy depend on reform stated John Gaudette, Citizen Action/Illinois state health care director.  Health care reform will create a $138 billion surplus and save Illinois families and businesses an average of $3,000 a year.

As insurance premiums rise and more employers drop coverage, an increasing number of Americans are living without health insurance.

· Nearly one in three non-elderly Americans—86.7 million people—went without health coverage for all or part of 2006-2007. 80% from working families.
· Illinoisans die each week due to a lack of health insurance.  Across America, twice as many people die from a lack of insurance as died from homicide.
· Illinois pays $2.2 Billion a year in a hidden tax to cover uncompensated health care costs.
· Illinois small businesses spent $6.7 billion in premiums in 2008.  This cost will rise to $16 billion by 2018.

Opponents of reform, including the well-funded health insurance lobby, say that reform will increase the reach of government. Families and small employers across the state see things differently. Without insurance regulations and better health care options, they will continue to go without preventive care, to delay or forgo medical care, and to die prematurely. Increasing number of uninsured Americans will turn to emergency rooms for expensive care.

Congress must move forward to pass the Senate bill and pass a fix-bill that make a national health care exchange, eliminates the excise tax, and increases affordability provisions.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• health care reform
• ahip
• cigna
• wendell potter
• hcan
• citizen action
• single payer
• blue cross blue shield
• ronald a. williams