June 7, National Day of Action for National Health Care bill HR 676

June 7, National Day of Action for National Health Care bill HR 676
May/June 2006

Earlier this year at the H.R. 676 national strategy meeting in Chicago organized by Healthcare-NOW a proposal was put forth to hold a national day of action on June 7, 2006 in support of H.R. 676 -- the National Health Insurance Act.

Why this day? As you may have noticed June 7, 2006 is also known as 6/7/6 in calendar shorthand. Activists felt this presented a unique opportunity to educate and organize people around H.R. 676 and the nationwide fight for universal health care.

In cities all across the country, unions and community groups will be focussing the public's attention on the fact that there is a bill right now in Congress that would cover every man, woman and child for all their health care needs: H.R. 676.

Here in Alachua County we will be holding three events around the National Day of Action.

1. Meeting with Rep. Cliff Stearns Members of Stearns' district have requested a meeting with him while he's home "working in the district" from May 29 through June 2. We will be telling him that we want him to sign on as a cosponsor of H.R. 676. And why shouldn't he? After all more people in Alachua County voted for universal health care in 2000 than voted for Rep. Stearns in either 2002 or 2004.

2. "Damaged Care" at the Hippodrome Cinema on June 2. As part of the Civic Media Center's ongoing documentary series, we present this true story of Dr. Linda Peeno, a former medical reviewer at Humana who blew the whistle on the Insurance Companies and HMOs that were (and still are) getting rich off denying patient claims.

3. Press Conference on June 7 at Blue Cross/Blue Shield. On 6/7/6, the National Day of Action in support of H.R. 676 the Alachua County Labor Party will be holding a press conference outside of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield offices (3811 NW 40th Terrace in the MetroCorp Center, near the corner of NW 43rd St. and NW 39 Ave.)

The press conference and sign holding will be part of a nationwide mobilization spotlighting the massive support for national health insurance. By holding the event at Blue Cross/Blue Shield it will also focus attention on the real cause of the health care crisis in this country: The insurance companies and HMOs.

In a universal health care system, like the one laid out in H.R. 676 and supported by 69 members of Congress, there would be no insurance companies denying care, no more mountains of paperwork, no more preexisting conditions. Insurance would no longer be tied to our jobs, school or marriage.

For more information, contact the Alachua County Labor Party. 375-2832.