Whose Paying for Health Care Reform

Two questions that kept popping up during the health care service events in Connecticut this past weekend were “How is the President going to pay for this new health care reform?” and “Who will pay for it?” I was encouraged to find that 90% of the people I spoke with realize that doing nothing is not an option. But there is worry and concern on where the money to fix our broken system will come from.

National Health Care Day of Service in Hartford a Total Success

Organizing for Connecticut volunteers team up with Goya Foods and Hartford’s Hispanic Health Council to promote health and wellness in the heart of Hartford’s Latino community and market place, La Plaza Del Mercado, on Saturday afternoon, June 27th.

The Power of Unity: Connecticut’s New Energy

There is an amazing energy that is building in Connecticut. The energy is the power of unity — many in body / one in mind. Time and again during this past legislative session, ordinary citizens united together to bring about change in our state. In the town of Waterbury, citizens and elected officials rallied together, unanimously passing SB 3 to prevent the world’s largest garbage dump from being built in the heart of the town’s most populated area. Similar efforts statewide won continued funding of matters concerning charter schools. It was our united voice that brought about the strong passage of two critical health care bills, SustiNet and Connecticut Partnership bills. And in the town of East Hartford, high school students rallied with parents and teachers, and students from middle and elementary schools to put back the funding in the city budget for sports, arts and gifted/talented programs — and they won.

Goya Foods and Hartford’s Healthcare Hispanic Council Support Pres. Obama’s National Health Care Day of Service

On Saturday, June 27, 2009, Organizing for Connecticut (OFC) in support of Organizing for America (OFA), will be one of many organizations around the country who are hosting community service events designed to educate the public on the importance of health care reform, and to take responsibility for one’s own health. In support of President Obama’s prevention/nutrition and wellness approach to health care reform, OFC has joined with OFA, Goya Foods and the Hispanic Health Council to host a nutrition and wellness fair at La Plaza Del Mercado Market, 704 Park Street (corner of Babcock and Park Streets) Hartford, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Governing at its Worst – Defund. Veto. Just Say No.

When Governor Rell (R-CT) began submitting her budget proposals, one of the first items she proposed to defund was the State’s Office of the Healthcare Advocate whose mission is “dedicated to serving Connecticut’s health insurance consumers by resolving conflicts with their insurance plans,” acting on behalf of consumers with insurance companies, empowering consumers “to become effective self-advocates” by educating them of their “rights and responsibilities under traditional and managed care health plans,” and provide consumers with a voice in the legislative process. There was such a public outcry from citizens and elected officials, the Governor rescinded her proposal to defund OHA.

Fixing Health Care: A United Voice – Free Bus to DC

Here’s a special message from John Murphy (CCAG Political Director).
This is a critical week for health care reform on both the national and state level. CCAG needs you to let your elected officials know that you need quality, affordable and accessible health care now! Below is information on two major actions you can participate in this week:

Wednesday, June 24 — March to tell Governor Rell to sign the Sustinet and Health Partnership bills / sendoff rally for Health Care for America Now (HCAN) National Lobby Day

Gov. Rell on the Internet, Telecommunications, Libraries, Schools, Text Book Replacement: Just Say No

While cleaning out my basement, I came across several rotary phones and old typewriters, one of which is a manual Underwood typewriter with a two foot long carriage return that was too heavy for me to carry upstairs. It might turn out to be a good thing that I did not toss these items (or EBay them) what with the Governor defunding Internet access for certain state departments, including the Connecticut Education Network, the “fiber optic network designed to serve public schools and libraries in Connecticut.” She might just need these things — one can never be too frugal.

Keep the Public Option on the Table

President Obama has announced three key principles that we must adhere to in order to bring about meaningful health care reform:

REDUCE COSTS — Rising health care costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals and families and they must be brought under control.

GUARANTEE CHOICE — Americans must have the freedom to keep whatever doctor and health care plan they have, or to select a new doctor or health care plan if they choose.

ENSURE AFFORDABLE CARE FOR ALL — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care.

Milestones or Myths

It’s June and a time for attending graduations and celebrating achievements of our students who worked diligently throughout the year to accomplish a great milestone in their life. My granddaughter, Kamilah, graduates this week and not without special recognition for her achievements this past year. Among Kamilah’s talents, including a beautiful voice and ballet dancer, is her incredible gift to communicate with animals.

Birth, Age, Sickeness & Death

Life’s cycles can be divided into four stages, namely: birth, age, sickness and death. While I could write about some profound philosophical tenet of life, at this moment, I, us, we need to be practical and address one of the inescapable common denominators intertwined in these four stages, and that is health care insurance. How mundane is that! We use health care insurance as a means to ensure a healthy birth, to maintain a healthy growth cycle, to cure and address our ailments, and it is there at the final moment. While mundane, when compared to the complexities of life, there is no denying that health care insurance is inescapable throughout our life span.

Dodd Joins Kennedy, Help Committee Democrats in Announcing the “Affordable Health Care Choices Act"

Bipartisan Talks Continue on Outstanding Key Issues | WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the past year, Chairman Edward M. Kennedy, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Democratic Members and staff of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) have been working to develop legislation that reduces health care costs, allows Americans to keep the coverage they have if they want it, and makes health insurance affordable to those who do not have it today.

Your Chance to Make a Difference for SustiNet

A few days ago, I wrote about how we all need to come together to blitz the Governor’s office with our support for the SustiNet bill. Naturally, there may be some of you thinking, “I’m to busy to do any of that”, or, “It’s summer! I can’t waist a minute of this beautiful weather”.

Public Option & Insurance Companies: Oil & Water?

By now, many of us have seen the swiftboat ads on television that try to dissuade us from having a public option in health care. Insurance and pharmaceutical company lobbyists and supporters are out there 24/7, doing whatever it takes to persuade our legislators to either dilute proposed legislation so that a public option becomes such in name only, or simply vote no.

One Final Blitz for SustiNet

The SustiNet bill has moved along farther than most would have predicted it would this session. Passing in both the House and Senate was quite a task and may not have been accomplished without OFC’s efforts. I am proud to say I am a part of this health care reform.