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Within Our Reach: Health Care for All This Saturday All of us have talked about the high cost of health care and the impact that it has on our families and businesses. We have all expressed concern about the high number of our neighbors and family members who are uninsured. Many of us were shocked to learn that on average 4 West Virginians die each week because they lack health insurance. Many of us have come to same conclusion: Doing nothing is no longer an option. We need to act. Please join business and labor, consumers and insurers, churches and civil rights organizations, doctors and nurses this Saturday (May 3rd) for the Within Our Reach: Health Care for All rally. We will meet at 10 am at West Virginia Health Right (1520 Washington Street, East), a free clinic that provides health care to the uninsured. Please note that parking is very limited at Health Right. Please park at the state employees’ parking lot near the War Memorial at the Capitol. A motor coach will take you down to Health Right. Plus after the rally at the Capitol, your car will be close. At Health Right people can sign-up for WVAHC’s free eUpdates that are published weekly during the legislative session and periodically the rest of the year. Working families that meet the income guidelines will be able to enroll uninsured children in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Adults who have been denied private health insurance due to pre-existing conditions will be able to enroll in AccessWV, the state’s high risk pool program. Small businesses can get information about health plans through Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield. At 10:30 am the police will close down Washington Street and we walk down Washington Street to the Capitol. From noon to 1 pm we will hear speeches about the need for health care reform. Speakers include: Pam Neal of the Nurses Association, Wayne Cogar, an uninsured West Virginian, Charles Delauder of WVEA, Steve Roberts of the Chamber of Commerce, Kenny Perdue of the AFL-CIO, Rev. James Patterson of the Partnership of African American Churches, and Dr. Bob Walker of Marshall University. All of us together can send a clear and unmistakable message to our policy makers: We need health care reform sooner rather than later. Please join us this Saturday in sending this important message. The walk down Washington Street will happen even if there is mild to moderate rain. The march will be canceled if there is a torrential downpour or if there is lightning in the area. In that case of severe whether we will meet at noon on the 2nd floor of the Capitol building in front of the House of Delegate chambers to hear the speeches. If you have questions on Saturday morning about whether we will walk from Health Right to the Capitol, call Perry Bryant at 533-7941. Saturday is our change to bring about change. Please come, and please bring a friend or family member. The list of sponsoring organizations includes: Charleston Black Ministerial Alliance, Communications Workers of America, Healthy Kids and Families Coalition, Fair Shake Network, National Association of Social Workers West Virginia Chapter, Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield, Partnership of African American Churches, SEIU District 1199, Southern Appalachian Labor School, United Mine Workers of America, United Steelworkers District 8, Wheeling - Charleston Catholic Diocese, West Virginia AFL-CIO, West Virginia Black Medical Society, West Virginia Association for Justice, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, West Virginia Citizen Action Group, West Virginia Council of Churches, West Virginia Economic Justice Project, West Virginia Education Association, West Virginia Health Right, West Virginia Kids Count Fund, West Virginia Nurses Association, West Virginia Primary Care Association, West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council, and West Virginians for Affordable Health Care. |