Health insurance reform forum in Spanish

Sep 5 2009

Thousands of people across the country are taking action to show their support for health insurance reform

As Members of Congress get ready to head back to Washington, Organizing for America (OFA), a grassroots project of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) dedicated to supporting the President's agenda for change, will hold a first of its kind forum on health insurance reform in Spanish TOMORROW Saturday, September 5 in Tucson, Arizona, highlighting the strong support for health insurance reform throughout Arizona.

In Arizona, 36 percent of Hispanics under age 65 lack health insurance and 33 percent of Hispanics nationwide are uninsured. For Hispanics and for the rest of the 45 million Americans without health insurance, reform can't wait. This forum will highlight the importance of getting health insurance reform done this year.

At the event, moderated by two Univision journalists from Arizona, attendees will ask questions about health insurance reform and hear from a panel of different voices: Congressman Raul Grijalva, a pharmacist, a public health professor and a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy who struggles to pay her insurance premiums.

Since the health care debate began, President Obama's principles for health insurance reform have been simple and consistent -- reform will lower costs, protect choice and ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.

In addition to these basic principles, President Obama announced eight Health Insurance Guarantees which will protect the millions of Americans who already have insurance, but aren't getting the care they need because of sky-rocketing out of pocket expenses and unfair insurance company practices: 1) no discrimination for pre-existing conditions, 2) no exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles, or co-pays, 3) no cost-sharing for preventive care, 4) no dropping of coverage for the seriously ill, 5) no gender discrimination, 6) no annual or lifetime caps on coverage, 7) extended coverage for young adults, and 8) guaranteed insurance renewal.

OFA, a grassroots project of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) dedicated to supporting the President's agenda for change, is committed to building on and strengthening the historic grassroots network created during the campaign and helping advance the President's policy agenda. In recent months OFA has organized thousands of events in support of President Obama's efforts to reform America's broken health insurance system, has collected hundreds of thousands of stories emblematic of the struggles Americans face in providing health care for their families and has collected over one million declarations of support for the President's principles for reform.

Details of the event are below:

WHAT: Organizing for America's Health Insurance Reform Now: Let's Get it Done! Forum in Spanish

WHO: Congressman Raul Grijalva, a pharmacist, a public health professor, and a cancer patient

WHEN:

TOMORROW Saturday, September 5

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

WHERE:

Sunnyside High School - Auditorium

1725 E. Bilby Rd.

Tucson, AZ 85706