USAction urges House to pass comprehensive health care reform legislation

Nov 6 2009

The Affordable Health Care for America Act will make health care more affordable for consumers, hold insurance companies accountable and increase access to health care for millions of Americans.

USAction today called on the House to approve the measure and not pass up the best opportunity in 100 years to pass comprehensive reform that guarantees quality, affordable health care for millions of Americans.

"If the House votes yes, Americans will be one step closer to having more affordable health coverage with good, comprehensive benefits and true choice and competition in the health insurance marketplace," said USAction Program Director Alan Charney. "We must not pass up this opportunity."

Charney said the House bill, in particular, makes health care much more affordable, ends egregious insurance industry abuse, and injects real choice and competition with the inclusion of a national public health insurance option. And it draws revenue from fair financing as opposed to taxation of middle-income Americans' health care plans. Finally, it includes shared responsibility between individuals, employers and government.

USAction co-founded Health Care for America Now, the nation's largest health care reform campaign, and co-chairs its steering committee. Since May, USAction and its affiliates and partners in 28 states organized or supported more 363 town hall meetings and forums on health care and generated 389,028 grassroots contacts to Congress, including phone calls, letters, faxes, emails and petitions.