On Wednesday, SEIU member lobbyists and healthcare activists joined the American Cancer Society Action Network, the Consumers Union and AARP in visiting more than 35 members of Congress to share their stories and experiences and drive home the critical need for healthcare reform.
One activist came to Washington, DC all the way from North Dakota to lend her voice on the healthcare issues that matter most to her--meet Amy Ingersoll. Every day, Amy helps save lives as a 911 dispatcher in Bismarck.
When Amy's son Devon was diagnosed with asthma, though, Amy and her family didn't have health insurance. Devon's medicines cost more than $600 a month. If she had gotten health insurance through her work, she would've spent $900 a month and an independent plan would have cost her between $300 and $500 a month...but because Devon's asthma was deemed a "pre-existing condition" by the insurance company, the plan wouldn't have covered *any* of his asthma-related medical costs.
Amy's only alternative was to pay for Devon's medicines out of her own pocket. All of these dollar signs resulted in Amy spending over a third of her total income just to cover the costs of her son's illness.
Sadly, Amy's story isn't unique. In North Dakota alone, health insurance premiums have been increasing more than three times faster than wages--making it impossible for families like Amy's to keep up. Too many Americans across the country are at the mercy of unreliable employer-based plans, and too many fall through the cracks. "Now's not the time for black-and-white arguments," Amy says. "People worry that our current system will be swallowed up by a new one that leaves us without choices, i.e., "socialized medicine." But this isn't an either/or proposition, and we shouldn't fall into that trap. We are creative enough to enhance our own system and fill in the gaps to make it work for everybody. We need to find our own American solution to our healthcare crisis."
The time is now for open minds and better alternatives in our health care system. Reforming health care doesn't mean replacing our current system; it means we make it work for everyone once more. Click here to tell Congress we need real health care reform this year.
