August 2009 U.S. Poverty National Conference Call and Action: Get Active on Health Care Reform

The August recess is pivotal. Make no mistake; this may be the most important four weeks in our entire Health Care for All campaign. What we and other health reform proponents do this month will determine its fate in 2009. Already industry opponents are mobilizing a massive campaign to kill health reform. They are buying air time on television, unleashing their detractors in the media, scaring Americans with distortions and half-truths. Those opposed to health reform are mobilized and, at times, disrupt public events. Unfortunately, some of these events have turned very nasty, but it appears that the effort is backfiring. Instead of derailing reform, it is bolstering proponents for change. The key is not to respond to these disruptors in kind, but to demonstrate with our presence, our persistence, and our perseverance that we are committed to a civic dialogue and the democratic process, and that America needs meaningful health reform now. Time after time, RESULTS volunteers have answered the call and show they are ready to face any challenge/opportunity head on. That call has come again. Let’s again answer it and make August our masterpiece.

Our August 2009 Action: Advocate for Bold Action on Health Reform focus on two specific messages while voicing support for meaningful health reform. First, we continue to push Congress to expand the Medicaid program to reduce the number of uninsured and protect this vital safety net for millions of American children and adults. Right now, a modest Medicaid expansion has a solid chance of being enacted but as with any legislation, if members of Congress feel pressure to scale back reform, these Medicaid changes could easily be dropped. We must keep the pressure on for these pivotal changes. Second, RESULTS wants to show support for a national health program, especially considering there may be some key votes on single-payer health care this fall. Keep single-payer as a solution to our health care crisis and help educate the public and members of Congress on what it will mean for all of us, either now or in the future. It is key to let members of Congress know that failure to enact meaningful health reform in 2009 is not an option.