*NM ARA Response to Obama Health Care Speech*
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Contact: Terry Schleder
For Immediate
Release
Contact: Terry Schleder
September 10,
2009
NMSeniors@gmail.com
NM Seniors
& Retirees Praise Obama Health Care Speech,
Reach Out to Members of Congress
Health Insurance Reform Good for
Americans of All Ages
New Mexican seniors & retirees energized by President Obama’s speech last night will hand-deliver letters in support of health insurance reform to their Members of Congress today.
Emil Shaw, the President of the NM Alliance for Retired Americans, said, “Retirees in NM and across the nation were inspired last night by President Obama’s speech calling for significant health insurance reform. We agree that all Americans will benefit from health care reform and that the time to act is now. Today, we are reaching out to our Members of Congress to encourage them to act swiftly to ensure every American access to affordable health care.”
Retired Americans say that it is critical to close the ‘doughnut hole’ coverage gap in Medicare Part D, lower prescription drug costs through common-sense price negotiation, eliminate the co-pay for preventive screenings, and help make long-term care more affordable. They strongly support the creation of a high-quality public option as a necessary alternative to the large insurance companies who profit by denying care and discriminating against pre-existing conditions. “Seniors know that universal and efficient government-backed health programs, like Medicare & Social Security, are morally and economically the right prescription in a caring, wealthy society. The public option will give hard working New Mexicans a choice in health care, and we sure need that in NM”, says John Doran, NM ARA First Vice President.
Shaw pledges, “We will continue to educate and to mobilize seniors in support of President Obama’s agenda. We are confident that we will ultimately achieve significant health care reform and improve the quality of life for all Americans.”
Who: NM seniors & retirees
What: Deliver five letters to New Mexico’s Members of Congress in support of Obama’s health care reform plan
Where: Congressional offices across the state
When: September 10, 2009
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The NM Alliance for Retired Americans
advocates for the rights and well being of our
seniors, retirees and their families.