Pocono News Section

Coalition Pushes Health Care Reform

Coalition Pushes Health Care Reform - Monday, January 12, 2009 at 09:03AM EST

Reported by: David DeCosmo
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 @ 09:03am EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- People in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area are being asked to write to their legislators in support of national health care reform.

Representatives and supporters of a campaign called "Health Care for America Now" held a news conference in Scranton Monday morning to call public attention to their efforts. Those efforts were endorsed by representatives of area labor organizations as well as representatives of local, state, and federal elected officials.

Supporters say the current health care system in America is not affordable for families, businesses or government.

Mark Steir, the State Director of Health Care for America Now, said the organization is pushing for a system that would require all private insurers to offer a good plan of insurance to everyone at affordable rates. Steir said there could be no discrimination on the basis of pre existing conditions, race, sex, or age.

Jeff Garis is Executive Director of the organization "Penn Action." He says more than 50% of the bankruptcies in the country are a direct result of family health care problems. Garis says health care issues have to be addressed if the nation's economy is to recover from its current problems.