NAACP President William J. Barber led a delegation to U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's Washington office today.
Barber was part of a lobbying effort by the NAACP, which says that 880,000 African-Americans have died over the last 10 years because of a lack of health insurance, Rob Christensen reports.
"This cause is one of the most important moral and civil rights issues of our day," Barber said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a coalition of groups supporting health care legislation is holding phone bank training sessions tonight in Asheville, Charlotte, the Triangle, and Wilimington to train people to call Hagan.
Planned Parenthood is planning to run phone banks every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from their offices.
On Wednesday, the Health Care Action Now Coalition will hold a news conference outside of Hagan's Greensboro office on Wednesday to highlight the need for a public option in the health care legislation.
With the Senate expected to take up a health care bill soon, Hagan has been the subject of a major lobbying effort. She supports in general Democratic proposals for health care, but has given herself wiggle room on some of the details.
Comments
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 18, 2009 - 2:58pm — ishleyThe best article on the U.S. health system that I've come across was in the September issue of The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200909/health-care
Basically, health insurance should be phased out over time so that everybody pays for routine medical expenses just like they pay for everything else: out of their pocket. As it stands right now, insurance perverts our health care system in numerous detrimental ways. For instance, people have a strong incentive to overspend because their co-pay is capped. Also, doctors and hospitals are not paid by patients; instead, they're paid by insurance companies and the US Gov. And those rising health insurance premiums...they're coming right out of your potential raise.Read the article in order to understand how we're only digging ourselves deeper into this hole, regardless of what sort of health care "reform" comes out of Congress this year.
If people paid for their own health care, price competition would drive down costs, and practitioners would offer a variety of payment options, including paying based on wellness rather than on extra services rendered. Note that this system would coexist just fine with a subsidy for the poorest Americans, kind of like "welfare."
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 18, 2009 - 2:09am — SeafeverStopping child abuse in the projects would reduce the need for health care. Birth control would reduce the need for health care. Careful and kind rearing of children would reduce the need for health care, and would have the added benefit of producing strong and healthy citizens--not ganstas, prostitutes, and drug dealers.
Harsh and careless child rearing leads to drive-bys, gunshot wounds, ER visits, street fights, fisticuffs, and more prostitution and more babies.
Take a walk on the wild side, Rev. Barber; see what needs to be done besides piling on more debt.
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 18, 2009 - 2:08am — SeafeverStopping child abuse in the projects would reduce the need for health care. Birth control would reduce the need for health care. Careful and kind rearing of children would reduce the need for health care, and would have the added benefit of producing strong and healthy citizens--not ganstas, prostitutes, and drug dealers.
Harsh and careless child rearing leads to drive-bys, gunshot wounds, ER visits, street fights, fisticuffs, and more prostitution and more babies.
Take a walk on the wild side, Rev. Barber; see what needs to be done besides piling on more debt.
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 18, 2009 - 12:44am — StatesRightsWait a minute...there are wicked special interest groups lobbying FOR health care reform?!? Most of the posts I've seen in the N&O indicate there are only wicked special interest groups lobbying AGAINST it! I guess all those posters are probably surprised to read THIS!
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 18, 2009 - 12:06am — GrayJ"to train people to call Hagan"
Who needs training to call an elected official?
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 17, 2009 - 6:13pm — BitterEXdemocratWonder how many of the NAALCP folks support Planned Parenthood?
we need to reform healthcare by LOWERING THE COSTS FOR EVERYONE!
TORT REFORM! Let EACH ONE pay for HIS/HER OWN insurance! We will
care for the indigent thru charity! LOWER HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS and COSTS!
Get the government OUT OF HEALTHCARE, its NOT a FUNCTION of government!
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 17, 2009 - 6:06pm — BlackteaGeez! Why didn't Barber say X number of Americans have died due to no insurance, instead of LYING and stating this fabricated 880,000 African Americans have died over the past ten years. Harvard did a study and quoted 45,000 Americans ( that's all races including African American) a year die from lack of Insurance. Do the math that's only 450,000 for 10 years for all races.Every time you open your mouth Barber you show your ignorance.
Re: Hagan gets visit from NAACP
November 17, 2009 - 4:37pm — stevemichaelsI am not too much into the fight over health care, I have just resigned the fact that I am in the middle class and will get the shaft in whatever the government puts into place. However I always get a laugh when I see items like this - 880,000 have died because of "no insurance" - well how many have died with insurance? How many of the 880k died from accidents, crime, disease brought on by self indulgence, drugs etc.... These crazy figures get thrown around and no one ever researches or digs deep. Everytime a politican or group discusses the number of uninsured the number changes is it 30 million, 50 million? or various numbers in the middle. I would expect no more from the NAACP or political hacks, but would hope the media would take a few minutes and actually question and research such claims. Me, I will just pay my high premiums and hope death comes quickly!