PR Newswire
Tubbs Jones Joins Jobs with Justice in Support of Medicare for All Act
06.07.06, 12:27 PM ET
WASHINGTON, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones released a statement in support of members of Cleveland Jobs with Justice in their rally to support H.R. 676, The Expanded & Improved Medicare for All bill introduced in the House by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI).
"I am pleased to join with Cleveland Jobs with Justice to call for the support of H.R. 676, 'The Expanded & Improved Medicare for All' bill introduced by my colleague Rep. John Conyers," stated Rep. Tubbs Jones.
"Today, there are 45 - 75 million uninsured Americans, and another 50 million who are under-insured. More than 8 million of those uninsured are children and eight out of ten uninsured Americans either work or are in working families.
"In Ohio, there are currently 1,362,000 uninsured people and the number continues to grow. Additionally, we have seen the strain that this has put on many of the local hospitals across this state as people are forced to use emergency rooms as their source of primary care.
"Being uninsured means going without needed healthcare. It means minor illnesses become major ones because care is delayed. Tragically, it also means that one significant medical expense can wipe out a family's life savings.
"The problem is getting worse. As the price of health care continues to rise, fewer individuals and families can afford to pay for coverage. Fewer small businesses are able to provide coverage for their employees, and those that do are struggling to hold on to the coverage they offer. It is a problem that affects all of us and we cannot sit idly by while the people of this country continue to go without health insurance. The time has come to change our inefficient and costly fragmented non health care system.
"This legislation will establish an American national health insurance program. The bill would create a publicly financed, privately delivered health care system that uses the already existing Medicare program by expanding and improving it to all U.S. residents, and all residents living in U.S. territories. The goal of the legislation is to ensure that all Americans will have access, guaranteed by law, to the highest quality and most cost effective health care services regardless of their employment, income, or health care status.
"It is for this reason that I am in support of this legislation and I encourage you to continue to send the message to Congress of the urgent need to pass 'The Expanded & Improved Medicare for All' Act."
SOURCE Office of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones -0- 06/07/2006 /CONTACT: Nicole Y. Williams of the Office of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, +1-202-225-7032/ /Web site: http://www.house.gov/tubbsjones / CO: Office of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones ST: Ohio, District of Columbia IN: INS SU: LEG CHI SBS DL-CF -- CLW047 -- 8161 06/07/2006 12:25 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com