Cincinnati union activists stand up for quality, affordable health care

Aug. 24, 2009 - AFSCME members and Cincinnati-area activists came out on Saturday to support the Highway to Health Care Reform bus tour, a month-long road trip across the country to keep the pressure on Congress to fix health care once and for all. The tour kicked off Aug. 12 in Bismarck, ND and includes trips to Nebraska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Delaware and Maine.

Speakers from AFSCME and the American Federation of Teachers, as well as many community leaders, talked about how the health care crisis is crippling our economy and isn't working for America's middle class.

AFSCME Retiree Chapter 1184 leader Betty Thomas dispelled some myths that have many retirees and the elderly scared to death about health care reform. “There is no such thing as a ‘death panel.’ That’s just ridiculous,” said Thomas.

“AFSCME members and retirees, especially, need to know that health care reform will once and for all put an end to health insurance companies putting profits before patients,” said Thomas.

Cincinnati City Council members Greg Harris and Cecil Thomas also came out to speak in favor of the current health care reform proposals, including the public option that would simply offer Americans a CHOICE of a public health insurance plan that COMPETES with private insurance companies to keep them honest and lower costs.

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Highway to Health Care Reform Bus Tour

Why should OCSEA members care about the cost of health care?