Oakland, Calif. (KCBS) -- A national coalition that includes some of the Bay Area's most liberal groups are rallying together to make sure America's health care system gets reformed next year.
At a meeting in Oakland late Thursday morning, activists made it clear that they don’t want the next president to use the sick economy as an excuse for delaying further action.
Dong Suh, associate director of the Asian Health Services in Oakland's Chinatown, said the bad economy makes better health care an even more urgent concern.
“Many of our patients are living under constant fear that they’re one illness, one E.R. visit away from financial disaster,” said Suh.
What they need, says Suh, is a more secure health care system.
The group, Health Care for America Now, has drawn up a pledge to ensure lawmaker’s get that message. So far, 95 democrats have already signed, including Barbara Lee of Oakland, Mike Honda of San Jose and Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Anthony Wright, a spokesman for Health Access California, says the idea behind the pledge is to keep health care reform on the front burner, even as the next president tackles the economic crisis.
“Part of the reason why we are doing this advocacy now and part of the reason why we’re getting these commitments now is to make sure that [health care reform] stays a top priority and that it’s not pushed to the side.”
The group endorses much of Democratic candidate Barack Obama's plan and opposes much of Republican candidate John McCain's. However, the group promises it will work with the candidate who wins the upcoming election to enact comprehensive reform.
(cfu)
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