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Media Release |
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| For Immediate Release | Contact | Phone |
| Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | Adam Sherman | 732-246 4772 |
| Eve Weissman | 732-246 4772 |
New Jerseyans Head to D.C. for Health Care Crime Scene, Shut Down Insurance Industry Conference
Local Health Care Reform Supporters Join Thousands in Washington to "Arrest" Health Insurance Executives
*** Learn more at: www.citizensposse.com or www.njforhealthcare.org ***
Highland Park, NJ — Yesterday, Tuesday March 9, 2010 nearly 100 New Jersey residents piled into 2 buses in Montclair, NJ and Willingboro, NJ and joined thousands of health care supporters in Washington, D.C. to protest the health insurance industry and its ongoing campaign to protect its profits and block comprehensive national health care reform.
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) - the health insurance lobbying group - is holding a conference at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Washington, D.C. on March 9th and 10th. People from across the county descended on the Ritz hotel to let the insurance companies know they are not welcome in the nation's capitol. AHIP has been spending tens of millions of dollars to spread lies and misinformation about much-needed health care reform.
Odette Cohen, a small business owner from Willingboro, NJ was one of thousands out in front of the Ritz armed with arrest warrants, badges, crime tape, "wanted" posters, and more. The crowd was deputized as officers to carry out the arrests of the Big Insurance CEOS and AHIP leaders for their crimes against America's health. Together, these sheriffs disrupted the insurance companies' plotting session and fanned out into the streets for other actions, sending a clear and dramatic message to Congress: Listen to everyday Americans, not the insurance lobbyists.
"Congress needs to act now and pass national health reform to provide quality, affordable health care to us all," said Adam Sherman, Organizer for NJ Citizen Action. "With insurance premiums skyrocketing and more and more people losing coverage every day, the time for inaction is over. Today, we call on every member of New Jersey's Congressional Delegation to take bold action and pass the type of comprehensive reform our State and country need."
"It's time to put the enemies on notice. We will not allow the big corporations and their lobbyists to bully Congress to a standstill. This means confronting the health insurance industry that has secretly spent tens of millions of dollars to protect its profits by trying to kill reform," said David Hopkins of Willingboro NJ. "I've decided that if Congress can't hear me from New Jersey, then I'm going to D.C. and making my voice heard."
"The insurance companies and their cronies in Congress have done everything they can to muddy the issue and drag down reform," said Marcia Marley from Montclair NJ. "There are two sides in this fight, and it is time for members of Congress to pick one. They can stand with us and support real change, or they side with the insurance industry. We've had enough, and we're heading to D.C. to say so."
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NJ Citizen Action is the State's largest, independent citizen watchdog coalition representing over 60,000 family members and over 100 affiliated organizations across the State. NJCA works to protect and expand the rights of individuals and families and to ensure that government officials respond to the needs of people rather than the interests of those with money and power.
