Health Care for America Now-California, our lead state partner, Health Access California, and others are intensifying our efforts to make sure we express the need and urgency of health reform for those Californians that have yet to commit–Representatives Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza, both from the Central Valley.

As we speak, the private health insurance industry and its cadres of highly-paid lobbyists are doing everything in their power to influence Members of Congress AGAINST voting for real, meaningful health reform. That’s because they know that health reform that includes the choice of a strong public health insurance option will force them to play by the rules and compete - just like everyone else.

But in this war of words, the private health insurance industry has resorted to a well-funded campaign of misinformation and deceit. That’s why we need to keep the pressure on, especially Central Valley Reps. Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza.

And to make sure this message is heard, we’re looking to purchase full-page advertisements in targeted daily newspapers in Rep. Costa and Cardoza’s districts.

Given the critical nature and limited timeline of this effort — we need to quickly raise $10,000 over the next couple of days so we can purchase full-page ads in the Bakersfield Californian, Fresno Bee, Stockton Record, and other Central California publications.

Help us keep the pressure on the California Central Valley Congressmen! Contribute what you can today!

Following the news that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would announce his support for a public health insurance option, Health Care for America Now (HCAN) National Campaign Director, Richard Kirsch, issued the following statement on Monday Oct. 26:

We applaud Majority Leader Reid’s leadership in making sure the Senate bill includes a public health insurance option to lower costs and inject much-needed competition into the health insurance marketplace. We appreciate his recognizing a public health insurance option is key to achieving meaningful reform, protecting consumers, and keeping insurers honest.

As we move forward, it is essential that Senate legislation addresses all of our key concerns including making sure health care is truly affordable, ensuring employer responsibility, generating revenue through fair financing rather than taxing higher-cost plans, and implementing a strong public health insurance option.

We now call on all Senators to stand with leadership and vote to begin debate on the floor. We are closer now than ever before to achieving a true guarantee of good, affordable health care for all. With 47 million people uninsured, tens of millions underinsured, and businesses and families throughout the country struggling with rising costs, there can be no excuse for blocking a full and fair Senate debate on health care reform.

See the video below of Sen. Reid’s announcement that the merged Senate Health Bill will include a public health insurance option:

Our friends at MoveOn put together this entertaining video, featuring Heather Graham, demonstrating how the public health insurance option will force the bloated private health insurance industry to actually compete!

A recent poll by the Washington Post and ABC News shows that the majority of the American people support the choice of a public health insurance option capable  of competing with the private health insurance industry.

The Washington Post revealed the results of its highly anticipated poll on Tuesday, which indicated that 57% of the public support the public health insurance option!

That’s because the American people understand the importance of including a public option that will help keep overall health care costs down, while simultaneously expanding access to quality, affordable health care to millions of Americans.

Click here to read the full story.

All over the country today, millions of Americans will be calling their Members of Congress and telling them, “It’s Time to Deliver” on health reform.

Here in California, we’re aiming to generate as many calls as possible, to keep the pressure on ALL our Members of Congress, but especially Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

Can you make a call that could potentially make a difference in the lives of millions? With so much at stake, what could be easier than simply  picking up the phone and dialing (toll-free) 1-877-264-4226 to speak with your Members of Congress and tell them why California desperately needs real reform!

Or, try our easy-to-use click to call system:

Click here to contact your Members of Congress TODAY and tell them, “It’s Time to Deliver” on Health Reform!

We also need to keep pressure on our Members in the House; that’s why we’re also asking for constituents to make a call to their Representative and urge him or her to support H.R. 3200, “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009!”

Simply click on the link above, or dial (toll-free) 1-877-264-4226 to be directed to your Members of Congress today.

Help us spread the word! Please forward this e-mail to your friends, family and co-workers and tell them to join us today as we tell Congress:

“IT’S TIME TO DELIVER!”

Let’s make our voices heard and urge our Members of Congress to stand strong for real, national health reform that:

• Gives us the choice of a public health insurance option
• Asks employers to pitch in
• Doesn’t tax the middle class to pay for reform
• Makes health insurance truly affordable for everyone

Big things are happening in Congress over the next few weeks, including the upcoming merger of the proposed health reform bills in the Senate. After many months of negotiation and a summer of lively debate, health reform bills have now passed all 5 committees in Congress responsible for health care reform.

That’s why it’s critical that we keep the pressure on ALL our Members of Congress, especially Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, to remind them to stand firm in support for real, meaningful health reform that the people of California so desperately need.

In response, HCAN-CA and our statewide partners are hosting several events across the state next week to send a strong message to Congress:

“IT’S TIME TO DELIVER!”

See below to find the nearest event in your community:

City: Sacramento
Type of event: Overnight Vigil & Fast for Health Care Reform.
5pm kick-off rally and 9pm Candlelight Vigil
Date & Time: October 19th - 20th, 5:00pm until 9 am (next morning)
Location: Federal Building - 501 I Street (between 5th and I Streets)

City: Los Angeles
Type of event: Caravan with 5 stops at community clinics, public hospitals and small businesses throughout LA County
Date & Time: October 20th begins at 7:00am and runs throughout the day
Location: Meeting at LA County USC Medical Center, 1200 N State St, Los Angeles, CA 90033

City: San Diego
Type of event: Street Rally and Civil Disobedience
Date & Time: October 20 12-1pm
Location: Intersection of 7th and B Streets, Downtown San Diego

City: Bakersfield
Type of event: Health Care Roundtable Forum
Date & Time: October 20th @ 7pm
Location: East California Church of Christ, 1020 E. California Ave., Bakersfield

City: Modesto
Type of event: March & rally
Date & Time: October 18th @ 1pm
Location: Enslen Park, Corner of Enslen and Morris Streets

City: Oakland
Type of event: Candlelight Vigil
Date & Time: October 20th @ 5:30pm
Location: First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison St.

City: Rancho Cucamonga
Type of event: Phone Bank Party
Date & Time: October 19th and 20th from 4-8pm
Location: 10600 N. Trademark Parkway, Suite 405, Rancho Cucamonga

National Campaign Manager for Health Care for America Now, Richard Kirsch, issued the following statement today in response to the Senate Finance Committee passing its health care bill today with a vote of 14 to 9:

The end of the Senate Finance Committee’s process marks the beginning of the next phase - crafting a strong bill that goes to the Senate floor. The HELP Committee bill offers a better path forward in the Senate than the Finance Committee bill.

The Senate Finance Committee bill falls short on making insurance affordable to America’s families, gives employers a “free ride,” and does not create meaningful competition in the insurance market with a strong national public health insurance option. The HELP bill makes health insurance affordable to families through subsidies, lowers the cost of insurance with a public health insurance option, and promotes shared responsibility with an employer requirement to contribute to coverage.

We’re closer than ever to achieving a guarantee of good, affordable health care for America’s families and businesses, and we’re counting on Senators to put their constituents ahead of the big insurers and vote for real reform.

Urgent Health Reform Action - Call TODAY

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to contact their Members of Congress at this critical time. But we need to keep the pressure on!

Soon, the Senate Finance Committee Bill will be merged with the Senate HELP Committee Bill, and it’s critical that the product of that merger include fair employer responsibility, affordability and the choice of a public option, so please keep the calls coming!

The fate of millions of Californians depends on the passing of real, meaningful reform this year.

So please - CALL or FAX Senators Feinstein and Boxer and your Representative in the House!

Please notify your friends, family and co-workers of this important issue, and ask them to take five minutes out of their day to make a call to make a difference in the lives of millions!

HCAN-CA and our partners have been leading the charge against the Wall-Street, profit-driven abuses and bad practices of the private health insurance industry, and now we need to tell our Members of Congress to stand on OUR SIDE!

We need to tell Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein to stand in support for the Kenney HELP Bill, and to call on Senate leadership to include a public health insurance option in the Senate Bill.

Click here to Call Senators Feinstein and Boxer and ask them to make sure the Kennedy HELP Bill doesn’t get left behind!

We’re also asking for supporters of real health reform to make calls (or send a fax!) to their Representatives in the House to make sure they support H.R. 3200, “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act,” and oppose any and all efforts to weaken the House Bill.

Click here to Fax your Members of Congress today, and tell them it’s time to stand up against big insurance crime!

We’re looking to generate as many calls as possible - so please! Click on any of the links above or dial (toll-free) 1-877-264-4226 to be directed to your Members of Congress NOW.

Call your Members of Congress  and tell them that the people of California demand real reform that will end the systematic abuses of the private insurance industry and support H.R. 3200.

Today, tens of thousands of Americans all across the country are rallying outside the offices of major private health insurance companies and officially declaring them a “crime scene!”

Did you know that the big private health insurance industries spend more in one day to oppose health reform than the vast majority of us make in a year? That’s right - their spending $641,000 a day to oppose health reform because they want the system to stay exactly as it is. That’s because they know they can profit by denying claims, raising premiums, co-pays and deductibles at will and denying care because of so-called “pre-existing conditions!”

But we’re sick of it. THEY are the reason we need real, meaningful health reform in the first place, one that includes a strong public health insurance option. That’s why it’s critical that we call our Senators and let them know that we need them to be on our side. If the insurance companies win, we lose.

Call Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer today and tell them its time for Congress to stand up to the big insurance companies when it comes to health care. We need real reform that:

• Makes the insurance companies follow fair rules
• Makes health care more affordable for everyone
• Gives us the choice of a public plan if we can’t get coverage at work

Click here to Call NOW!

Simply click the link above or dial (toll-free) 1-877-264-4226 to be directed to Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer.