Actions in Celebration of Medicare, to Demand Black Health Equity, and Challenge Premera Blue Cross
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In celebration of the 56th Birthday of Medicare and Medicaid, there were several actions in our state. On July 24, HCHR rallied and marched with around 500 in Seattle to call for #MedicareforAll. Our Steering Committee member Gina Owens Washington Community Action Network spoke and called for increased pressure NOW on Congress for #ExpandMedicare, #LowerDrugPrices and passage of the State Based Universal Health Care Act so our state can lead the way to universal and equitable health care. She pointed out that Medicare For All would be a giant step towards #BlackHealthEquityNow. Above HCHR member Backbone Campaign’s puppets illustrate the US healthcare ”system” – the problem of profit coming before healthcare: Count Bleed Ya Dry (the insurers) taking the blood of the US Health represented by Uncle Sam.
We returned to Westlake afterwards for the Black Health Equity Rally, where Claude Burfect, VP for Seattle King County NAACP and HCHR Steering Committee member, spoke forcefully for justice for Kaloni Bolton, 12 year-old African-American girl who died after not being promptly treated at a Renton urgent care clinic for a severe asthma attack. See #BreatheForKaloni. Decolonizing Science
And on Friday, July 28 Watch our Steering Committee member Gina Owens was called upon once again to share the heart wrenching story of her daughter, a mother of three who lost her job & her health care. She died from lack of health care when she needed it most. Gina called on Premera Blue Cross to stop exorbitant rate increases & denying patients the care they deserve. And for #MedicareForAll because health care should not be tied to employment.
Health Care Is a Human Right - Washington 