Upcoming Raleigh NOW meetings:
Tuesday, Sept 1, at 7pm
Tuesday, Oct 6, at 7pm
Tuesday, Nov 3, at 7pm
Tuesday, Dec 1, at 7pm

NC NOW State Conference - Saturday, Nov 7, at 9am in Charlotte
Phone banking for 2010 Signature Ad - early Dec. 2009

Saturday Aug 29, there were "Health Care Can't Wait" rallies in big cities across North Carolina. Some Raleigh NOW members attended the rally in Raleigh. I'd say over 500 people were there in favor of health care reform. People told stories of how the current system left them without insurange coverage and in many cases bankrupt as well. The Rev. William Barber, president of the state chapter of the NAACP, asked people to challenge distortions of what Obama's health care plan would do.

My favorite quote came from speaker Kay Zwan, whose son and husband both suffer from serious illnesses. "Disease doesn't discriminate but private insurance does."

It won't help us if the health care plan is compromised out of usefulness. NOW says that Single Payer would be best for women and families. At the national NOW conference in June 09, I learned that BCBS execs are rescinding policies (many against women) and routinely charge women more.

In testimony to the US House of Representatives, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) executives admitted some unconscionable behavior. They said they often rescind policies and it’s most often for breast cancer, caesarian related issues, etc. Donna Smith (SiCKO, American Patients United founder) said the insurance executives promised that they would stop discriminating against women, and stop charging more to women IF AND ONLY IF Americans are all forced to buy their private insurance. Read about this testimony at “Blue Cross praised employees who dropped sick policyholders, lawmaker says” at http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jun/17/business/fi-rescind17 and another article by Lisa Girion “Health Insurers refuse to stop rescission of coverage” at http://progressiveindependent.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=printer_friendly&forum=103&topic_id=40909

Smith also talked about how many women are uninsured. Smith said “In 2007—10.4 white women without health insurance. 19.5% of African American women (1 in 5) are uninsured. 32.1% of Latinas are uninsured. Plus, the Bush Administration’s cuts had made it harder to get claims processed. And 84% of claims are filed by women.”

Upcoming rallies:
Thursday, Sept 3, 6-7pm
State House Steps - 16 W. Jones St; Raleigh 27601
Host: Health Care for America NOW

Saturday, Sept 5, 9 am
Rally to Support the Public Option for Health Care Reform

"Let's gather outside Sen. Kay Hagan's office to thank her and our Triangle area congressmen for their support of true reform and putting people above politics and corporate profit. Bring your own handmade signs, posters, personal stories to share."

Terry Sandford Federal Building
311 New Bern Avenue; Raleigh
Questions: progressiveissuesnc@gmail.com

Please join us at our 'Fetal Personhood - What Would It Mean' event on Thursday, August 27, at 7pm in Raleigh.

The fetal personhood legislation is a bold move, and it goes far beyond making abortion illegal.

Fetal Personhood involves establishing that fetuses, even fertilized eggs, are "persons" under the protection of the U.S. Constitution. They define person as a human being at any stage of life, starting at fertilization! Learn what such a bill would mean to women and families with regard to birth control, miscarriage, pregnancy, birth, abortion, illness, and end of life issues, among other things.

Fetal personhood legislation has been passed at some level in various states across the US. See http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/SB0406.htm for the bill that passed the Senate in Montana.

Event: 'Fetal Personhood - What Would It Mean'
Date: 8/27/09, Thursday
Time: 7 p.m.
RSVP: president@raleighnow.org

Hope to see you there!