HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS ROSE MORE THAN 17 TIMES FASTER THAN EARNINGS IN MICHIGAN FROM 2000 TO 2007
Michigan-Specific Report Finds that Premiums Rose by 78.2 Percent While Earnings Rose by Only 4.6 Percent
Read all about it here!
Join with us as we pump of the volume of voices calling for Reform!
With our partner, Gamaliel of Michigan, we will be gathering with thousands of others demanding our public officials take action to address the need for health care reform and access to comprehensive care for all.
National, state and local officials have been invited. At the meetings we will be requesting specific actions to reform our health care system.
October 12, 2008 – 3:30 pm -- Battle Creek
JONAH -- Faith and Democracy Public Meeting -- Celebrating Community Voices
Lakeview Middle School, 300 S. 28th St, Battle Creek, MI 49015
Focus of Meeting: the health care crisis and the need for state and national reform
For more information call Ms Stacy Caballero (269) 660-1950
October 23, 2008 – 7:00 pm -- Kalamazoo
ISAAC -- Faith and Democracy Public Meeting
Galilee Baptist Church, 1216 N. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Focus of Meeting: the health care crisis and the need for state and national reform
Summit on the Uninsured
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
Detroit Marriot at the Rennaisance Center
Ron Dzwonkowski, editor of the Detroit Free Press, will be moderating
6:00 PM Reception
6:30 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Program Begins
8:00 PM Program Ends
Contact Naomi Ruthy at nruth1@hfhs.org or 313.874.7178
CHECK OUT THE CALENDAR FOR EVENTS ACROSS THE STATE
Health Care Voters!
You Don’t Need a Photo I.D. to Vote in Michigan!
If you don’t have ID with you when you go to the polls, you can still vote and your vote will count. All you have to do is sign a form stating that you don’t have ID with you. If you choose to vote by showing your I.D., you can present the following:
- A driver’s license or personal identification card issued by any state;
- Federal or state government-issued photo identification;
- U.S. passport;
- Military identification card with photo;
- Student identification with photo from a high school or college;
- Tribal identification card with photo;
- Employee identification card.
IF YOU DO NOT HAV E A PHOTO ID OR DID NOT BRING ONE TO THE POLLS, TELL THE POLL WORKER THAT YOU WANT TO SIGN THE AFFIDAVIT AND VOTE.
Who Can Vote? You can vote if:
- You are a citizen of the United States;
- You are at least 18 years old on or before election day;
- You are not serving a sentence in jail or prison on election day; ex-felons can vote in Michigan;
- You are registered to vote in Michigan at least 30 days before the election.
In Michigan you MAY vote if you are confined in jail but NOT convicted. You also MAY vote if you are not confined and are on parole. You are NOT allowed to vote if you are confined outside of jail or prison, such as in a work release or half-way house facility, under house arrest, or on tether.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO VOTE, CALL 888-767-6424 OR GO TO WWW.MICHIGAN.GOV/VOTE
IMPORTANT ELECTION DATES
- 9/25/08 First Day to Request Absentee Ballot from Clerk’s Office
- 10/6/08 Voter Registration Deadline for Nov. 4 General Election
- 11/1/08 Deadline for Absentee Ballot Request
- 11/4/08 General Election Day
On election day, polls open from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Healthcare Coalition Forms as Ballot Drive Ends
New citizens group aims to hold legislators’ feet to fire
Citizen groups launched a new healthcare action coalition that aims to continue the fight to make healthcare affordable and available to all Michigan families, and fix a broken system. The coalition was announced after the Healthcare Ballot for Michigan campaign was officially ended.
“The fight for affordable, quality healthcare is far from over even though the ballot campaign has ended,” said John Freeman, executive director of Healthcare Ballot for Michigan. “This fight is too important. Too many people are one pink slip away from losing their healthcare, too many people don’t have healthcare and too many businesses are going bankrupt because of the outrageously high cost of healthcare. This new coalition will hold Lansing’s feet to the fire and stand up for Michigan families that have been hit hard by our healthcare crisis.”
The campaign gathered more than 140,000 signatures, many collected by legions of volunteers who are now core members of the continuing effort to expand healthcare access and affordability in Michigan.
Groups that joined the new Healthcare for Michigan effort include Michigan Universal Health Care Access Network , Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, SEIU Healthcare Michigan, Michigan Citizen Action, , Michigan Nurses Association, National Physicians Association, Michigan Osteopathic Association, Gamaliel of Michigan, and many other unions, faith-based groups and advocacy organizations.
Freeman said: “Despite the special interests and the competition for money during a presidential election year, we are not giving up our work to fix Michigan’s broken healthcare system. We have 140,000 voices, a diverse coalition of groups and a volunteer network that is second to none. The ballot campaign will be a vehicle to pressure the Legislature to act to fix healthcare. We will be working collaboratively to tackle this spiraling healthcare crisis.”
For more information call Ms. Rachael Tanner (269) 341-4213