UPDATE 5/20/09: The date of the meeting, below, has been changed to May 30 at 9 a.m., at a location to be announced. That's because Cong. Aaron Schock has agreed to attend the meeting to discuss health care issues.
Watch this space for the location, likely somewhere in Peoria.
UPDATE, 5/26/09: The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. at the Universalist/Unitarian Church, 3000 W. Richwoods Blvd. off Sterling, Peoria.
EAST PEORIA - It's crunch time for advocates wanting universal, affordable health insurance coverage for everyone.
The Obama administration says changes will be made this year, so the medical/industrial complex is fighting back with high paid lobbyists to influence the laws.
Advocates for universal coverage are taking to the streets, and in Illinois are organizing a series of town hall meetings, hoping to attract members of Congress to listen to the public and advocates on the issues.
In the Peoria area the Town Hall Meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 28 at the Festival Building. 2200 E. Washington St. in East Peoria. (Organizers got free use of the building from the city of East Peoria.)
Here are the directions: From I-74 West bound, exit 96; from East bound, exit 95B.
Panelists invited to speak include:
Brad McMillan: Facilitator; Director, Institute for Principled Leadership; a representative from the AARP; William Albers, M.D.; Gail Amundson, M.D. FACP, President/CEO, Quality Quest for Health; Laraine Bryson, President, Tri-County Urban League; Ron Cox, Vice President, West Central IL Labor Council; Tammy Finch, Owner, Web Tech Services, East Peoria; Katie Jones, MSW, Executive Director, Mental Health Assoc IL Valley; Rev. Joy Schlesselman, President, Central IL Inter-Faith Alliance.
Cong. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria and the 18th District, has been invited but news media accounts report that he likely won't attend. But the meeting will be videotaped and sent to him.
There also will be questions and comments from the audience.
Co-sponsors include The Campaign for Better Health Care, a powerful Champaign-based group; The League of Women Voters of Illinois and the AARP, IL Chapter.
There's more information and a registration process at http://www.cbhconline.org/index.html. You can submit a question online.
Volunteers have been distributing pamphlets throughout the area urging citizens to call Schock and ask him to attend, and inviting the public to the free, open meeting.
Full disclosure: I have passed out these pamphlets in my neighborhood, and received very favorable responses from many people, who confessed that they don't have health insurance at all, or their insurance is so expensive it takes all their income to pay for it.
Some people were happy to receive Schock's phone number to call him about other issues.
Only one person was negative, a white, middle-aged man who said "no thanks, I'll pay for my own insurance" and refused to take the pamphlet.
When I responded that his insurance would be cheaper if everyone is covered, he looked at me and shook his head.
This meeting may be boring or exciting, but it's probably worth attending just to prove to Schock and Congress that people care about this issue.
As the pamphlet states, "it's now or never" to reform health coverage.
The Campaign for Better Health Care can be reached at:
44 East Main St., Suite 414, Champaign, IL 61820-3642.
(v) 217-352-5600; (f) 217-352-5688; e-mail: cbhc-cu@cbhconline.org
In Chicago at 1325 S. Wabash, Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60605-2504
(v) 312-913-9449; (f) 312-913-9559; e-mail: cbhc-chi@cbhconline.org
Its helpline, 1-888-544-8271.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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