Health Care for America Now - Update

On the verge

President Theodore Roosevelt first proposed national health care nearly a century ago. In the decades since then, repeated efforts to ensure that every American has quality, affordable health care have fallen short. But today, we are on the verge of winning this long sought-after promise.

Right now, five Congressional committees have passed versions of health care reform. We've never been this close!

But, there is still a lot of work to do. Most importantly, we must keep fighting to ensure that the final legislation is affordable for all Americans and provides consumers the choice of a public health insurance option.

ICAN and our national allies, USAction and Health Care for America Now (HCAN), are at the center of this fight--working directly with Congress and the White House to pass legislation that will give all Americans the health security that so many lack today.

ICAN's members have been at the center of this fight. This year, they and affiliates contacted members of Congress with thousands of letters, emails, and phone calls. Hundreds have turned out to forums, rallies and town hall meetings. The Main Street Alliance, a project of ICAN, has held tours of small businesses supporting reform with Senator Harkin, Congressman Boswell and Congressman Loebsack.

And this work has made a difference: securing the solid support for the public health insurance option by every Democratic in Iowa's Congressional delegation.