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Health Care for All Home Page
Doris Hughes delivers empty pill bottles to Senator Grassley demanding government negotiation for better drug prices under Medicare Part D.
More Americans than ever are living without health insurance and for those with coverage the costs continue to skyrocket. With the recent recession and very sluggish recovery, the vast majority of Americans who rely on their employer for health insurance are feeling highly vulnerable. Over a third of all seniors lack prescription drug coverage, at a time in their lives when prescription drugs are often vital to their health. Our health care system is broken and desperately in need of reform.
The time is ripe to use our collective power of democracy to shape a health care system that provides access to quality, affordable health care for all. We are working to promote local, state, and federal governmental institutions that can deliver this basic human right of health care. We are working against the moneyed special interests and stifling bureaucracy of insurance and big pharmaceutical companies that hold Americans hostage to an increasingly hostile health care system.
- State initiatives to expand access to health care and to reduce health care costs
- Making your voice heard!
State initiatives to expand access to health care and to reduce health care costs
Even in this time of lean budgets, Iowa’s state government can do much to help increase access to health care and to reduce costs. State government can
- Begin addressing the high and increasing costs of prescription drugs
- Provide mental health parity
- Protect the children’s health insurance program (HAWK-I)
- Protect state funding of the Medicaid program
ICAN is developing a strategy to support ongoing initiatives and to lead a new initiative for increasing access to health care for all Iowans. Join the fight—demand creative approaches by state government that help Iowans by holding health insurance and drug companies responsible for skyrocketing prices in the face of industry wide record profits.
ICAN believes that every American is entitled to quality, affordable health care. We are educating the public and elected officials about the terrible cost of allowing tens of millions of Americans to go without health insurance. And ICAN is fighting for alternatives to our current health care system that will deliver affordable, quality and universal health care. We are committed to the principle that health care is right, not a privilege.
Charlie Wishman, ICAN organizer, can help you voice your health care concerns to presidential candidates, US legislators, state legislators, and media outlets. Charlie is connecting Iowans with political events, press events, and demonstrations. Join the fight to put people before corporate profits in our nation’s health care.
Email: Charlie Wishman
Phone: 515-277-5077 ext. 15
Guidling Principles of Health Care Reform
Iowa Human Needs Advocates is a working group of over 30 organizations that advocate in the human services arena. ICAN and IHNA have drafted guiding principles for health care reform in Iowa.
EVENT
RESOURCES
People or Profits: The Game Show
Iowa Human Needs Advocates is a working group of over 30 organizations that advocate in the human services arena. ICAN and IHNA have drafted guiding principles for health care reform in Iowa.
Learn more and take action here, a web site for consumers who want to join the fight for fair prescription drugs prices.
STATEMENT
ICAN organizer Matt Russell addresses committee members regarding the need for prescription drug price relief in Iowa. Read his statement here.
REPORTS
The Excess Cost of the Bush Prescription Drug Plan in Iowa
Learn about how Medicare Part D wastes Iowa taxpayer money and how we can fix this disasterous plan.
Health Care in Iowa: A Continuing Problem of Access
Iowa Policy Project has released this new report on health care access. One in 11 Iowans falls through the cracks of health-care coverage in Iowa, lacking access to health insurance through an employer or through government services – and despite some recent gains, the percentage of Iowans who are uninsured has not improved from the start of the decade.
Medicaid at 40: A Service That Works, For Americans Who Need It
IOWANS FACE RISING DRUG COST BURDEN: Iowa among the states most affected by rising prescription drug costs. Read entire report here.
MEDICARE CAMPAIGN
How will the Bush Medicare Prescription Drug Law affect your budget in 2006? Click here for a month-by-month cost analysis.
To see Important Facts You Need to Know About the Bush Medicare Prescription Law of 2003, click here.
For a fact sheet about The Medicare Prescription Discount Drug Card, click here.
To see how the discount card costs compares unfavorably to VA, Canada, and drugstore.com, click here.
Medicare Worksheet - to estimate what you will have to pay in 2006 for prescription drugs, download and print this worksheet.
NEWS FROM THE ROAD
Medicare Road Show Picks Up Steam in the Midwest, April 13, 2004: Des Moines, Iowa.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Q & A
The new Medicare law is extremely complicated and extremely politicized. Click here for a question and answer resource from FamiliesUSA that can help you better understand the effects of this law.
HEALTH CARE PRINCIPLES
These principles are the cornerstone of a quality health care system. Any health care proposal must bring us closer to meeting them.
JOINT STATEMENTS
A coalition of groups demands that Senator Grassley protect Medicaid funding. Read the letter here.
Joint statement on the effects of the Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003
REPORT
Congress’ Prescription Deal Costs Iowans More and Undermines the Entire Medicare System. Released 11/18/03 by ICAN and the Institute for America's Future. Click here.
FACT SHEETS
The Medicare Part D Disaster: Extend the May 15 Deadline
State Rx for 2005: House File 152
Our Fight for Fair Prescription Drug Prices
Capping Medicaid Funding: How Block Grants Would Hurt States -- Families USA, December 2004
Comparing the Medicare prescription drug proposals: Senate, House, and Conference
Iowa State Prescription Fact Sheet
IN THE NEWS
3/25/06, Des Moines Register: Drug-benefit cost: A whopper
3/22/06, Radio Iowa: Group seeks changes in Medicare prescription drug benefit
09/27/05, Quad City Times: Putting a face on budget plight
09/20/05, Des Moines Register: Hearings planned on cuts to social programs
08/13/05, Quad City Times: Letter to the editor -- Health care coverage still a major concern
08/10/05, Des Moines Register: Editorial -- Everyone deserves health-care coverage
08/04/05, Newsradio 1040 WHO: Medicaid Turns 40
07/16/05, Vilsack touts Medicaid effort as national model to fellow governors
PRESS RELEASES
04/20/06 - Extend the May 15 Deadline to Sign Up for Prescription Drug Benefit
