This morning Health Care For America Now (HCAN!) member groups gathered
at an invite-only roundtable and subsequent press conference with Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand. The event was
moderated by L. Toni Lewis, M.D., Director, Committee of Interns and
Residents/SEIU Healthcare and Ana Maria
Archila, Co-Director, Make the Road New
York.
Senator
Gillibrand vocalized her support for a public insurance plan option and stated
that an affordable, comprehensive benefit package is essential to any reform
measure. The Senator strongly supported
the need for affordability-stating no family should have to pay more than 5% of
their income to get health insurance.
The Senator also highlighted the need for the Senate to utilize the
reconciliation process to pass health care reform and affirmed that health care
reform is essential to America’s
economic recovery.