AARP members urge Congressman Schock to tackle health care reform

While Congressman Schock may be taking a break from Washington, AARP is making sure he doesn't get a break from the need to fix the broken health care system. With a giant inflatable Rx bottle as a backdrop, armed with prescription bottles filled with constituents' personal health care stories, AARP members converged at Peoria Public Library today calling on the Congressman to tackle health care reform when he goes back to the nation's Capitol in September.

After the press conference, the group took the prescription bottles and delivered them to Congressman Schock's office in downtown Peoria.

"Failure to pass health care reform legislation this year is not an option," said AARP Peoria-area volunteer Mary Patton. "AARP is bringing to Congressman Schock a prescription for reform from his constituents: fix what's wrong with our health care system, and preserve what's right. We cannot afford not to fix health care."

The group's effort also took aim at debunking the myths, misinformation and "swift boat" style scare tactics being used to derail progress on health care reform, with volunteers working to get the public the facts on the issue.

As part of the statewide efforts during the Congressional recess, AARP has been hosting community events and press conferences, aimed at getting the public the facts and "busting" the health care reform myths being spread. AARP has worked to hold "Rx for health care reform" events in every Congressional district in Illinois, where volunteers will deliver thousands of Rx pill bottles filled with personal health care stories from constituents to their members of Congress, highlighting the need for reform.

Opponents of health reform are spreading such myths as: health reform will hurt Medicare; it will allow the government to make life-and-death decisions for you; and reform is socialized medicine. AARP has set up a website (www.healthactionnow.org) where the public can get the facts and other up-to-date information on the health care reform debate.

Source: http://www.healthactionnow.org/