NM ARA ARA in the Press

Retirees Nationwide Praise Obama Health Care Speech, Reach Out to Elected Officials  
Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 12:22:15 PM PDT
by New Path to Middle Class - Daily Kos

Yesterday, seniors nationwide praised the speech of President Obama on the health insurance crisis and reached out to their Members of Congress encouraging them to support Obama's health insurance reform plans.

Florida Alliance for Retired Americans President Tony Fransetta said, "Retirees in Florida and across the nation were inspired last night by President Obama’s speech calling for significant health insurance reform.  We agree that all Americans will benefit from health care reform and that the time to act is now.  Today, we are reaching out to Senator Nelson and our members of Congress to encourage them to act swiftly to ensure every American access to affordable health care." 

As a senior, a Korean War Veteran, a father and grandfather, Fransetta (featured in the Palm Beach Postyesterday) recognizes "a lot of talk in the media about how many seniors are skeptical concerning health reform," however, the seniors he knows are eager for health insurance reform as proposed by President Obama. They look to their elected representatives to act quickly to approve a plan that will "lower the cost of prescription drugs; end the co-pays for cancer screenings and other preventive tests, and start close the 'donut hole' coverage gap in Medicare Part D."

Similarly, New Mexican seniors & retirees were "energized by President Obama’s speech" and hand-delivered letters in support of health insurance reform to their Members of Congress yesterday.

John Doran, New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans First Vice President said, "Seniors know that efficient government-backed health programs, like Medicare & Social Security, are morally and economically the right prescription in a caring, wealthy society. The public option will give hard working New Mexicans a choice in health care, and we sure need that in New Mexico."

Emil Shaw, President of the New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans pledged, "We will continue to educate and to mobilize seniors in support of President Obama’s agenda.  We are confident that we will ultimately achieve significant health care reform and improve the quality of life for all Americans."