LETTER: Organization pushes for health care reform now

While our elected leaders have been preoccupied with bailing out big banks and posturing for mid-term elections, big insurance companies have subverted the legislative process to channel the people's legitimate demand for real health care reform into a new form of corporate welfare. In its never-ending quest for monopoly profits, Big Health Care has demonstrated its complete contempt for truly free and competitive markets as well as the political process.

GRO-Grass Roots Organizing stands by its demand for meaningful national health care reform. Congress and the administration need to heed this message! The people are growing impatient and evermore willing to use their power at the ballot box to reject "the best government that money can buy."

When it comes to health care reform, nothing has changed in our state. People with pre-existing conditions still can't get affordable coverage; insurance company monopolies still put profits before the health of human beings, and people are still struggling with cost and access to care.

Hiding behind its exemption from the antitrust laws that apply to every other industry, Big Health Care is licking its chops at the prospect of 40 million new captive "customers" while the people continue to suffer. We are tired of excuses, politicking and legalized corruption — we need comprehensive reform now!

We expect the folks we elected to get meaningful health care reform done! If they cannot, then we will elect real leaders who can!

Robin Acree is executive director of GRO-Grass Roots Organizing.