UNAC/UHCP Nurses Volunteer to Campaign in Several States for Health Care Reform Legislation

Oct. 9, 2009 - PRLog -- The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Healthcare Professionals, working with AFSCME International, is sending a contingency of Registered Nurses to Louisiana, Arkansas and North Dakota to make door-to-door “house calls” to educate residents about health care reform currently making its way through Congress.

The group of nurses are part of a national campaign entitled “House Calls for Health Care Reform,” an effort to directly reach out to people to discuss health care legislation, address their concerns and clarify the many false rumors that have caused widespread confusion and heightened Americans’ fears about reform. Among them: costs and calls for a public option.  

“Registered Nurses and other health care professionals are on the frontlines providing health care and see the impact of our broken health care system every day,” stated Becky J. Motlagh, RN and member of UNAC/UHCP. “Our experiences confronting rising health care costs without compromising quality health services to the underinsured and uninsured give us valuable insight that can help Americans understand the legislation being considered and how reforming the system will improve health care for the entire nation.”

UNAC/UHCP volunteers will spend the next several days canvassing precincts in designated states as part of the House Calls for Health Care Reform campaign.  Their efforts aim to galvanize key constituencies that can influence the raging debate over health care reform.  As direct providers and advocates of health care services, the volunteer nurses see their involvement as a valuable instrument toward bringing the voice of reason to what has become a politically contentious health care debate.

Kathy J. Sackman, R.N. and President of UNAC/UHCP said “the cost of inaction is too great. Over 45 million Americans don’t have health care and thousands are joining the ranks of the uninsured each day.  Middle class Americans are going bankrupt to meet their family’s health care needs.  We simply can no longer afford to ignore the rising cost of health care.”

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The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals represents nurses and other health care professionals throughout Southern California. UNAC/UHCP, as the association is known, is affiliated with the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.