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CCHCC E-Mail Newsletter – September 2009
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1. Campaign & Program Updates
2. Health Action Network
3. Ask an Advocate
4. Upcoming Meetings & Events
5. Support CCHCC
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Dear Friends,
Welcome! Thank you for reading the Champaign County Health Care
Consumers(CCHCC) E-mail Newsletter. The goal of the CCHCC E-mail Newsletter is to keep you up-to-date on CCHCC campaigns and activities, and let you know of ways to support health care justice in your very own community.
Have any feedback for the CCHCC E-mail Newsletter? Want more information on a certain campaign or program? Have a question for “Ask the Advocate?” Email Allison with feedback on the newsletter at allison@HealthCareconsumers.org.
1. CAMPAIGN & PROGRAM UPDATES
— Health Care Access Task Force:
The Health Care Access Task Force has been busy planning the upcoming Community Meeting on National Health Reform on September 10, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Champaign Public Library. Congress has been working on health reform legislation for several months, but what does this mean for you and our community?
Topics to be discussed will include:
. The need for national health reform
. Understanding the health reform legislation
. Fact vs. fiction in the health reform debate
. Single-payer and public option health reforms
. Medicare and national health reform
. How you can take action for REAL health reform
(please see section #2 below – Health Action Network – to take action on national health reform!)
RSVP for the meeting
— 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign:
The 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign has been working on protecting the health of the neighborhood and the rights of the community in relation to the toxic site owned by Ameren, located at 5th and Hill Streets in Champaign for nearly two years now. Visit our website to check out the media coverage of 5th & Hill activities since the beginning of the Campaign.
http://www.HealthCareconsumers.org/index.php?action=Display-Page&id=651
We are still seeking support from community members to sign the petition calling on the City of Champaign to repeal the groundwater ordinance that, under IL EPA’s rules, lets Ameren off the hook for cleaning up the toxic contaminated groundwater in the 5th & Hill neighborhood. To learn more about the ordinance, and to add your name to the petition, please click here:
http://www.HealthCareconsumers.org/index.php?action=Display-Page&id=700
— Medicare Task Force:
The Medicare Task Force is continuing its work to fix the Part D prescription drug program by gathering support from local organizations in the fight for a REAL prescription drug benefit. Many local organizations have already endorsed the Campaign to Fix Part D! If you belong to any group that wants to get involved, call Anne at (217) 352-6533 or visit our website for more information:
http://www.HealthCareconsumers.org/index.php?action=Display-Page&id=693
2. HEALTH ACTION NETWORK – TAKE ACTION TODAY!
Champaign County Health Care Consumers urgently needs your support in the struggle for REAL health reform. As the Congressional summer recess comes to an end, and Congress resumes in September, health care advocates and activists must hit the ground running in order to target our advocacy efforts to ensure that the needs and priorities of consumers – real live people – are front and center in the development of health reform legislation. Visit the website to read up on the issue, and then take action by adding your name to the letter CCHCC’s letter in support of the Kucinich Amendment being added to the national health reform legislation.
http://www.HealthCareconsumers.org/index.php?action=Display-Page&id=713
3. ASK AN ADVOCATE
Question: I have several expensive prescriptions drugs – are there any local programs that could help?
Answer: There is a local program that helps consumers with their prescription drug expenses; the FamilyWize Prescription Drug Discount Program. FamilyWize offers immediate discounts on prescriptions to individuals with a FamilyWize discount card. This program averages a savings of 20% off the pharmacy’s retail price, with the highest savings on generic drugs. To find out how much your medication will be, take your card to a participating pharmacy and the pharmacist can tell you what the discount will be. You can also look up the price of your medication by going online to www.familywize.org.
Everyone who needs assistance with prescription drug costs is eligible for this program. There are no income requirements or applications to fill out.
Each person in the family may use the FamilyWize discount card.
To get a FamilyWize card, or help with any other health care problem, call CCHCC’s Consumer Health Hotline at (217) 352-6533 and ask for Yadira Montoya at extension 20.
4. UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
— Please attend the upcoming Community Meeting on National Health Reform on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Champaign Public Library – 200 West Green Street. RSVP today:
http://www.HealthCareconsumers.org/index.php?action=Display-Page&id=708
— Volunteers Needed! – CCHCC is looking for volunteers to help out at our annual Phone-A-Thon. The Phone-A-Thon is one of CCHCC’s most important events each year, as it allows us to connect with our members, get them involved, and raise funds need to continue working for health care for all.
This year’s issue is supporting REAL national health reform. As a volunteer, you will call CCHCC members and ask them to take action on health reform and to make a donation.
Here are the details:
– WHAT: CCHCC’s Annual Phone-A-Thon
– WHEN: Monday 9/21, Tuesday 9/22, Thursday 9/24, Tuesday 9/29, Wednesday 9/30, and Thursday 10/1
– TIME: 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. each evening
– WHERE: CCHCC Office – 44 East Main Street, Suite 208 in downtown Champaign
We provide training and free food each evening!
Please join us for this important event! RSVP by calling (217) 352-6533 or going online
— Attend the next Health Care Access Task Force meeting on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the Wesley United Methodist Church (Green and Goodwin in Urbana). The Health Care Access Task Force meets each month to work on health care access in our community. We’d love to see you there!
Call us at(217) 352-6533 with questions or to RSVP.
— Interested in working for a better prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries? Then join the Medicare Task Force on Thursday, September 17,
2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church (1st and University in Champaign). Call Anne at (217) 352-6533 for more information.
5. SUPPORT CCHCC
Support CCHCC’s ongoing work on national health reform by making a donation today! Help support our efforts to mobilize thousands of people to take action on national health reform, and continue our consumer health advocacy work by making a tax-deductible donation to CCHCC.