Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease

On Friday, MS Activist Alex O'Connor attended the The Old North State Medical Society's Leadership Summit. Dr. Ken Thorpe, Executive Director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease was honored for his work on health care reform. Here are Alex's take home points from Dr. Thorpe's speech on passing health care reform:

• In 1993, during the debate on health care, Thorpe described the attitude of policy makers was to get your first choice and if you could not have your first choice you chose the status quo. This time around, Thorpe said no one will get their first choice, instead changing the status quo has to be our first choice.

• Dr. Thorpe and G.K. Butterfield, who were both given awards for their work on health care reform acknowledged that there are political hot buttons in HB 3962 you are hearing about in the media like immigration, abortion, taxes, and the cost. However, what you do not hear about in HB 3962 are all the common sense things like 85/15 - insurance companies having to spend 85% on health care and make no more than 15% in profits.

• A health care reform bill has to be passed, the status quo can't stand any longer. We need to put aside partisanship, where we stand on abortion, how much of a public option there is, or our views on immigration. I am willing to give up my first choice to do the right thing and fight to end the status quo of health care now.

Register Now to learn the latest about Health Care Reform

On Wednesday, November 4 at 7pm, US Representative Bob Etheridge will hold a teleconference to discuss the latest House Health Care Reform bill which was unveiled last week. Rep. Etheridge serves on the US House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee. The Ways And Means Committee is one of the three US House Committees that has worked on health care reform legislation.

Click HERE to register for the call. Your information must be submitted by noon, Tuesday, November 3, to participate in Rep. Etheridge's Teleconference Town Hall Meeting.

Health care reform is one of the most pressing domestic issues in America today. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has adopted National Health Care Reform Principles to move us closer to change. Use this teleconference to learn how health care reform will impact people living with MS.