The current health-care system is broken and unsustainable. It leaves millions of our fellow Americans uninsured and underinsured. Over half of all bankruptcies in America are tied to medical bills. By one estimate, 22,000 Americans died in 2006 because of lack of health insurance. From our children to our seniors, no one should be denied from seeing a doctor, getting proper treatment and living a healthy life. There was a time when if your house burned down or if you had health problems, your fellow Americans — your friends, family and neighbors — would help you get back on your feet, because it was the right thing to do. That spirit has been lost.
You've seen them at gas stations and convenience stores — the little cups that ask for your change because a child needs surgery. In our country, we shouldn't have to put out a cup to save a child's life. The way we treat our fellow Americans is a measure of our morals and beliefs — and today we fight for a change because we have failed miserably with our health care.
— Paul Choi, Director, WNC for Change
Asheville
