Editor’s note: Anna Paige was among a group of nearly two dozen Montanans who flew to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally and lobby day organized by Health Care for America Now and the Montana Change That Works campaign, a project of the Service Employees International Union.

Montanans play key role in health care reforms

Text and Photo
By ANNA PAIGE
For The Outpost

Beckie Shuey, of Bozeman, remembers when health care reform, spearheaded by Hillary Clinton, stalled in Congress in the 1990s. After attending a rally on June 25 in Washington, D.C., to urge improvements to America’s health care system, Shuey said she’s confident this time the reform won’t be stopped.

“I have hope that things are changeable, and I believe that it’s going to move forward,” Shuey said.

Shuey was part of a group of 20-plus Montanans who headed to the nation’s Capitol to participate in the rally and lobby members of Congress for health care reform. Several people in the group had a chance to sit down with Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., and a member of the Senate Finance Committee staff of Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., to discuss health care reform.

The rally and lobby day, coordinated by Health Care for America Now, a national health care campaign that has been working in Montana and advocates quality, affordable health insurance, brought health care reform advocates from across the country to D.C.’s Upper Senate Park — in the shadow of the Capitol — to share their stories and collectively cry out for change. The rally was awash in a rainbow of T-shirts representing unions, workers, small businesses and individuals from across the country.

“I’m a worker. I demand a voice,” and “Insurance companies don’t represent me” were some of the slogans. The event was packed with health care reformers chanting phrases such as “Health care now” and featured speakers from across the country sharing their stories of health care woes.

“Maybe it felt so real because I was there,” Shuey said. “The population cares about health care and a wants a change. It was amazing to see all those people come together and speak about the changes they want to see in their areas.”