Vigils to promote the publicly funded health care option were held in Port Angeles and Port Townsend Tuesday, sponsored by MoveOn.org.
They each drew about 40 people and were among about 200 scheduled nationwide that the political organization held to urge congressional representatives not to give up on the contested public option as they try to pass a health care reform bill by Christmas.
Health care costs have pushed many into bankruptcy, said Linda Brewster, coordinator of the Port Townsend demonstration, which was held at Haller Fountain.
“Our focus is on the cost of delay,” Brewster said. “Every day we delay health care reform it costs people.
“We need for our senators and representatives to do everything in their power to push for meaningful health care reform now.”
Stories of illness
Three women stood in the frigid air and shared stories with the crowd.
Jennifer Taylor said her housekeeper had felt ill for some time but refused to go to the hospital for months. She didn’t have health insurance.
“When she finally did go, she had third stage ovarian cancer,” Taylor said. “It’s not right. We call ourselves civilized, but that’s not civilized.”
Dixie Scofield said her 25-year-old niece died after months without treatment for headaches. Her niece had just been accepted into medical school, but she didn’t have health insurance.
“Bankruptcy is not the worst thing that can happen to you if you don’t have health care,” insurance, she said.
“Her illness was treatable. Now she’s gone.”
Barbara Morey stood and told her own story. She said she had health care insurance– for a while.
“I lived a life I thought was by the rules,” Morey said. “At one point I got very, very sick.
“I had to stop working but the bills kept coming and my insurance cut out after two months.
“I worked 26 years and then had to cash in my pension, had to cash in my life insurance and spend my life savings.
“Even when I had the insurance, before they took it away because I wasn’t working, I couldn’t meet the co-pays because they were so high.”
To pay her bills, Morey eventually took out loans against her house. She received notice of foreclosure earlier this year.
“Luckily the bank rescinded that foreclosure, and I am back in my home,” she said.
“But I almost lost my home because of medical bills I couldn’t afford.”
In Port Angeles
At the intersection of Washington and First streets in Port Angeles, Richard Gray, vigil organizer and chairman of the recently formed Clallam County MoveOn Council, said the purpose of the event was to urge representatives to focus on the needs of the uninsured.
He feels the interests of insurance companies get in the way.
“It feels to me like we are at a crisis point in health care,” said the 66-year-old Sequim resident.
“We are here to show that the people want reform.”
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
Reporter Tom Callis also contributed to this story.
