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SEATTLE, Feb. 5, 2004-- CodeBlueNow! America's Health Care Voice launched an online petition drive on January 30, 2004 to change the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill. The group's website is www.codebluenow.org . "Ironically, that was the same day the Bush Administration announced a 33% increase in the cost of the bill. This Medicare Act does more for special interest groups than it does for seniors," says Kathleen O'Connor, Founder of CodeBlueNow!. "The bill prevents Medicare from negotiating lower prices on prescription drugs and prohibits seniors -- and everyone else in the US -- from buying safe, but cheaper drugs from Canada." The Administration launched a $12.6 million multi-media advertising campaign on February 3rd to rebut criticism of the Medicare Bill. "This bill is bogus. It costs seniors more in premiums and deductibles than they get in benefits. Even the Congressional Budget Office says only $1 out of $16 in this bill goes for new benefits. And AARP has a $7 million campaign chest to promote this bill. The ideas -- and needs -- of the American people are being lost in the spin that this is a good first step. That's hogwash," says O'Connor. "That's why we started CodeBlueNow! So there's a real, independent voice for the people. The American public is vastly smarter than they're given credit for when it comes to health care. We intend to see their voices are heard." Code Blue Now! is a national, non-partisan, grassroots group committed to improving the health care system. It already has members in 23 states. The term "code blue" comes from the alarm hospitals use to signal an emergency-that a patient is dying. CodeBlueNow! arose from a belief that the U.S. health care system is in an emergency and in need of attention. Kathleen O'Connor, a nationally recognized health analyst and consumer-oriented advocate, founded CodeBlueNow! in October of 2003 with a core of 100 people who took part in a contest to create a plan for fixing the ailing US healthcare system. The goal was to initiate a grassroots dialogue on health care reform. Past attempts to reform the health care system have failed because they have come from the top down. CodeBlueNow! -- available online at www.codebluenow.org -- intends to build momentum from the people up to assure a public voice with ideas from a groundswell of Americans. |
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Scrappy
non-profit start-up