Community Leaders Call for Court to Uphold the Law, Allowing 7 Million Virginians Access to Health Care and Protection from Insurance Company Abuses

Richmond, VA – Immediately following Monday’s hearing on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at the U.S. District Courthouse in Richmond, community members directly helped by the health care law will voice their opposition to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s attempt to block national health care reform. The brief media conference, organized by statewide, grassroots organization Virginia Organizing (formerly known as Virginia Organizing Project) will take place outside the courthouse directly after the hearing.

WHAT: Media Conference, Cuccinelli: Don’t Deny Virginia Health Care

WHO: Virginia Organizing

Jill Hanken, Virginia Poverty Law Center

Marcus Grimes, Health care consumer who went blind due to lack of coverage

Janie Williams, 22 year old UVA graduate who will benefit from the law

Rabbi Ben Romer, Congregation Or Ami. His wife was denied care due to Anthem’s underwriting practices.

WHEN: Monday, October 18, 2010

Media conference will immediately follow hearing. Hearing is expected to end between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Broad Street at E.7th Street, outside U.S. District Courthouse, Richmond, VA

Background:

After refusing to dismiss Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s health care lawsuit in July, U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson will hear arguments on the constitutionality of the law on Monday October 18, 2010. This argument follows a Michigan federal court decision issued last week which found the minimum coverage provision (the so-called insurance “mandate”) is constitutional.

Judge Hudson’s decision is not expected for several weeks. Whatever the outcome, the case will likely be appealed to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and, eventually, the US Supreme Court is expected to finally resolve the legal questions raised in this and numerous cases filed around the country.

Since passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Virginia Organizing has been educating the public on what the national health care law will mean for Virginians. Virginia Organizing is one of many groups to file an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court supporting the federal health care law and opposing Attorney General Cuccinelli’s attempts to block reform.

Marcus Grimes of Woodbridge is featured in the Virginia Organizing amicus brief. Grimes is a strong advocate for the health care law and will speak on his own experiences with the health care system. Grimes is now legally blind because his retina began detaching several years ago. Due to inadequate insurance coverage he could not afford the eye surgery necessary to save his eyesight.

Despite the ongoing court battle, Governor Bob McDonnell has been working on implementing of the new law in Virginia and many groups and individuals are participating in the process.

Jim Lindsay of the Virginia Organizing Health Care Committee will join other health reform advocates at the Governor’s Health Reform Advisory Committee working group meetings in Richmond next week to weigh in on the implementation of the new law.

“Governor McDonnell clearly understands that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is now the law of the land. Two weeks ago the Governor was celebrating the 2 million dollars in increased health care funding for older adults and those with disabilities due entirely to the new health care law,” said Lindsay. “Yet he and the Attorney General continue this court case so that insurance companies can go back to denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions and dropping people when they get sick. Not only are they trying to have their cake and eat it too, they are pursuing a reckless agenda to deny seniors, young people and small business owners the benefits of this law.”

Click Here For a list of the health care law benefits that have already gone into effect: Virginia Organizing is a statewide grassroots organization that brings people together to create a more just Virginia.

www.virginia-organizing.org ###