Working for

health care justice

Tennessee Health Care Campaign (THCC)
Health Care, TennCare, Cover TN & You
Info & Action Alert - State & National Actions
November 12, 2006

State & Local & National:

1. Medicare Part D Annual Selection Period: Nov. 15 - Dec. 31, 2006:

    • Do you need to change your Medicare Part D Plan?
    • Are you eligible for special assistance?
    • Do you need a flu shot?
    • Would you like to talk to a real person?
    • Click for this link and read below.

Attend one of the Tennessee Senior Medicare Patrol Projects listed below:

November 12, 2006
Event: CMS MOT Event
Time - No later than 10:30 a.m. Services 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location - Volentine Baptist Church
4181 New Allen Road, Memphis
Additional Information:
Frayser Community Minister, Claude Bryant, 901-481-1929

November 13, 2006
Event: CMS MOT Event
Time - 9 a.m. - 12:00 Noon, SHIP Coordinator to present
Location - Trevecca Towers
69 Lester Avenue, Nashville
615-244-6911

November 14, 2006
Event: CMS MOT Event
Time - TBA
Location - O'Connor Senior Center
611 Winona Street, Knoxville
Contact - Barbar Monty, 865-524-2786

General Contact: Mary Beth Best
Phone Number - 1-877-801-0044
E-mail Address - mary.beth.best@state.tn.us
Organization - State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

2. Are you taking TriCor, a colestoral-lowering drug:

Help Stop Devious New Drug Company Tactics to Keep Generics Off the Market (TriCor - a colestoral lowering drug). Sign up as a plaintiff. See the attachment and email Tony Garr

3. Poll Shows Health Care Is Top Issue in Election
Today Americans for Health Care, a project of SEIU, released a poll conducted by Lake Research Partners which reveals that health care is a top issue for voters across the country and was a powerful issue in deciding the outcome of the mid-term elections. The poll was conducted November 5 - 7, 2006.

Key findings of the poll include:

  • "Health care" and "prescription drugs" (27 percent) were tied with "The situation in Iraq" (27 percent) and second only to "Economy and jobs" (34 percent) as the top concerns of voters.
  • Rising health care costs was the most intense economic concern of voters (29 percent).
  • Health care has increased in salience since 2004, with 47 percent saying it was the most or one for the most important issues in making their vote for Congress, compared to 32 percent in 2004.
  • Sixty-six (66) percent thought health care was discussed too little by the candidates.
  • Seventy-four (74) percent of voters think health care should be a high priority for the new Congress

For more poll results, go to www.americansforhealthcare.com/

4. THCC needs a blogger - No special skills needed:

George Haley will be giving up his blog on health care unlesss someone steps forward and says, "I will give it a try." If you have the interest, George will be glad to work with you and give you some pointers. Email George Haley. His blog is http://geotenncare.blogspot.com/

5. Health Care in Tennessee: Do you have a question about Medicare Part D? Tony Garr will be interviewing Kyle Davis, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program Director for Middle Tennessee. Listen to Radio Free Nashville every Wednesday, 4-5 PM Central Time, on line, "Steaming Audio." Get the latest health care news, both local and national. Since Radio Free Nashville is a low-power community radio station, most of you will only be able to listen via streaming audio. To listen in to Radio Free Nashville. CLICK HERE.

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Tony Garr • TN Health Care Campaign

tgarr@thcc2.org

1-877-431-7083