Oklahomans Rally Against Obama's Health Care Reform

As the battle continues in Washington D.C. over health care reform, people on both sides are speaking out in Oklahoma.

Thursday, July 30th 2009, 6:01 pm

By: News 9


By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- As the battle continues in Washington D.C. over health care reform, people on both sides are speaking out in Oklahoma.

The Sooner Tea Party held a rally Thursday to show its opposition to the President's plan. Across the street from some offices for the state's Congressional delegation, about 75 protestors showed their opposition to President Obama's push for an overhaul of the health care system.

"The whole bill is a bad idea. We might need government to get further out of our health care system so that the free market can work," said rally organizer Nancy Blalock.

"We've got to get back to where a person can earn his money and keep it, support the public welfare, roads, taxes for roads, taxes for defense, not taxes for health care," said Al Gerhart, who attended the rally.

People worry about the cost of government run insurance and fear it would put an end to private options, making it impossible for employers to afford insurance, ultimately forcing insurance companies out of business.

Look at the health care plans taking shape in Congress.

"We think reforms are needed in the healthcare system, but we just don't feel like there's money to go socialize and have it become a social program," said Leah-Anne Janway, an independent insurance agent.

Some who work with the uninsured in Oklahoma insist it is time for the government to step in.

"Hopefully reasonable minds will prevail and we can really, really deal with this issue and improve it because it really needs to be done," said Mike Dover, CEO of Variety Health Center.

Variety Health Center assists 20,000 women and children a year who are on Medicaid or who have no insurance. They turn away thousands more, unable to keep up with demand. That's why the center's CEO believes everyone should have access to insurance so they can get the care they need.

"It seems to me there should be some plan of course that's going to have to be some public financing for everybody to receive it because some folks, again, just don't have the money to pay for health insurance," Dover said.

Some Oklahomans who oppose the reform plan to travel to Washington D.C. for a massive protest in September.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

July 30th, 2009

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024