Documentary Details How Insurance Industry Puts Profits Before People, Highlights Need for New American Health Care System

WASHINGTON,DC - On Wednesday, September 24, SEIU will host a screening of BraveNew Films' documentary titled "Diagnosis: Now!" at the health careunion's headquarters in Washington, D.C., kicking off a series ofscreenings at house parties being hosted by SEIU locals across thecountry. The events are part of a series of screenings organized byHealth Care for America Now (HCAN), a broad coalition founded by SEIUand other nonprofit and political organizations to promote quality,affordable health care for all Americans.

 

SEIULocals will host screenings in California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa,Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, RhodeIsland, Texas and Washington State

 

"Diagnosis:Now!" uses the stories of everyday Americans to illustrate how thehealth care industry continues to put profits before people's healthcare needs and highlights the urgent need for quality, affordablehealth care for everyone in America.

 

Some facts about the health care industry:

 

   * In recent years, the country's major insurance companies saw theirprofits grow 300 percent, while the numbers of insured Americans stayedthe same;
    * Half of all bankruptcies are caused by medicalbills, and of those, 75 percent had health insurance at the time theygot sick or injured; and
    * Last year, about 116 million peoplein this country struggled to pay medical bills while insurancecompanies made billions.

 

WHAT:           Screening of Brave New Film's "Diagnosis: Now!"

 

WHEN:           Wednesday, September 24, 2008

                        12:00 P.M. EDT

 

WHERE:         SEIU

                        1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW (Dupont Circle), Washington, D.C.

 

Media interested in attending should contact Mark McCullough at 202-730-7283 or mark.mccullough@seiu.org.

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