The Dryden Theater hosted a public forum on health care justice November 15, 2009. It was organized by Progressive Democrats of America and moderated by Jeff Cohen, a journalism professor and founder of the media-monitoring group Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting(FAIR).

The House of Representatives recently passed bill HR3269 which was intended to make health care more accessible and affordable. Republicans and 39 Democrats voted against the bill, mostly over concerns of cost or ideology. But two of those Democrats, Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Eric Massa of the 29th district in New York which includes parts of Rochester, voted against it for a different reason. The bill does not go far enough in addressing health care inequity in America. Massa was present at the conference and Kucinich called in by phone. Both Democratic representatives favor a different approach toward health care reform, HR676 which would expand the current Medicare system to all Americans beginning at birth. HR676, sponsored by Rep John Conyers (D-Michigan) was never put to a vote. Conyers attended a similar conference here in May and was invited to this one, but could not attend. Also present were Donna Smith of the California Nurses Association, who appeared in Michael Moore's documentary Sicko, Steve Cobble, the founder of Progressive Democrats of America and Dr Emily Queenan, MD, a member of Physicians for a National Health Plan (PNHP).

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Additional Information: Advocates for Universal Health Care Target MVP Insurance | Change We Need – And Can Afford