With Humana Corporate headquarters in the background, car horns honking their support, and chants of “Health care for all!”, the corner of 5th & Main Street was buzzing with activity as Louisville social justice advocates led a crowd of over 200 people today in what was a nationwide protest against health insurance corporations.

Sponsored primarily by the Physicians for National Health Program-Kentucky, today’s rally highlighted the growing health care crisis in America with many former patients, doctors, small business owners, union workers and activists lined up outside one of America’s biggest health insurance providers. Joining advocates in San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York City and Chicago, many attendees punctuated their comments by proclaiming their support for HR-676, a bill drafted by Congressman John Conyers, D-MI14, which has a growing list of 90 co-sponsors including U.S. Congressman John Yarmuth, D-KY3.

“The overacrhing message is that the health care system in America is truly broken,” said Dr. Garrett Adams, state coordinator for Physicians for National Health Program-Kentucky. “It cannot survive in its present form.” Adams said insurance companies must be removed from the equation and the country needs to move toward a non-profit, publicly funded but privately delivered system.

Adams says the public cannot allow elected officials or candidates to mouth ‘universal health care’ as a way win votes without being specific about which plan they support.

“The next step is in the elections,” Dr. Adams said. “Putting pressure on elected officials to endorse and enact HR-676.”

Check for more in next week’s edition of LEO. (pb)