today is national aapi call-in day for health care reform

Remember the National AAPI Call-in Day I told you about last week? Well, it's today. The time is now, aaand your help is needed to make sure our community's voice is heard in the national dialogue on health care reform. Will you pick up the phone and make the call?

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders need quality affordable health care. One in six Asian Americans and one in four Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are uninsured. Even with coverage, too many experience disparities in health outcomes and quality of care.

That's why the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, the Asian American Justice Center and Pacific Islander Health Forum are hosting a national Call-In Day to support health care reform -- today, Wednesday, August 19. Here's what you can do to take action:

1. Call 1-877-264-4226. (Special thanks to our friends at Health Care for American NOW! for extending the use of their line.)

2. Ask the operator to connect you to your Senator or Representative and give the operator your zip code. Once the operator connects you to your Rep/Senator's office, a staffer in the office will answer the call.

3. Say: "My name is ___________ and I want affordable health care.
Please support the public plan that keeps costs down and makes health coverage affordable for everyone. All children and pregnant women should be covered.

I also want everyone to be treated fairly. I think it's unfair for tax-paying, legal immigrants to have to wait five years before they can get the help they need. Please remove the five year bar on Medicaid."

[Insert your own story!]

And please, spread the word. Let all your friends and networks know that today is the day to make the call and tell Congress to support quality affordable health care for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. For more information, contact Alice Dong at adong@advancingequality.org, Priscilla Huang at phuang@napawf.org or Deeana Jang at djang@apiahf.org.