WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Towns (NY-10) called upon his Brooklyn constituents to spend the week (March 22-29) recognizing the 7th anniversary of Cover the Uninsured Week.  As one of President Obama’s main priorities when he took office, reforming the healthcare system allows us the opportunity to both lessen the strain that the current healthcare system puts on the economy and to provide coverage to the nearly 46 million Americans that are uninsured; approximately 9 million of which are children.

“There are too many people, children especially, who are currently living without health insurance,” said Rep. Towns, “America’s global stature is at risk when we allow our children and our disadvantaged to think that health coverage is a luxury they cannot afford.”

“The truth,” Rep. Towns continued, “is that comprehensive healthcare reform is both fiscally responsible and fundamentally good for the American people.  Every year we are spending more and more on a healthcare system that leaves too many behind. Change is needed.”

Since 2000, the number of uninsured has increased 19%.  In New York alone, the number of uninsured has risen to over 2.5 million.  Comprehensive healthcare reform is also needed to reduce the burden that healthcare costs our already-stressed economy.  In 2008, $56 billion was spent to cover care that was provided to the uninsured, and over 75% of that cost was covered by federal and state governments.

Rep. Towns has already addressed the issue of a deficient healthcare system once this year by voting along with congress to expand the State’s Children Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Cover the Insured is a project by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, attempting to raise awareness about the plight of families living without health insurance coverage.

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