Dan Sherry Speaks at House Health Care Unveiling!
Main Street Alliance member Dan Sherry spoke at Speaker Pelosi’s press conference to unveil the House health care legislation. Dan then attended a briefing on health care and small business given by the President at the White House. What a day!
Dan’s comments from are printed below. You can also go to the Main Street Alliance Facebook page to see more coverage of Dan’s big day.
ILLINOIS MAIN STREET ALLIANCE MEMBER DAN SHERRY JOINS HOUSE LEADERSHIP AT HEALTH CARE BILL UNVEILING
Sherry underscores the importance of health care reform and the public option for American small business owners
Washington, DC – On Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 10:00 am on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, Illinois Main Street Alliance member Dan Sherry joins members of the House leadership at a press conference on health care reform.
Sherry, of Waukegan, IL, is the owner of Kennedy’s Creative Awards, a second-generation family-owned business started in 1939. After paying for insurance for years, his insurance company dropped him and his wife for missing a single payment and then refused to reinstate his coverage because of a pre-existing condition. He has been unable to find affordable health insurance coverage for his seven full-time employees.
REMARKS OF DAN SHERRY, ILLINOIS MAIN STREET ALLIANCE
As Prepared for Delivery
“Madame Speaker, thank you for inviting me to participate in this event. As you know, health care reform is absolutely essential for America’s small businesses. I own a family engraving business with two locations just outside of Chicago. I’ve never been able to afford health care for my employees. And even for my family, after paying into the system for many years without any claims, our insurer dropped us for missing a single premium payment. When we asked that our coverage be reinstated, I was told I couldn’t be covered because of a pre-existing condition. After looking at my options for how to protect my family in case I had a medical catastrophe, I concluded that my only alternative was to divorce my wife of 22 years, give her the business and give her the house so they wouldn’t be bankrupted. I was actually doing the research for how to do that a year ago.
“The legislation being introduced today is critical for me and for small business owners all across America to be able to protect our businesses, our employees and our own families from the threat of crippling health care expenses. This bill will eliminate exclusions based on pre-existing conditions and other underwriting practices that make insurance unaffordable and inaccessible for small businesses.
By creating a health insurance exchange that includes the choice of a strong public health insurance option, this bill will provide access to affordable, comprehensive coverage. Most small businesses will be exempt from any requirement to offer coverage, but the fact of the matter is we want to offer coverage – it makes good business sense and it’s just the right thing to do – and the tax incentives in this bill will help us get good coverage we can afford.
“For my business to continue to grow and be competitive, it’s important for me to be able to offer health care benefits to my employees. They’re like family to me, and I have a responsibility to help make sure they have the health care they need. That’s why I’m so proud to have the opportunity to stand here today and express my strong support for this landmark legislation…and my gratitude to you, Madame Speaker, and your colleagues for introducing this bill. America’s small businesses need Congress to pass this legislation to make health care work for us – that’s what we need now.”
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