Take That! Moms in Capes Bust Healthcare Myths Across the Nation

Faster than a toddler crawling toward an uncovered electrical outlet and more powerful than a teenager's social networking skills, moms across the country are fanning out to dispel the unfounded rumors, misconceptions and lies about healthcare reform.

The effort, the SuperMom Healthcare Truth Squad, is spearheaded by MomsRising.org. Chicago, Baltimore, and San Francisco are among the first cities to witness this "mom power," when the cape wearing SuperMom Healthcare Truth Squad arrives today to distribute information about Myths & Truths.

SuperMoms dressed in red capes are distributing powerful truth flyers to passersby to educate them about what healthcare reform will really do and how it will help to ensure the economic security of families across the country.

Join this effort online by Truth Tagging a friend with healthcare reform myths & facts today.

While the SuperMom Healthcare Truth Squad is debuting in Chicago, Baltimore and San Francisco today, this is just a small part of what's going on with moms fighting for healthcare reform right now. Across the country, over the next several weeks thousands of other MomsRising Truth Squad members will do their part by talking to friends, neighbors, and other community members about what healthcare reform will really accomplish; sending emails that explain the real purposes and plans for reform and dispel the myths; and using their school and soccer/sports team lists, along with Facebook and Twitter accounts to spread the truth.

Why do moms care? Not only are families struggling with getting children the healthcare coverage they need for a healthy start, but 7 out of 10 women are either uninsured, underinsured, or are in significant debt due to healthcare costs. In fact, a leading cause of bankruptcy is healthcare costs -- and over 70% of those who do go bankrupt due to healthcare costs had insurance at the start of their illness. Clearly we need healthcare reform!

Healthcare reform is a key economic security issue for mothers and families in our nation. That's why this summer, MomsRising members across the country are also meeting with over 90 in-district U.S. Senate offices to share their experiences with the healthcare system and to convey the message that moms will "not be pacified" until our healthcare system is fixed.

Dozens of highly attended in-district meetings with U.S. Senate offices have already happened in the past couple of weeks. Pictures can be seen here. At these meetings, MomsRising members are sharing their stories, as well as delivering a book of members stories complete with a real pacifier and the message that, "Moms won't be pacified until our healthcare system is fixed." See the book of member stories here.

Why did we start the MomsRising Truth Squad? Well, things were getting so out-of-hand with ridiculous rumors flying, that we at MomsRising decided to add a little levity and, importantly, truth to the situation with moms in capes.

So if you can't wear a cape today, join us in the game of Truth Tag to help put a little truth into the mix of the national dialogue on Healthcare Reform right now: go to this link to tag a friend with the truth and pass it on.

Onward!

Follow Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner on Twitter: www.twitter.com/rowefinkbeiner

Comments

[Kari Henley - Huffpost Blogger]

Fantastic post!
What a brilliant idea. It reminds me of the "Super Amigos" of Mexico! We need iconic heroes to literally save the day.
I am a mother of four, and securing health care for them is a huge priority.
Please check out a new and very important web site community that is in beta test in Seattle, and going national in Nov. that allows moms, and anyone who is underinsured or uninsured to be able to negotiate for reduced fees in health care- with the same high quality doctors they desire.
www.pricedoc.com.
It will not solve everything, but it is going to help mom's everywhere.
Thanks
kari

[Kris Neuman]

Yea Buddy....I hope that they get heard, being a mother of 3 and all having health issues, its nice to see some group out there trying to make a difference.

[jz1234]

These moms are not expecting anything for free. They are looking to legislation that will make the insurance companies accountable to their customers.
I am a mom and I have spent the last 10 years reading the fine print and trying to make sense of the insurance policies we have been covered under. We have had employers change plans on us on an annual basis, decreasing coverage and increasing cost. Meanwhile insurance companies overall profit margins have increased in that time.
A public option will force insurers to treat their customers better since they will not have a captive customer base from the employers that are their middle men. A public plan will not have to pay a CEO 10+ million a year and will not need employees to comb through insurance applications to see who they will deny today. They will not have to show a hefty profit since there are no shareholders to keep happy. Sorry, capitalism does not belong in healthcare.

[h0tr0d]

I wish I could believe that.....maybe you should go to the momsrising web site and see how much of that is dedicated to making insurance companies accountable to their customers. Look at what they support...­..maternit­y leave, flexible work, after school programs, the list goes on....but in every case, they are lobbying the government for more services for women. Don't see anything about how to pay for it or how willing they are to fund it themselves­....shocki­ng.

[h0tr0d]

Unfortunately moms rising is really a single mom's advocacy group and is in favor of any program that provides more free services. I would like to see them advocate for the importance of fathers instead of trying to make the govt a substitute father.

[HateToImpose]

You mean the importance of Daddy's paycheck, specifically? What if Daddy doesn't have a paycheck due to being laid off?

[h0tr0d]

I mean the importance of fathers in their children's lives.....sorry, I don't equate fatherhood with wallet.

[LoreLeo]

What if someone's mother understands the importance of fathers but their father doesn't? What is the mother supposed to do about that?

[h0tr0d]

Make a better decision before creating a bad father.

[DougDeWitt]

Not "a" leading cause, ladies; "THE" leading cause of bankruptcy in America is overwhelming debt incurred in the course of receiving health care. At one time this was due to "catastrophic" illness that was uncovered, pre-existing, or beyond the upper limits of coverage.

Because of cost-shifting, Medicare and Medicaid, HMO's and PPO's all paying hospitals less than the actual cost of care on a per-patient basis, forcing facilities to jack-up the price they must charge to keep the doors open, even elective surgeries can mount up a bill close to six-figures.

I say, "You GO, girls!" The political power potential of "moms", were they ALL to organize into a united front, is capable of pushing any agenda deemed worthy of their efforts. As we all watch with morbid curiosity as the GOP self-destructs, imploding in on itself under the gravity of an ever-increasing critical mass of stupidity, we wonder if the power vacuum that must surely follow in the course of the next decade might be filled by a new, emerging political party.

A party like the American Family Party (or an equally appropriate name) representing the aggregate political agenda of Super Moms, and dedicated to taking back the federal government, to realigning it in the interests of children and the family, and away from the interests of money and the corporation.

[noneIn2008]

How about addressing the "myth" that none of the bills nor ideas in play consider addressing tort reform and the enormous costs of malpractice insurance.

[BeachBubbaTex]

My thanks to you!

[Carl Caroli]

Excellent! Grass roots movements can have a positive effect. Spreading the truth is certainly commendable - you'd think politicians of all flavors would do that much, but they don't. Go to the meetings and keep them honest!

[csavage]

Good Luck! I've had plenty of my patients tell me I don't know what I'm talking about when I talk to them about the misperceptions out there in the health care argument and I'm a doctor.

[lastpost]

“On Call With Faith Leaders, Obama Refutes Critics "Bearing False Witness"”


“Moms in Capes Bust Healthcare Myths Across the Nation”
The Lord helps those who help themselves.

Pharmaceuticals, Insurance, Lobbyists, Politicians please note:
Lord help those, who get caught helping themselves.

[Weirdwriter]

Great idea! You go, ladies!

[warrenboyd]

Congratulations, super moms! I've watched in dismay as this health reform debate as devolved into myths and outright lies. Someone has to set the record straight! Go MomsRising Truth Squad!

[clsez]

This is good but I think there might be a target problem here. Baltimore, San Fran and Chicago do not exactly hold the majority uninformed and uninclined. This would be more like preaching to the choir than in rural, sparsely populated and southern suburbs.

[rucognizant]

You betcha.Bangor Maine seems to be a hotbed of ignoramouses who want to get rid of Michaud, Pingree, Snowe & Collins...for being TOO LEFT! Well Pingree & Michaud Are left leaning but, the morons..not participating in any way except to write dumb letters to the paper!
Geesh!

[rucognizant]

Oops didn't finish the thought. I DID call Michaud's office with my concerns about health care. As a result I was included in a conference call on the subject. IF they had called they would have been included!

[Dosadi]

I like it. I'll bet most of the people putting out the false rumors and outright lies have mothers. I would love to see you ladies confront your own kids that are guilty of spreading this filth. That would be a story for the nightly news. I can picture the film showing some FreedomWorks clown being drug out of his building by his mom who has a good grasp of one of his ears. That would be a harsh blow to their efforts.

[lukeandcolemama]

Another case of moms to the rescue!