President Obama’s re-election is a victory for quality healthcare

SEIU had more volunteers in the field than any other election in our history to help re-elect President Barack Obama. Thousands of nurses, healthcare workers, home care workers, janitors, and child care providers invested their time to help re-elect President Obama.

SEIU members knocked on millions of doors, made millions of phone calls to talk about the hard issues in this election, including healthcare.

“We’re on the frontlines to provide quality care each day, but we can’t do it alone. We need a partner in the White House who is looking out for our patients and the care we provide. We had a clear choice in this election, and only one candidate has worked to improve healthcare for us,” said Diane Sosne, RN, MN, President of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. “That’s President Obama.”

“As nurses and healthcare workers, we see every day that people are struggling to get the care they need. With President Obama’s leadership we passed the Affordable Care Act and now millions of people have the opportunity to receive free preventive care and screenings, and the promise that insurance companies won’t deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions,” Sosne continued.

President Obama passed the Affordable Care Act to restore healthcare as a basic cornerstone of middle-class security in America. The Affordable Care Act will make healthcare more affordable for families and small businesses and bring much-needed transparency to the insurance industry.

The landmark law expands coverage and access to millions, guarantees coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, allows young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26, and helps seniors with prescription costs.

President Obama has also worked to fix a broken economy that has allowed wealthy corporations to avoid paying their fair share while working families struggle.

“By re-electing President Barack Obama to lead our country, working people voted for a vibrant middle class fueled by good jobs, where everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream. Voters rejected the notion that the rich should be allowed to run roughshod over our economy with shameful tax breaks and let off the hook by not investing in America.

“Together, we were galvanized by our belief that President Obama is the leader we need to help get our country on track by creating good jobs now, requiring the rich and corporations to pay their fair share, and to invest in healthcare, education and other vital services,” said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry.

“This victory is tremendous for us and the work we do. President Obama values healthcare and his re-election brings us one step closer to a system where everyone has access to quality and preventive care. Our economy is on the path to recovery and we need President Obama to keep us moving in the right direction so our economy doesn’t sacrifice the poor and middle class,” said Liz Oaksmith, a social worker in the Swedish Medical Center Emergency Room.

The fight for working families doesn’t end with this election. Working people including nurses and healthcare workers will continue to partner with our elected leaders and hold them accountable until we have a country with good jobs, where the rich pay their fair share, and we invest in vital services like healthcare and education.