Timeline

ga_rally.jpg2002

SEIU creates Americans for Health Care around state elections in Maine, New Hampshire, and Oregon. 

2003

AHC greatly expands, creating a nationwide state-based grassroots campaign. The campaign’s goals: 1) to pass legislation to cover more of the uninsured and/or lower costs, 2) to elect officials who will pursue these goals, and 3) to create and maintain the nationwide demand for health care reform. In early 2003, AHC’s first legislative victory comes in Maine, helping pass Governor Baldacci’s Dirigo health bill, a landmark comprehensive health care reform package.

AHC creates an unprecedented campaign to push the health care agenda in the presidential primaries.  In New Hampshire and Iowa, health care voters and nurses demand that all presidential candidates have plans for health care.  Exit polls show that health care is the #1 issue in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

nh_bridge.JPG2004

AHC’s legislative work stretches into nine states: AZ, CO, IA, IL, MN, NH, OR, RI, and WA. Summer of 2004, AHC organizes a national Bridge Walk for health care.  Fifteen thousand participate in San Francisco, and thousands more participate in events in all fifty states. In the fall, AHC runs issue advocacy campaigns, including field, phones, mail, and radio, in 11 states around state and local elections.

 

2005

AHC pursues an aggressive legislative agenda in eight states.  Major successes include:

  • In Maryland, MDforHC crafts and helps pass the historic Fair Share Health Care bill.  Veto override vote passes on January 12, 2006.  Maryland becomes first state in nation to make Fair Share Health Care law.
  • In New Hampshire, NHforHC helps repeal SB 110, a rating system which was causing dramatic increases in health care costs for many small businesses in the state.  It was a lead issue in the 2004 governor’s race.

wickenden_walk.JPG
2006

AHC shifts its attention to a national focus, by running strong grassroots issue advocacy campaigns in eight states to make health care a top issue in key Congressional races and elect pro-health care candidates to Congress: CO, IL, IA, MD, MN, NH, OH, and OR.


On August 22, AHC holds Chalk It Up! National Health Care Day of Action events in 33 states with thousands of health care voters who highlight the nation’s health care crisis and call on Congress to come up with real solutions. AHC’s Election Night polling shows that many federal and state candidates were elected because they addressed health care and that it was a top election issue for voters.

health_care_reform_122705_114111.jpgToday

We've signed up nearly 500,000 health care voters, with more than 125,000 e-mails. We've created state-based grassroots campaigns in 20 states. We've established ourself as the largest grassroots health care reform organization in the country. And we'll be involved in the presidential campaign like never before, making sure voters and candidates make comprehensive health care reform a top priority.