HELENA – Advocacy and special interest groups pushing politicians to embrace universal access to medical coverage are targeting Montana, but did not immediately get commitments from the state’s leading politicians.
Health Care for America Now announced Tuesday that it will challenge political candidates to embrace affordable health care coverage for all. The campaign will spend at least $60 million in at least 40 states.
Former congressman Pat Williams is leading the effort in Montana.
“The next president and the next Congress, both sworn in next January, will be forced by public pressure to confront this great national imperative,” Williams said at an event held in the Capitol.
Montana’s congressional delegation and the governor had not been approached by the group before the event.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said he looks forward to working with the group to “make quality health care more affordable and accessible for all Montanans and Americans.”
A spokeswoman for Sen. Max Baucus said he has been working to improve access to quality, affordable health care. The senator will keep using his chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee to push the issue.
Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s office said the governor will have to look at the campaign.
Rep. Denny Rehberg will also have to review the proposal, his office said.
“Denny has always been a strong supporter of providing Montanans with access to affordable, quality health care,” said spokesman Bridger Pierce. “However, as they say, the devil is in the details and he looks forward to seeing the specifics of the group’s proposal.”
A top goal is to encourage lawmakers to devise a plan to either let consumers keep their current private coverage, choose a new insurance plan or join a government-run plan.