National Organization for Women President Terry O'Neill to Speak in Ithaca, NY

ALBANY, NY (09/17/2009)(readMedia)-- Health care as a women's issue will be the focus of a press conference and rally on the Ithaca Commons Oct. 1st at 10 a.m., led by National Organization for Women (NOW) President Terry O'Neill.

According to O'Neill: "NOW has long argued that single-payer health care is the best way to achieve the goal of universal, comprehensive and affordable care for everyone. We believe single-payer will give doctors and patients – not the government and not a profit-driven industry – the power to choose the best medical care for each patient. At minimum, any health-care reform package must contain a strong public option, while also allowing states to create their own single-payer plans."

O'Neill will discuss why health-care reform is a women's issue – as caregivers and patients, for whom many diseases disproportionately affect them, women are uniquely impacted by the health-care delivery system – and why any reform must also give women access to the full range of reproductive health services.

O'Neill, an attorney, was a law professor and social activist before her recent election as President of the National Organization for Women

For more information, go to Tompkins NOW's website http://www.TompkinsNOW.webs.com/terry.html