Landrieu tackles health care at Terrebonne NAACP

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu touted her vote in favor of the Affordable Health Care Act this weekend, telling members of the Terrebonne NAACP that the reform will provide health care coverage to 400,000 working Louisiana residents.

Landrieu urged Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to change his mind about opposing the measure.

“First of all, the Affordable Health Care Act did not come out of some Democratic think tank, she said at Saturday’s Freedom Fund Banquet at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. “It was supported by U.S. Sen. John McCain not that long ago.”

Landrieu said much misinformation has been shared about President Barack Obama’s reform.

“This is not a government take-over of health care; rather, it’s a way for the federal government to provide competitive insurance coverage for people to choose when and how they want it. The government will subsidize that choice.”

Landrieu chided Jindal for not accepting $16 billion of what she called “free money” the federal government would have delivered to the state in order to pass the health care act. The senator said the money was all paid for by taxpayers, noting it will now go to other states that are implementing the measure.

“The governor could have taken that money, and as a result would have provided health insurance for 400,000 residents in his state,” she said. “All he had to say was yes, but instead, said no.

“When is it right for people to work their life and to work hard and never have health care coverage and, perhaps, later on, have to file bankruptcy because someone in their family gets sick and they can’t pay the bill. It’s just not right.”

She said the governor doesn’t understand the state’s citizens, a viewpoint shared by Republican Govs. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Jan Brewer of Arizona.

“They know it’s the right thing to do for people. It’s not that we can’t afford it; it’s that we can’t afford not to do it. However, our governor is making it extremely difficult.