November 6, 2009

Washington, DC – Rep. Ben Ray Luján has been traveling the district since being sworn into Congress, listening to his constituents and discussing health insurance reform. These experiences have helped Rep. Luján gain a better understanding of the challenges his constituents face from our broken health insurance system. Since March, he has held over 40 events to gather input on health insurance reform from constituents, advocates and experts in the health care industry.

To read more about health insurance reform, visit Rep. Luján’s recently updated health insurance reform web page.

October 25: Congress on Your Corner in Questa

Rep. Luján held community hours at the Questa Fire House where he spoke to a group of constituents about health insurance reform legislation, what it means for them, and how Congress is moving forward.

October 17: Open Office Hours in Las Vegas

Rep. Luján held open office hours to meet with constituents in his Las Vegas District Office to discuss their thoughts and concerns about the health insurance reform legislation currently pending before Congress.

October 13: Telephone Town Hall on Health Insurance Reform

Rep. Luján held a telephone town hall meeting to discuss his views on health insurance reform legislation, answered questions from constituents, and set the record straight on myths about current legislation. Over 3,800 constituents participated in the call from all corners of the third district. Topics included the rising costs of insurance, effects of reform on small businesses, and Medicare.

October 12: Open Office Hours in Santa Fe

Rep. Luján held open office hours in his Santa Fe District Office to meet with constituents and listen to their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about health insurance reform legislation.

September 8: Telephone Town Hall on Health Insurance Reform

Rep. Luján held a telephone town hall meeting to discuss his views on health insurance reform legislation, answered questions from constituents, and set the record straight on myths about current legislation.  Almost 2,200 constituents participated in the call from all corners of the third district. Topics included the rising costs of insurance, effects of reform on small businesses, and Medicare.

September 4: Meeting with Zuni Pueblo

Rep. Luján met with residents and tribal leaders at Zuni pueblo. Along with other tribal concerns, Rep. Luján heard concerns about Indian health reform.

September 4: Open Office Hours in Gallup

Rep. Luján hosted open office hours in his Gallup District Office to talk with constituents about various topics including health insurance reform.

September 3: Meeting with Lovelace Health Plan

Rep. Luján met with a representative from Lovelace Health Plan to discuss health insurance reform legislation and how it will affect Medicare Advantage programs in New Mexico.

September 3: Open Office Hours in Rio Rancho

Rep. Luján held open office hours in his Rio Rancho District Office and met with constituents for over 4 hours to discuss health insurance reform legislation. Topics included Medicare Advantage programs, the rising costs of health insurance, current legislation’s impact on the deficit, and single payer health insurance.

September 3: Open Office Hours in Taos

Rep. Luján held open office hours in the Taos Town Conference Center and met with constituents to discuss health insurance reform legislation. Topics included covering the uninsured, the impact of our current health insurance system on families, and single payer health insurance.

August 28: Meeting with the American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN)

Rep. Luján met with representatives of ACS-CAN to talk about health insurance reform from the perspective of cancer patients and the importance of providing adequate, available, affordable and administratively simple health insurance.

August 27: Meeting with Presbyterian Healthcare Systems

Rep. Luján met with representatives from Presbyterian Healthcare System to discuss health insurance reform legislation, the impacts of the public option, changes to Medicare Advantage programs, and the impact of legislation on New Mexico’s health care providers.

August 26: Open Office Hours in Farmington

Rep. Luján held open office hours in his Farmington District Office and met with constituents for 6 hours to discuss their concerns about health insurance reform legislation.  Topics included Medicare Advantage programs, the rising costs of health insurance, and the current legislation’s impact on the deficit.

August 25: Tour of the New Mexico VA Health Care Systems, Raymond G. Murphy Medical Center

Rep. Luján visited veterans and went on a tour of the Raymond G. Murphy Medical Center with New Mexico VA Health Care Systems Director George Marnell, Acting Deputy Secretary Alan Martinez from the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, and General Kenny Montoya.  Rep. Luján discussed various topics affecting today’s veterans including the current improvements and processes at the New Mexico VA Health Care Systems.

August 25: Congress on Your Corner, Espanola

Rep. Luján held a Congress on Your Corner at the LANL Foundation to meet with constituents and listen to their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about health insurance reform legislation.

August 20: Health Insurance Roundtable: Providers

Rep. Luján held a roundtable discussion with health care providers and encouraged participants to share their ideas and thoughts on what should be included in final health insurance legislation.

August 20: Health Insurance Roundtable: Patients

Rep. Luján also held a roundtable discussion for patients who have faced challenges with the current health insurance system. Constituents were able to share their stories and give Rep. Luján feedback on health insurance reform.

August 20: Informational Tour of Villa Therese Catholic Clinic in Santa Fe

Rep. Luján joined staff and board members of the Villa Therese Catholic Clinic in Santa Fe to discuss the free clinic’s health care plan and its role in the Santa Fe community. The clinic provides services to uninsured/underserved populations focusing on children’s health.

August 19: Open Office Hours in Santa Fe

Rep. Luján held open office hours in his Santa Fe District Office to meet with constituents and listen to their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about health insurance reform legislation.

August 18: Health Care for America NOW Event

Rep. Luján attended a health insurance reform discussion to listen to thoughts of constituents, including providers, focused on supporting a public option.

August 18: Open Office Hours in Las Vegas

Rep. Luján held open office hours in his Las Vegas District Office to meet with constituents and listen to their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about health insurance reform legislation.

August 18: Tour of Mora Valley Community Health Services Facilities

Rep. Luján toured the Mora Valley Community Health Services facilities to learn more about the services they provide to the surrounding area and listen to issues they currently face in providing those services.  The Mora Valley Community Health Services received $315,030 in funds from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act.

August 17: Unitarian Church Health Insurance Reform Town Hall

Rep. Luján attended a town hall on health insurance reform sponsored by the Unitarian Church. Over 300 people showed up to participate in the discussion--because of the small venue and larger crowd the town hall had to be split into two sessions.  The separate sessions allowed more people to ask questions of the panel and address concerns from both supporters and critics of health insurance reform.

August 15: Open Office Hours in Tucumcari

Rep. Luján held open office hours at his Tucumcari District Office to talk with constituents and listen to their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about health insurance reform legislation.

August 15: Open Office Hours in Clovis

Rep. Luján held open office hours at the Clovis Public Library to talk with constituents and listen to their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about health insurance reform legislation. 

July 6: Open Office Hours in Rio Rancho

Rep. Luján held open office hours in his Rio Rancho District Office and met with constituents for 4 hours to discuss their concerns about health insurance reform legislation.  Topics included Medicare Advantage programs, rising costs of health insurance, current legislation’s impact on the deficit, and single-payer health insurance.

July 3: Congress on Your Corner in Mosquero

Rep. Luján visited Mosquero, NM to hold community hours with residents to discuss a variety of topics including health insurance reform.

July 3: Congress on Your Corner in Tucumcari

Rep. Luján visited Tucumcari, NM to hold community hours with residents to discuss a variety of topics including health insurance reform.

July 2: Meeting with Health Security for America

Rep. Luján met with representatives from Health Security for New Mexicans, a campaign made up of 144 organizations that have been working on a cooperative health plan at the state level. The Congressman shared his views of reform efforts in Washington D.C. and a representative from Health Security for New Mexicans shared her ideas about language that should be included in the final legislation.

July 2: Meeting with Health Action New Mexico

Rep. Luján met with representatives from Health Action New Mexico to discuss their ideas about what topics need to be included in the health insurance reform debate. 

July 2: Health Insurance Roundtable in Santa Fe

Rep. Luján held a roundtable discussion which a group of patients and providers to hear about the challenges they face with the current health insurance system.  All of the patients had pre-existing conditions and had been denied coverage by insurance companies; they talked to the Congressman about the medical struggles they have faced and how they would like the system to be changed to serve all Americans better.  The providers talked about the number of uninsured and underserved populations they treat and the need to change the current system to accommodate more people.

May 29: Meeting with Seniors in Clayton

Rep. Luján met with seniors at the Clayton Senior Center to discuss one-time payments of $250 to people who receive Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits.  The Congressman also listened to seniors about the challenges they face as a rural community with very limited access to Medicare providers.

May 29: Miner’s Colfax Medical Center

Rep. Luján met with representatives of the Miner’s Colfax Medical Center to discuss the medical center’s role in providing healthcare to the surrounding area.

May 29: Tri-County Community Services

In honor of National Mental Health Awareness Month, Rep. Luján revisited Tri-County Community Services, Inc., an organization that provides behavioral health services (mental health and substance abuse services) to Taos, Colfax, and Union counties.

May 28: Santa Fe Community Guidance Center Tour

Rep. Luján visited the Presbyterian Medical Services Santa Fe Community Guidance Center, which provides primary care, dental care, and mental health/substance abuse services. There he took a tour and heard firsthand the impact the services the guidance center provides have on the surrounding community.

May 8: Meeting with the New Mexico Chiropractor Association

Rep. Luján met with representatives from the New Mexico Chiropractor Association to discuss health insurance reform and the views on what type of legislation should pass.

April 16: Tri-County Community Services Inc. Comm. Mental Health Center Tour

Rep. Luján visited Tri-County Community Services, Inc., an organization that provides behavioral health services (mental health, substance abuse services) to Taos, Colfax, and Union counties.

April 13: Meeting with Seniors in Farmington

Rep. Luján met with seniors at the Bonnie Dallas Senior Center in Farmington to discuss a variety of topics including Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance reform.

April 8: Congress on Your Corner at Eastern New Mexico University

Rep. Luján visited the campus of Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM to have community hours with students, faculty, staff and community members.  Among the topics of discussion were the impact of health insurance reform on young people.

April 7: SCHIP Forum

Rep. Luján met with key officials in New Mexico to discuss the impact of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on New Mexico’s children. Representatives from Presbyterian Healthcare System, Lovelace Health Plan, the University of New Mexico Hospital, and the New Mexico Department of Human Services discussed the recent reauthorization of the S-CHIP program and the future of children’s health care and related legislation.

March 28: Veterans Healthcare Town Hall in Gallup

Rep. Luján hosted a town hall for veterans to discuss the challenges they were facing with services in the Gallup area.  Over 100 veterans participated in the town hall.

March 27: Meeting and Tour of La Familia Medical Center

Rep. Luján met with executives and staff of the La Familia Medical Center in Santa Fe to discuss increased demand for services. The discussion was followed by a tour of the facility.

March 13: Meeting with Families Affected by Juvenile Diabetes

Rep. Luján met with families with children who have Type I diabetes to discuss how diabetes affects their children, the importance of research, and the kind of healthcare maintenance the disease requires. Rep. Luján also discussed the how the health insurance debate affects their lives.

March 13: Meeting with Seniors in Santa Fe

Rep. Luján met with seniors at the Mary Esther Gonzales Senior Center in Santa Fe to discuss a variety of topics including Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance reform.

Event list is not comprehensive. Rep. Luján has held many additional events, meetings and informal discussions where health insurance reform has been discussed.

To find more events attended by Rep. Luján, visit Rep. Luján’s Congress in Your Community web page.