By Catherine Candisky, The Columbus Dispatch
July 9, 2008

Nearly every week after her mother was killed and her father was gravely injured in a car crash, Stephanie Beck Borden battled her parents' insurance company.

He was ready to go home, insurance officials insisted.

But he couldn't walk and needed 24-hour care, the family argued.

Ultimately, rehabilitative services were extended a few more weeks when her father's surgeon called a friend at the insurance company.

"Something is wrong when a family in the midst of this kind of grief has to gear up for a pitched battle every week," said Borden, of Cincinnati.

She is one of thousands of Americans behind a national effort to take on insurance companies and push for comprehensive, affordable health care in the United States.

Health Care for America Now launched its campaign yesterday with news conferences in Columbus, Washington, D.C., and 51 other cities across the country.

The coalition of labor unions, faith-based groups, health-care organizations and consumer advocates says it will spend at least $40 million to push for affordable health care.  (Keep reading...)