Angelenos Rally for Health Care In Jeopardy

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Singing filled the air in front of the Los Angeles superior court today. More than two dozen people rallied in full costume--judges robes, tuxedos and pearls. The group put on a little bit of street theater, for a cause.

Among the liveried actors stands Sandra Perez Richmond. She says she’s here for two reasons: her son and daughter.

“They’re my life,” said Richmond.

Her 14-year-old daughter has thalassemia, a type of anemia that’s considered a pre-existing condition. When her daughter was denied coverage, Richmond said she lived in terror of a thousand dollar bill for a doctor’s visit she couldn’t afford.

“I’m a hard working person, but I’m not rich,” said Richmond.

She even considered moving to another country that would provide coverage for her daughter. But the Affordable care act changed everything two years ago for Richmond’s family. Under it, both of her children are under her insurance plan until they are 26.

But her daughter may soon lose her coverage.

The US Supreme Court begins a historic three-day review of Obama’s health care law--three days of six-hour arguments that may find the president’s landmark achievement of universal healthcare unconstitutional.

“It’s a basic human right that we should be able to see a doctor and not lose our home over it,” said rally organizer Vanessa Aramayo, of the California Partnership.

Aramayo says because of the law, 319,000 seniors and 600,000 children have insurance coverage. But critics of the law say that the government should not have the right to require Americans to buy insurance, or pay a penalty.

Policy analyst Fatima Morales says this is an issue that disproportionately affects minorities and the poor.

“In Los Angeles, the rate of uninsured is disproportionately high,” said Morales, of Community Health Councils.

It is high--nearly a third of all Angelenos are uninsured. Planned Parenthood is also in support of the law, saying that it protects many women in the city.

“One of the practices that health care reform will outlaw is a process called gender rating which simply means charging women more for their health insurance premiums simply because of their gender,” said Serena Josel of Planned Parenthood.

During the rally, Richmond’s son holds her hand tight.

“She worries about it a lot, to protect us and keep us safe. In case something happens,” he said.

He knows the next three days of court battle will be a battle felt in his home as well.