Mission Statement
The Public Option National Alliance (PONA) is a national coalition of organizations and individuals who are currently working to pass a strong Medicare like public option in Congress. The founders of PONA are Dr. John Boyd, founder and President of the “National Black Farmers Association,” and Mrs. Phyllis Zolotorow, executive director and founder of “Patients With Chronic Illnesses For Universal Health Care,” located in the Washington DC Metropolitan area.
The alliance includes representatives of the faith community, workers rights groups, the health care community, black farmers, celebrities, artists, health disparities organizations, chronic illness groups, the Native American community, and organizations representing communities of color who are facing disproportionate problems with the health care system, and want to have a major impact on health reform now.
The purpose of the coalition is to connect all organizations and individuals across the nation who are working in their respective communities to pass a strong Medicare like public option, so there can be the broadest, most effective, and diverse civil society movement needed to pass a strong public option in Congress and signed by the President.
The Public Option National Alliance is an organization which intends to help represent the 47 Million Americans who are currently uninsured, and 50 million who are underinsured, so they will have a strong and united voice in the movement for a universal health care system in America. Now is the time for Congress to truly listen to those who will be most impacted by any health reform bill---the chronically ill, communities of color, and working families who can ill afford to pay skyrocketing monthly private insurance premiums, expensive co-pays, and unreasonable out of pocket costs.
The Public Option National Alliance (PONA) Action Plans
PONA is currently focusing its organizing and lobbying efforts in the Senate, particularly with Democratic Senators who oppose the public option. The alliance will continue to lobby Congress and the White House all the way through the House Conference process, final passage in the House and Senate, and the health reform bill signed by the President.