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LAS CRUCES - Las Crucen Lance Gambrell attributes his familiarity with the health-care industry to three bouts with brain cancer over the span of his 26 years.
Gambrell, a recent graduate of New Mexico State University, said the likelihood of an eventual cancer recurrence, combined with the fact he's no longer eligible for his parents' health-insurance plan, worries him. He said he does have coverage now, through a state of New Mexico-sponsored insurance pool, but the future is uncertain. Plus, he said he's concerned about other people with pre-existing conditions.
"I count myself among the lucky ones who had health insurance when they needed it," he said. "However, I'm all-too-cognizant of the risks related to having a tumor. I wonder when the fourth one will come along."
Gambrell attended a rally Tuesday to oppose a measure taken up in the U.S. House to repeal federal health-care legislation, signed into law in March 2010 by President Barack Obama.
About 20 people showed up to the event, coordinated by Organizing for America, a group with roots as an Obama campaign organization. A few members held up signs off Roadrunner Parkway, along the western entrance to MountainView Regional Medical Center.
Gambrell said he urges U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., who took office Jan. 1, to keep the health-care law in place.
The proposed repeal is considered largely a symbolic measure by the Republican-
controlled House, considering the Senate and presidency are still in the
Pearce, an opponent of last year's health-care measure, in an early January interview expressed support for the repeal. He issued a statement Tuesday, saying the health-care reforms backed by Obama would hurt small businesses already suffering because of a poor economy, create more government bureaucracy and reduce quality and innovation in health care.
"Where broader freedom is needed, it creates more government control," he said.
Rally attendee Evelyn Erhard, a former teacher, charged that insurance lobbyists have a hand in the repeal bill, in an attempt to "return to the days when insurance companies were free to do whatever they wanted to do, like raising premiums and imposing higher costs on families and businesses to protect CEO bonuses and corporation profits." She said repealing the health-care law would add to the deficit.
Debra White, a Republican candidate for the state Legislature who was elected last week as president of the Las Cruces Tea Party, said the only provisions of the health-care law that she likes are ones that would continue coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions and allow children to stay on their parents' plans until age 26.
"I absolutely think it needs to be repealed as it stands," she said. "If it doesn't get repealed, it's going to be overreaching and over-burdensome," adding that health insurance rates already have begun to climb.
White said she's glad Congress is moving forward with repeal legislation, considering many members made that pledge during their campaigns.
Pearce said he backs provisions that would allow patients to take their insurance plans with them if they change jobs and allow shopping for plans across state lines.
A report released Tuesday by the federal Health and Human Services Department estimated that when the health-care law becomes fully effective in three years, it would keep insurance companies from denying coverage to between 50 million and 129 million Americans below age 65.
Las Cruces City Councilor Olga Pedroza also spoke at the rally. Some passing cars honked at sign-holders. The male driver of one passing car shouted "baby-killers!" out his window.
Gambrell said he's "willing to pay whatever I can afford to have reasonable health insurance," but the health-care law in place is a key part of that.
"What this health-care legislation can provide for me is a little bit of certainty, that I will not be bumped off of an employer's list, simply because I have a pre-existing condition," he said.
Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443.
On the Web
•Health-care bill information: www.healthcare.gov
