Laura Packard

Laura Packard (born May 23, 1976) is an American health care activist[1] and political commentator. She is the founder of Health Care Voices,[2] a non-profit grassroots organization for adults with serious medical conditions. She is executive director of the group Health Care Voter,[3] with actress Alyssa Milano, singer T-Boz, politicians Donna Edwards and Anton Gunn, activists Ady Barkan and Brad Woodhouse, and others as co-chairs.[4] Packard is also executive director of Get America Covered, a group that promotes increased health coverage.[5] She hosts a weekly call-in television show for Americans with health care and health insurance questions on act.tv, Care Talk.[6]

Laura Packard
Packard in 2020
Born (1976-05-23) May 23, 1976
EducationUniversity of Michigan (BS, Computer Science)
OccupationHealth care activist
Known forHealth Care Voices, Health Care Voter, Get America Covered
Websitehealthcarevoices.org

Packard was a featured speaker at the 2020 Democratic National Convention with Joe Biden.[7][8]

A self-employed small business owner,[9] she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2017.[10] Believing that the Affordable Care Act saved her life[11] and that without it she would be bankrupt or dead without the care she received through her insurance,[12] she became an outspoken critic of repeal attempts. Her sharp questioning led United States Senator Dean Heller to eject her from a public event,[13] and her criticism of President Donald Trump resulted in him blocking her on Twitter.[14] A 2018 lawsuit, Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump, forced President Donald Trump to reinstate her access to his social media accounts, along with that of 40 others.[15]

Packard spoke on four national bus tours with progressive health care advocacy organization Protect Our Care in 2018,[16] 2019,[17] 2021[18] and 2022.[19]

Moving to Denver, Colorado in 2019, her political advocacy broadened to include challenges to United States Senator Cory Gardner’s community engagement, and she went on a statewide bus tour with “Cardboard Cory” to accentuate his purported inaccessibility.[20] She also challenged United States Representative Lauren Boebert's health care record.[21] and was blocked by Boebert on Twitter[22] in February 2022.

In 2018, Packard was noted for her outspoken opposition to the nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.[23] She was included again in media coverage for her 2020 opposition to the nomination of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.[24]

References
  1. Epstein, Reid (July 16, 2019). "Pete Buttigieg and Kamala Harris Have Made Waves. Some Progressives Remain Skeptical". New York Times.
  2. Menendez, Alicia (September 19, 2020). "'Healthcare is at risk': The impact of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death on everyday Americans". MSNBC.
  3. Cancryn, Adam (August 19, 2021). "What's driving Biden's booster plan". Politico.
  4. "Health Care Voter announces Six new campaign co-chairs, ramps up ahead of 2018 elections". Patriot Not Partisan. January 22, 2018.
  5. Carrns, Ann (February 5, 2021). "In 'Do-Over,' Enrollment in Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Reopens". New York Times.
  6. "Care Talk". act.tv. November 1, 2021.
  7. Wingerter, Justin (August 18, 2020). "Denver health care activist speaking at Democratic convention". Denver Post.
  8. Phillips, Amber (August 19, 2020). "Four issues besides coronavirus that Democrats are hammering at their convention". Washington Post.
  9. Liacko, Alexa (October 30, 2020). "Cancer survivor worried politics over healthcare will bankrupt or cost her her life". ABC Denver 7.
  10. Packard, Laura (December 23, 2019). "Obamacare saved my life, now its on the brink of destruction". Denver Post.
  11. Packard, Laura (September 24, 2020). "Trump and Republicans' health care 'plan' would endanger people like me amid Covid-19". NBC News.
  12. Packard, Laura (March 22, 2020). "I'd be bankrupt or dead without the Affordable Care Act. We're both survivors — so far". USA Today.
  13. "Woman says she was asked to leave after asking Sen. Heller health-care question". Washington Post. December 4, 2017.
  14. Hayes, Christal (September 20, 2017). "Trump Twitter-Blocked a Woman with Stage 4 Cancer — And She Has a Message for Him". Newsweek.
  15. Binder, Matt (August 29, 2018). "President Trump forced to unblock dozens of Twitter users after court ruling". Mashable.
  16. "Health Care Activist Laura Packard to Join Protect Our Care's Bus Tour". Protect Our Care. September 11, 2018.
  17. "THIS WEEK: Protect Our Care "Health Care Emergency" Bus Tour Kicks Off With Stops in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado". Protect Our Care. August 1, 2019.
  18. Roberts, Spencer (August 9, 2021). "'Protect Our Care' bus tour advocates for better, affordable healthcare". WABI.
  19. Douglas, AJ (October 3, 2022). ""Lower Cost Better Care" bus tour kicks off in Bangor". Fox 22 Bangor.
  20. Grenoble, Ryan (August 26, 2019). "A Cardboard Cutout Of Sen. Cory Gardner Just Wrapped Up A Statewide Bus Tour". Huffington Post.
  21. Packard, Laura (May 22, 2021). "Lauren Boebert cares most about Lauren Boebert, not Coloradans like me". Colorado Newsline.
  22. Packard, Laura (February 17, 2022). "The GOP's Cancel Culture Warriors". The Progressive.
  23. Scherer, Michael (July 9, 2018). "With Trump's nominee announced, the battle for the court begins". Washington Post.
  24. Holpuch, Amanda (October 2, 2020). "Fears for Obamacare if Amy Coney Barrett confirmed to supreme court". The Guardian.
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