Date posted online: Thursday, August 09, 2007
Steelworker: It's the health care
Union Twp. man say he just said what had to be said
Health care is what matters, not his 15 minutes of fame, says Stephen Skvara.
JOHN J. WATKINS | The Times After making national news Tuesday night, Stephen Skvara, 60, was back in the office Wednesday at the Steelworkers Organization for Active Retirees at the United Steelworkers District 7 McBride Hall, Gary, where he volunteers and is a board member.
"This isn't a story about my wife and the situation we're facing, it's about the millions of women, heads of households, people without health insurance, who are working hard to raise their families, but whose lives can be changed overnight because they can't afford health insurance," said the 60-year-old retired steelworker from Union Township.
"We need national health care," said the former mill mechanic.Skvara rose at Tuesday night's AFL-CIO presidential forum at Soldier Field and told the Democratic candidates that after 34 years with LTV, he retired on a disability, then lost one-third of his pension and his family's health care benefits after the company went bankrupt.
Since then, he said, he hasn't been able to afford to pay for his wife's health insurance.
"What is wrong with America and what will you do to change it?" Skvara asked the candidates.
A crowd estimated at 12,000 to 15,000 rose to its feet to applaud Skvara's straight-forward question, and MSNBC's Chris Matthews said, "I wonder if that wasn't a moment that's going to change American political history."
Skvara was badly injured in an auto accident in 1997, now walks with two canes and knows how the health care issue has changed his life and the life of his 56-year-old wife, Sandy Skvara.
"We fell into one of the many cracks in any program," Skvara said Wednesday morning, explaining how his wife lost her health care because he was receiving a disability pension at age 50, and now can't afford coverage.
"She won't go to the doctor. She's very proud."
Skvara, 60, was back in the office of Steelworkers Organization for Active Retirees at United Steelworkers District 7 McBride Hall, where he volunteers and is a board member of the district's organization.
Although the Skvaras both receive prescription coverage through the Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association program the United Steelworkers negotiated with LTV's successor, Skvara said his experiences have provided a close look at how important health care is to millions of uninsured Americans, and how many working people and retirees suffer without it.
Skvara said he never dreamed he'd be one to drive home the message to the nation.
"I didn't know what would happen," he said, adding he was nervous in the 30 to 40 minutes between the time he was selected by MSNBC producers to ask his question and going on the air.
"I was as nervous as anyone standing in front of 15,000 people. But I'm really glad it happened. It brought health care to the forefront."
Skvara and his question dominated TV news reports of the debate and carried into Wednesday's news coverage, with Skvara appearing on MSNBC's "Hardball" with Matthews.
Wednesday morning, Skvara was besieged with phone calls from family, friends and well-wishers, even from Illinois Gov. Rob Blagojevich's office. He received several requests for interviews from media, faced television cameras from several Chicago stations, and accepted the invitation to appear on MSNBC.
Although Skvara revealed what normally would be a private family matter to the world, his four children and his wife are proud of his courage.
"It's an issue we feel very strongly about," said Sandy Skvara, a substitute teacher, when asked how she felt about her husband bringing the issue to light.
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