Today on Meet the Press (NBC) The Hispanic vote was acknowledged to be steadily increasing. The vote in 1980 was 2% of the national vote, and most recently reached 9%; very soon Hispanics will represent 15% of the national vote.

I started to think about the current situation of Healthcare reform and what is at stake for consumers and especially Hispanics. It is imperative that Hispanics understand their power to influence and participate in Healthcare Reform. Like my grandmother and many others have said...It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Hispanics are among the biggest stakeholders in the nations Healthcare reform. Without the ability to unite and articulate what the community's needs are, health reform will not include Hispanics.

When I search for Hispanics and healthcare reform there are no recent entries and nothing that I as a consumer will be able to use to have my voice heard. I was hoping to post a link or at least reference the groups out there with their fingers on the pulse of the community. None were found.

The President has called for an October deadline to have a health plan in place, and I am skeptical that with so many powerful and opposing interests the administration will be able to meet that deadline. However, that could be an opportunity for all consumers to have their voices heard. Otherwise we will have a plan that is made by policy makers who are not experiencing healthcare as most Americans experience healthcare, and certainly not as the more than 33% of uninsured Hispanics experience Healthcare.

I hope that advocates, and community based organizations understand their responsibility at this time to unite the voices of their members, and coordinate those voices and be sure to get them heard.