Opponents of healthcare reform are busy spreading myths all over the internet. We need you to bust another one today!

Here's your myth to bust today about healthcare reform: "Healthcare reform would create rationing of healthcare."

Say what? Rationing of healthcare for those in need is something that healthcare reform is working to stop! Under the current system healthcare rationing happens daily in the form of canceled and denied coverage by insurance companies. Here's just one example from Carla* in Texas who writes:

I am a fulltime RN with no healthcare insurance for myself and my 2-year-old daughter. My daughter was born at 28wks. I am a non-insulin-dependent diabetic. Because of our pre-existing health conditions, insurance companies have denied us coverage. I can deal with the fact that I do not have health insurance. But my heart is broken every second when I look at my daughter and know that she has no coverage.

FACT: Healthcare reform would help people like Carla by preventing insurance companies from denying coverage because of a pre-existing condition, and will also prevent insurance companies from canceling coverage because you get sick.

Here's a myth busting conversation starter you can use with friends, family, in grocery store lines, at sporting events, and anywhere: "Can you believe how out-of-hand this health reform debate is getting? Right now insurance companies can deny coverage to children who were born prematurely! Yet healthcare reform opponents are saying reform will cause 'rationing of care.' They're wrong, healthcare reform is working to stop rationing and will make it so insurance companies can't deny anyone health insurance because of a pre-existing condition, like being born prematurely, diabetes, asthma, cancer or many other common conditions."

Facebook Update for You. Here's a sample Facebook or other social marketing update for you to use: Preventing insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions stops the current bad rationing of care. Time for reform!

Please share Carla's story and these key facts with everyone you can think of. We'd love to hear about how you are sharing this information with your community here on this blog. In fact, we're giving a prize to the most creative MomsRising Healthcare Truth Squad member this week!

Here are some sources to back up this myth-busting information that you can share with friends:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/4

http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#r1

http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html

http://www.nwlc.org/reformmatters/knowthefacts.html

http://healthcareforamericanow.org/site/content/fight_the_smears

Where and how to spread the word? How about through conversations at the playground, in your Facebook update, in line at the grocery store, in the signature line of your email, by forwarding facts via email to friends and family, at parties, and anywhere and everywhere you can think of. If you're really motivated, you can post a sign in your yard, make a t-shirt to publicize the real healthcare fact far and wide, or even wear a sandwich board. Share photos of your efforts on our Facebook page --www.facebook.com/momsrising.org

Thanks!

P.S. For more resources, check out our Healthcare Truth Squad web page: www.momsrising.org/HealthcareTruthSquad_Resources

*not her real name