Pearl Jam are backing a campaign to raise money for patients fighting health insurance companies for payouts. A pre-concert party is being held in Hartford, Connecticut, on Friday, ahead of the band's gig there - organized by Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness head Jennifer Jaff.

Pearl Jam were introduced to the cause by lead guitarist Mike McCready, who has suffered bowel disorder Crohn's Disease for 25 years.

Jaff also suffers the disease and is currently fighting her own battle with an insurance company to cover the cost of her treatment.

McCready tells the Hartford Courant (link goes to original article) newspaper, "Jennifer Jaff is one of the best advocates for patients I have ever seen. It's super-important for her to fight against the insurance companies that will deny people any kind of coverage for their pre-existing conditions. The work she does is justified, and I just love it. We live in the greatest country in the world, and I have lived here my entire life, but we need to invest our money back into things that look at a broader scope, not just things that are going to make us money. If people are going to die because some legislation didn't go through, that, to me, is abhorrent. That's not what America means to me."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)