Health Insurance Reform: The Final Push is On
Many of us who have been working hard on health insurance reform over the past year are so angry and disappointed that the Senate bill will not include a public option that we are walking away, or even calling for rejection of any compromise. I am writing to urge you to hang in.
The last time health reform was
taken up with any seriousness was 1993. That means we may wait another
15 years to get ANYTHING if we don't take as much as we can get NOW.
Why should we support a bill even though it won't have a public option?
- The
Senate compromise will result in coverage for more than 30 million
people who don't have insurance and cannot afford insurance today.
- The
Senate compromise will allow people to buy insurance through an
Exchange so people can see all of their options and make informed
choices.
- The Senate
compromise contains subsidies making health insurance affordable for
people who otherwise could not afford insurance. This includes people
who are unemployed and cannot afford COBRA premiums.
- Insurers no longer will be allowed to charge women more than men for the same coverage.
- The Senate compromise will eliminate lifetime caps on benefits.
- Children will be covered to age 26.
- The Senate compromise provides subsidies for small businesses who provide insurance for their employees.
- The
Medicare coverage gap or doughnut hole will be plugged, so people who
have high prescription drug costs will not have thousands of dollars of
out-of-pocket expenses.
I'm
deeply saddened that, due to Senator Lieberman and others, we will not
be able to control premium prices by creating a public option that
would cost less and, thus, create real competition in the insurance
industry. But if the Senate fails to garner 60 votes to end debate and
bring the bill to a vote, we will get nothing, and it's likely
that we won't have another shot at reform for many years.
Indeed, it is still possible that cost will
be controlled to some extent; there is a push on to require that
insurers spend 80 or 85 percent of premium dollars on medical benefits
rather than administrative costs and profits. So there's still hope.
The Senate bill is imperfect. However, if we reject it, all is lost. As Senator Kennedy used to remind us, we cannot let the perfect become the enemy of the good. A bill that improves access to health care for millions of Americans is better than no bill at all.
So
please, please, please CALL YOUR SENATOR TODAY. The first "cloture"
vote to end debate and bring the bill to a vote is expected to occur on
Monday. You can find your Senator's contact information here. Alternatively, call 1-800-828-0448 and ask to be connected to your Senator's office.
Thank you.
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