Rep. Weiner (D-NY9) On The Bad Baucus Bill: Thanks, But No Thanks

Now, you MAY (as I did) need to watch that clip more than once as there is a LOT of info in there (both speakers are rapid-fire verbalists!).

And from Dr. Howard Dean, STERN and alarming words on the Baucus bill (hat tip to slinkerwink at dKos):

Howard Dean, former Democratic National Committee chairman, minced no words about Sen. Max Baucus's healthcare proposal, unveiled to the public this morning. "The Baucus bill is the worst piece of healthcare legislation I've seen in 30 years," Dean said last night at a healthcare town hall and book signing in Washington. "In fact, it's a $60 billion giveaway to the health insurance industry every year," he said. "It was written by healthcare lobbyists, so that's not a surprise. It's an outrage."

"I'm glad Senator Rockefeller is not going to vote for it. I wouldn't vote for it at all under any circumstances," Dean added. Instead, Dean said Senate Democrats should and would end up using the reconciliation process to pass a plan with the public option. "It can be done, and that's how it will be done," Dean said, pointing out that a majority of Senate Democrats still support a more robust bill.

OOOOwee!

One important thing Weiner mentioned as getting traction: Buy ins to Medicare by age-chunks over some time period.

Wyden and Weiner have bills that will be heard/voted on on the house floor soon.

Tomorrow I will be discussing these.

In the meantime... PLEASE continue to call your senators and reps. You can use the FREE 866 number: 866-338-1015. If you do not know your reps/senators, go here.

Here's what to tell your senators and reps (this is simple, really it is!):

1. Hello: my name is _____ and I am a constituent of yours from __(your city)__.
2. I am calling to tell you to support a health care reform bill that has all of the following:

• No triggers. And, BTW, we need to have a bill that kicks in prior to 2013.With 50 people/day going into medical bankruptcy, 1400/day losing their insurance because of job loss or personal income issues, we simply cannot wait. One American dies every 12 minutes because they cannot get health care help. That is immoral and wrong and it MUST change immediately.
• No co-ops. As Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) has noted after investigation, and as the CBO (PDF) has indicated, there are NO successful health care co-ops in the nation and their impact would be unsubstantial.. (go here for info on Rockefeller's co-op information.)
• MUST have a competitive medicare-like public option given there is a MANDATE to be insured. This will cause increased competition and keep costs down.
• NO "Pilot Programs". All these do is delay what we need.
  

PLEASE call.

It is only pressure that gets things done. Be that squeak that gets things done!

Permission given to copy this post with no attribution necessary. PLEASE put on your blogs, or link this post to your friends/family who are interested in health care reform. We ONLY get things done BY doing them.

As Thom Hartmann says, "Tag... you're it."

Kaiser Outlines Future of Health Ins. And It Ain't Pretty

For those who are confused about what the future means in terms of health care costs (as well as the past relative to income), you need to read the new information from Kaiser Family Foundation (if you don't know, Kaiser is the largest non-profit health care provider in California).

The first number was the average cost of a family health insurance policy in 2009: $13,375. To put that number in context, if you are an employer, you can hire an employee at the minimum wage for about $15,000 per year. If you are a consumer, you can rent an average two-bedroom apartment nationwide for $11,136 per year (though it is quite a bit more here in Menlo Park, California where our Foundation is based). You can also buy a new Chevy Aveo for $12,000, and it gets 35 miles per gallon on the highway.

Let's do some very simple arithmetic. Start with a fairly conservative assumption: If we assume that premium increases over the next ten years will average what they did over the last five (about 6.1% per year), the average premium for a family policy in 2019 will be $24,180. That's a big number. On the other hand, if we assume increases revert to the average of the last ten years—an average annual increase of about 8.7% and a very plausible scenario—premiums in 2019 will average a whopping $30,803, a very scary number (Figure 1).

Now I know some of you may not even blink at this information, but most of you will probably be aghast. When my health insurance costs would be double that of my mortgage, something is dreadfully wrong.

Here's another nifty video on United Health Group. Think their CEO will take a nice hefty pay cut just to help? Yeah... right.

Former Cigna Exec Wendell Potter Speaks Out

This is an excellent video on the issue of healthcare, and delves into some of Cigna's behaviors.

Pres. Obama Kicks In On Health Care

This is but an intro to what he might talk about on Wednesday (BE SURE and watch it Wednesday).

Here ya go, and he is just warming up. From Cincinnati today:

This is An Excellent Two-Part Video on Health Care

Very worth watching:

A Really FUN Explanation of Public Healthcare

I think you'll enjoy this...



hat tip to tunesmith at dKos

Breaking the Myths: 14 Lies and 14 Truths

NOTE: There are two parts to this post. The first is on the Media Matters Lies/Truths and the second is a two-part video (and the second part is absolutely killer) between John Steward and insurance company shill Betsy McCaughey on the health care bill. If you don't know who Betsy McCaughey is, she was trotted out during Clinton's campaign to shut down the health care bill then, which she succeeded in doing. But Stewart, who is a really bright guy, eats her up. McCaughey resigned today from the medical device (read really profitable) company she works for to work on healthcare to "avoid" the appearance of impropriety. Gee, Betsy, a little late, isn't it?

*****

Media Matters has taken on 14 of the top myths about health care. Not only is their piece well written including some historical perspective on how many of the myths got started, it is helpful in understanding the truth AND is a great source to be able to send to others.

You can view it here.

Hat tip to mcjoan/dKos.

Now, on to John Stewart.

I attached these at the last minute to give you a flavor of how the discussion has become so absurd, especially after reading Media Matters. You'll get it.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

and part two, which is especially yummy:

Exclusive - Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 2

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

Dr. Howard Dean on Public Option (video)

There are two three outstanding interviews done today with Dr. Gov. Chairman (!) Howard Dean on health care reform and the public option, etc.

Please note... if you REALLY want to understand what is going on after the whipsaw weekend, go to my first post from today, below, and see the shake out from yesterday which was rather incredible.

Here are the three videos and they are VERY telling about how not only health care reform will get passed, but passed with the public option and WHY the public option is necessary.

If you don't understand the public option OR co-ops, this will help you.

He also addresses:

Co Ops (excellent discussion, second video)
Economies of Scale
Public Option (third video and others)

The first video, from MSNBC's Morning Joe 8/17 (today):

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Dr. Dean on Dr. Nancy's Show on Co-ops etc. 8/17 (today):


From the Today Show (8/17 (today):

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

My goal in doing all of this is to help you sort out the wheat/chaff and to sort of distill some of the arguments of the day. The postings will be getting far more frequent now as this is becoming a battle of lines and lies drawn.

I hope this is helpful to you. This is the most important legislation since Civil Rights Legislation of the 1960s and is now or never.

IRD and Soujourners At Odds Over Healthcare Reform

NOTE: There is action to take to support healthcare reform at the bottom per Soujourners.

IRD and Soujourners at odds shouldn't be shocking, right? True.

Here you can read IRD's thoughts on the matter from President Mark Tooley. A snippet:

“The new Evangelical Left, like the old Social Gospel Religious Left of decades ago, always materialistically equates Big Government and centralized control with the Kingdom of God. They learned no lessons from the 20th century, when Big Government again and again wreaked destruction and was often the antithesis of Christian teachings. For the Religious Left, Obamacare is just one more opportunity for coercion and eradication of private initiative."

Soujourners, on the other hand, has developed a creed-statement on the issue which is remarkably beautiful and faith oriented. You can send this to your senators and congressional members by going here:

As one of God's children, I believe that protecting the health of each human being is a profoundly important personal and communal responsibility for people of faith.

I believe God created each person in the divine image to be spiritually and physically healthy. I feel the pain of sickness and disease in our broken world (Genesis 1:27, Romans 8:22).

I believe life and healing are core tenets of the Christian life. Christ's ministry included physical healing, and we are called to participate in God's new creation as instruments of healing and redemption (Matthew 4:23, Luke 9:1-6; Mark 7:32-35, Acts 10:38). Our nation should strive to ensure all people have access to life-giving treatments and care.

I believe, as taught by the Hebrew prophets and Jesus, that the measure of a society is seen in how it treats the most vulnerable. The current discussion about health-care reform is important for the United States to move toward a more just system of providing care to all people (Isaiah 1:16-17, Jeremiah 7:5-7, Matthew 25:31-45).

I believe that all people have a moral obligation to tell the truth. To serve the common good of our entire nation, all parties debating reform should tell the truth and refrain from distorting facts or using fear-based messaging (Leviticus 19:11; Ephesians 4:14-15, 25; Proverbs 6:16-19).

I believe that Christians should seek to bring health and well-being (shalom) to the society into which God has placed us, for a healthy society benefits all members (Jeremiah 29:7).

I believe in a time when all will live long and healthy lives, from infancy to old age (Isaiah 65:20), and "mourning and crying and pain will be no more" (Revelation 21:4). My heart breaks for my brothers and sisters who watch their loved ones suffer, or who suffer themselves, because they cannot afford a trip to the doctor. I stand with them in their suffering.

I believe health-care reform must rest on a foundation of values that affirm each and every life as a sacred gift from the Creator (Genesis 2:7).

Amen.

Amen indeed. What a difference in tone and legitimacy.

Be As Rich As Ed!

Here's a neat new 30 sec. commercial on healthcare.

Just for the record, if anyone makes over $5K/hour, as Ed does/did as CEO of Cigna, please contact me. I need a loan (to buy insurance!).



Hat Tip: dKos.

47 Second Fact Check on Lewin Healthcare Study

During the Congressional August recess, you need to know you are going to see and hear an onslaught of insurance company fear (cue the scary sounds) like you have never seen or heard before. Really. It's true. It's all about their bottom line which they would like to keep to themselves.

And it is about stopping healthcare reform.

This is going to be the modern Ebenezer Scrooge August. No, you can't have more. In fact most of you are going to pay more (gotten you rate increase raise notice yet?) for less, with more insurance companies telling you no.

What a bargain!

So let's stop for a moment and see what your congressional members might try to pull over your eyes in town halls while they are home. You in the south, pay particularly close attention.

Some of you may have already heard about the Lewin Study, the group the GOP has been referencing for the last month or so (30 seconds, and interesting and funny):



Oops.

Alrighty then. So much for the Lewin Study. Check.

Stay tuned: Tomorrow we are going to take a look at another issue... and likewise all through August.

Howard Dean on Reform

That would be health care insurance reform. Ala Maddow, c/o dKos. Great clip.

Health Care Action for Monday

A number of Blue Dog democrats are holding up the health care bill in Henry Waxman's House Energy and Commerce Committee refusing to vote it out of committee. This is one of the three House committees which are working on the health care bill (referred to, often, as the tri-committe for the three committees and tri-care for the resulting bill).

These Blue Dogs (BDs), for various reasons, could side with republicans to crush the health care bill. We cannot let that happen. There are seven BDs on this committee that need to be targeted tomorrow through Tuesday, but preferably tomorrow (Monday, July 20).

The next action is to use a letter writing form tool to connect with newspapers that can help influence these legislators. The form tool will send automatically to the various papers, and is VERY easy to use.

1. Click on the legislators below, that will link you to the form tool for that legislator.
2. Fill in the contact information, EVEN if you are NOT in that legislator's state. Be sure and do your own legislator, however, if they ARE on the list.
3. Click through to begin the letter. PLEASE customize and personalize your letters... this is VERY important. Editorial page editors can sniff letter writing campaigns a mile away (so we are told by former editors!), so customize all letters. Use the points suggested aside each letter. Take one or two points and mix it up! CUSTOMIZE!
4. Send your letter, go to the next legislator on the list and start over!

This is a critical step because if we cannot get at least TWO of these Blue Dogs off the fence, they are expected to provide amendments to KILL the health care bills or add time/issue triggers that seriously weaken the bill.

Rep. John Barrow (D-GA)
Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR)
Rep. Baron Hill (D-IN)
Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN)
Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT)
Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA)
Rep. Zachary Space (D-OH)

Please write these letters today and e-mail a link to this post to anyone you like, or just lift it entirely for your own blog!

Let's get this done!

PS... If you do NOT have a rep on this list, please be sure to address both Rep Barrow and Rep Space. These two legislators may be the most movable at the moment.

Thanks to slink at dKos and everyone at FireDogLake for doing such wonderful work on this issue and helping to organize support for these bills!

Tuesday News for Wednesday ACTION on HCare

Come on folks, we CAN do it. BE the change! Look down the list depending on your state. MAKE these calls AND send an e-mail. KEEP doing it.

This post has actions for EVERYONE (at end), but some specific state actions are called out.

*****

For Californians: I called every office of CA Senator Dianne Feinstein today (more about that tomorrow when I do the same thing again).

But here is what you need to do tomorrow, Wednesday:

1. Call Feinstein's DC Office. Use the toll free number: 1-866-338-1015, ask for her office.
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954

This message is short and sweet:

I want a public option and nothing else.
No co-ops
No time triggers (for bill provision(s) to begin)
Medicare-like plan open to all, day one.
Get off the dime and DO something to support your CA constituents.

2. Call your local Feinstein office.
San Diego
Phone: (619) 231-9712
Fax: (619) 231-1108

Fresno
Phone: (559) 485-7430
Fax: (559) 485-9689

San Francisco
Phone: (415) 393-0707
Fax: (415) 393-0710

Los Angeles
Phone: (310) 914-7300
Fax: (310) 914-7318

3. Call one or more of the people on the Senate HELP (health, education, labor and pensions) Committee (the committee is working on health care leg in the Senate so it is important to understand that you do NOT have to be a constituent of theirs on this issue). Personally, I suggest focusing on Kay Hagan (D-NC) (again, you can use the toll free number 1-866-338-1015). Here is her Senate site.

Tom Harkin (IA): (202) 224-3254
Barbara A. Mikulski (MD): (202) 224-4654
Jeff Bingaman (NM): (202) 224-5521
Patty Murray (WA: (202) 224-2621
Jack Reed (RI): (202) 224-4642
Bernard Sanders (I) (VT): (202) 224-5141
Sherrod Brown (OH): (202) 224-2315
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA): (202) 224-6324
Kay Hagan (NC): (202) 224-6342
Jeff Merkley (OR): (202) 224-3753

North Carolina: Call Kay Hagan (again and again). Not only is she possibly your senator, she is on the Senate HELP Committee. See info above in RED. Also call one or all of her state offices. See sidebar for telephone numbers. If you called or wrote once, do it again.

For the following states:
Iowa
Maryland
New Mexico
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington

Call your senators. Each state has a senator on the Senate HELP Committee which is drafting legislation RIGHT NOW.

Message:

We want a public option.
No co-ops.
No triggers.
Medicare-like and comprehensive.
NOW!

Here is the list. Call toll free using 1-866-338-1015:

Tom Harkin (IA): (202) 224-3254
Barbara A. Mikulski (MD): (202) 224-4654
Jeff Bingaman (NM): (202) 224-5521
Patty Murray (WA: (202) 224-2621
Jack Reed (RI): (202) 224-4642
Bernard Sanders (I) (VT): (202) 224-5141
Sherrod Brown (OH): (202) 224-2315
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA): (202) 224-6324
Kay Hagan (NC): (202) 224-6342
Jeff Merkley (OR): (202) 224-3753

THEN also call Kay Hagan, in red above whether your senator or not.

For everyone not specifically listed: Contact your Senator's state office locally and in DC . You can find the numbers here. Use the toll free number for DC: 1-866-338-1015.

The message:

We want a public option.
No co-ops.
No triggers.
Medicare-like and comprehensive.
NOW!

It is important to make as many calls as you can and send e-mails.

Please, get this out. You are welcome to copy this post, take from it whatever you like. But PLEASE get this out there!

This is a hard, hard fight and senators are balking in helping us while they suck up HUGE amounts of insurance industry money. Fight, and fight hard!

Sunday News for Monday ACTION

Please take these actions tomorrow, Monday June 29! It will take you maybe 5 min.

For you North Carolinians: Contact Kay Hagan on health care. Hagen is hanging up the Senate HELP Committee on health care legislation for everyone. Read here. Please don't let your senator stop health care for all. Keeping things the same or opting for co-ops (most of which have been dysfunctional and many have gone out of business stranding members) and/or demanding triggers (times when things kick in) are NOT the answer. A public option, available on day one, or better yet, Single Payer are. Please post to any No. Carolina blogs you belong to. Get the word out!

*****

Now, let's talk about the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) for a moment, and where they stand on health care, because it is not only RELEVANT, it is critical to getting a public option in any eventual health care bill.

On June 5, the CPC sent a letter to the house leadership regarding their position on health care. The house leadership are the following folks:

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House

Steny Hoyer
Office of the Majority Leader

Jim Clyburn
Office of the Majority Whip

John B. Larson
Democratic Caucus Chair

The CPC's letter included the following requirement for a robust public option that must:

• Enact concurrently with other significant expansions of coverage and must not be conditioned on private industry actions.
• Consist of one entity, operated by the federal government, which sets policies and bears the risk for paying medical claims to keep administrative costs low and provide a higher standard of care.
• Be available to all individuals and employers across the nation without limitation
• Allow patients to have access to their choice of doctors and other providers that meet defined participation standards, similar to the traditional Medicare model, promote the medical home model, and eliminate lifetime caps on benefits.
• Have the ability to structure the provider rates to promote quality care, primary care, prevention, chronic care management, and good public health.
• Utilize the existing infrastructure of successful public programs like Medicare in order to maintain transparency and consumer protections for administering processes including payment systems, claims and appeals.
• Establish or negotiate rates with pharmaceutical companies, durable medical equipment providers, and other providers to achieve the lowest prices for consumers.
• Receive a level of subsidy and support that is no less than that received by private plans.
• Ensure premiums must be priced at the lowest levels possible, not tied to the rates of private insurance plans.

In conclusion, the public plan, like all other qualified plans, must redress historical disparities in underrepresented communities. It must provide a standard package of comprehensive benefits including dental, vision, mental health and prescription drug coverage with no pre-existing condition exclusions. It must limit cost-sharing so that there are no barriers to care, and incorporate up-to-date best practice models to improve quality and lower costs. All plans, including the public plan, must include coverage for evidence-based preventive health services at minimal or no co-pay. All plans, including the public plan, should be at least as transparent as traditional Medicare.

This is why Nancy Pelosi KNOWS that without a public option, NO health care will pass in the house. It's not a matter of what she thinks, it is an effective CPC that will withhold their votes on anything health care that doesn't meet their test. What this ALSO means for the poor and/or unemployed, is that waivers would exist to cover their medical care until their incomes improve. With the economy in such sad shape, that is sorely needed.

So, Action #2 is to write the CPC and lend your support. Send a letter to the CPC's director, Bill Goold: e-mail: Bill.Goold@mail.house.gov

Hat tip to mcjoan, dKos. Hat tip to slickerwink, dKos for CPC contact info.

*****

This is for Californians: Here's Move On's short vid (30 sec) on CA Senator Dianne Feinstein:

Californians, contact Feinstein. Tell her to get off the dime and represent Californians on health care by supporting a public plan that covers everyone with NO triggers or co-ops.