|
|
Dear Friend,
This is probably one of the longest emails
I’ve ever sent, but it could be the most
important.
Across the country we are
seeing vigorous debate about health insurance
reform. Unfortunately, some of the old tactics we
know so well are back — even the viral
emails that fly unchecked and under the radar,
spreading all sorts of lies and distortions.
As
President Obama said at the town hall in New
Hampshire, “where we do disagree, let's
disagree over things that are real, not these wild
misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to
anything that's actually been proposed.”
So let’s start a chain email of our
own. At the end of my email, you’ll find a
lot of information about health insurance reform,
distilled into 8 ways reform provides security and
stability to those with or without coverage, 8
common myths about reform and 8 reasons we need
health insurance reform now.
Right now,
someone you know probably has a question about
reform that could be answered by what’s
below. So what are you waiting for? Forward this
email.
Thanks,
David
David
Axelrod
Senior Adviser to the President
P.S.
We launched www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck
this week to knock down the rumors and lies that
are floating around the internet. You can find the
information below, and much more, there. For
example, we've just added a video of Nancy-Ann
DeParle from our Health Reform Office tackling a
viral email head on. Check it out:
8 ways reform provides security and
stability to those with or without coverage
Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing
Conditions: Insurance companies will be
prohibited from refusing you coverage because of
your medical history.
Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses,
Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies
will have to abide by yearly caps on how much
they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care:
Insurance companies must fully cover, without
charge, regular checkups and tests that help you
prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and
foot exams for diabetics.
Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously
Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited
from dropping or watering down insurance coverage
for those who become seriously ill.
Ends Gender Discrimination:
Insurance companies will be prohibited from
charging you more because of your gender.
Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on
Coverage: Insurance companies will be
prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on
the coverage you receive.
Extends Coverage for Young Adults:
Children would continue to be eligible for family
coverage through the age of 26.
Guarantees
Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will
be required to renew any policy as long as the
policyholder pays their premium in full.
Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse
renewal because someone became sick.
Learn more and get
details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/
8 common myths about health insurance
reform
Reform will stop "rationing"
- not increase it: It’s a myth that
reform will mean a "government takeover"
of health care or lead to "rationing."
To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of
rationing that are currently being used by
insurance companies.
We can’t afford reform: It's
the status quo we can't afford. It’s a myth
that reform will bust the budget. To the
contrary, the President has identified ways to
pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs
by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within
existing government health programs; ending big
subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing
efficiency with such steps as coordinating care
and streamlining paperwork. In the long term,
reform can help bring down costs that will
otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.
Reform would encourage "euthanasia":
It does not. It’s a malicious myth that
reform would encourage or even require euthanasia
for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with
their family and physicians about end-of life
decisions, reform will help to cover these
voluntary, private consultations for those who
want help with these personal and difficult
family decisions.
Vets' health care is safe and sound:
It’s a myth that health insurance reform
will affect veterans' access to the care they get
now. To the contrary, the President's budget
significantly expands coverage under the VA,
extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were
previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system
will continue to be available for all eligible
veterans.
Reform will benefit small business -
not burden it: It’s a myth that health
insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To
the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on
small businesses, provide tax credits to help
them pay for employee coverage and help level the
playing field with big firms who pay much less to
cover their employees on average.
Your Medicare is safe, and stronger
with reform: It’s myth that Health
Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting
Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will
improve the long-term financial health of
Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate
waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance
companies, and help to close the Medicare
"doughnut" hole to make prescription
drugs more affordable for seniors.
You can keep your own insurance:
It’s myth that reform will force you out of
your current insurance plan or force you to
change doctors. To the contrary, reform will
expand your choices, not eliminate them.
No,
government will not do anything with your bank
account: It is an absurd myth that government
will be in charge of your bank accounts.
Health insurance reform will simplify
administration, making it easier and more
convenient for you to pay bills in a method that
you choose. Just like paying a phone bill
or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional
check, or by a direct electronic payment. And
forms will be standardized so they will be easier
to understand. The choice is up to you –
and the same rules of privacy will apply as they
do for all other electronic payments that people
make.
Learn more and get
details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck/faq
8 Reasons We Need Health Insurance
Reform Now
Coverage Denied to Millions: A
recent national survey estimated that 12.6
million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of
those who tried to purchase health insurance
directly from an insurance company in the
individual insurance market – were in fact
discriminated against because of a pre-existing
condition in the previous three years or dropped
from coverage when they became seriously ill.
Learn more:
http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html
Less Care for More Costs: With each
passing year, Americans are paying more for
health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health
insurance premiums have nearly doubled since
2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In
2008, the average premium for a family plan
purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly
the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage
job. Americans pay more than ever for
health insurance, but get less coverage. Learn
more:
http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/index.html
Roadblocks to Care for Women:
Women’s reproductive health requires more
regular contact with health care providers,
including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and
obstetric care. Women are also more likely to
report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus
9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as
diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to
men, women are twice as likely to suffer from
headaches and are more likely to experience
joint, back or neck pain. These chronic
conditions often require regular and frequent
treatment and follow-up care. Learn more:
http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html
Hard Times in the Heartland:
Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50
million people who face challenges in accessing
health care. The past several decades have
consistently shown higher rates of poverty,
mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a
primary health care provider in rural areas. With
the recent economic downturn, there is potential
for an increase in many of the health disparities
and access concerns that are already elevated in
rural communities. Learn more:
http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes
Small Businesses Struggle to Provide
Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the
uninsured – 13 million people – are
employees of firms with less than 100 workers.
From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly
Americans covered by employer-based health
insurance fell from 66% to 61%. Much of this
decline stems from small business. The percentage
of small businesses offering coverage dropped
from 68% to 59%, while large firms held stable at
99%. About a third of such workers in firms with
fewer than 50 employees obtain insurance through
a spouse. Learn more:
http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline
The Tragedies are Personal: Half of
all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the
result of medical expenses. The typical elderly
couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay
for health costs not covered by Medicare alone.
Learn more:
http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction
Diminishing Access to Care: From
2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly
Americans covered by employer-based health
insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87
million people - one in every three Americans
under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some
point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the
uninsured are in working families. Learn more:
http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html
The Trends
are Troubling: Without reform, health care
costs will continue to skyrocket unabated,
putting unbearable strain on families,
businesses, and state and federal government
budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the
need for health care reform is the 46 million
Americans currently without health insurance -
projections suggest that this number will rise to
about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of
reform. Learn more:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf
|
|
