Health Care For America Now

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released its score of the House health care reform bill and opponents of health care reform are trying to use it to scuttle the bill’s success. The truth, however, is that without the Medicare physician payment fix, the House health reform bill is budget neutral and even produces a $6 billion surplus. We should applaud the House for tackling this long-term problem in Medicare’s fee structure, not punish it by falsely claiming its health care reform initiatives will add to the federal deficit.

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The American Medical Association has endorsed the House health reform bill, despite the fact that it prominently contains the very element it previously opposed: a public health insurance plan option.

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The House of Representatives has introduced a bill that crystallizes President Barack Obama’s vision for health care reform. “America's Affordable Health Choice Act” is designed to control costs, improve quality and deliver affordable health care. Now we must strengthen our resolve and commitment to the struggle by not allowing vital provisions in the bill— a national public health insurance plan, a national Health Insurance Exchange and assistance for people with low incomes—to be watered down as the legislative process continues.

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Health insurance companies discriminate against women because they believe women cost too much, in large part because women get pregnant. By allowing insurance companies to continue this practice we are basically saying it is OK for maternity to be considered a “woman’s” problem and, thus, the woman should bear the brunt of the cost of it.

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Some members of Congress are pushing the idea of nonprofit health co-ops as an alternative to a public health insurance option. An understanding of the strong and persistent presence of private nonprofit health insurance companies in American history, however, is enough to see that private nonprofit co-ops cannot drive the changes we need in our health care system.

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Drug manufacturers are not acting out of a charitable impulse. They are trying to forestall strong health reform legislation that would cost the industry more than it is promising. PhRMA took action in 2003 when adding a drug benefit to Medicare seemed inevitable and managed to keep a public health insurance plan—Medicare—from cutting drug costs. Now the threat of a new public health insurance option for people under 65 has spurred the powerful lobby into action once more, with promises of cooperation and voluntary discounts. Don’t be fooled! We can do better.

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“My name is Wendell Potter and for 20 years, I worked as a senior executive at health insurance companies, and I saw how they confuse their customers and dump the sick—all so they can satisfy their Wall Street investors.” With that powerful indictment, Mr. Potter began his Congressional testimony, shining a bright light on the abusive practices of this very secretive industry and calling for a strong public health insurance plan option to set a “benchmark in transparency and quality.”

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Health insurance companies routinely abuse the trust of patients and providers alike. State regulators have not been able to stop them. Insurers were not even intimidated when brought before Congress to answer for their abuses. The only thing that may scare health insurers straight is what they are fighting tooth and nail: giving people the choice of a public health insurance plan. Senators seem to be falling prey to the special interests of the health insurance industry. Don’t let them!

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After the insurance company practice of wrongly rescinding policies once a person becomes sick came to public notice, the state of California created new rules to prevent the practice from continuing. But can a state that was too afraid to try to collect a $1 million fine against an insurance company really curb health insurance industry abuse? Clearly not. That is why President Obama wrote a letter to Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Senator Max Baucus emphasizing the need for a public health insurance plan choice that will "make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest."

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In the United States, the majority of people get their health insurance through their job or that of a family member’s. For many workers, that means staying in a job they don’t like just to keep the health benefits they and their families depend on. Ensuring they cannot be denied coverage if they leave their job is not enough to free them from this ‘job lock’ to become entrepreneurs or move on to more satisfying and lucrative work. They have to know they will be able to afford the coverage and that the coverage they get will cover the care they need. To accomplish that we need a public health insurance plan option.

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