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.