FUSsa-talk Mailing List: Fw: Something worth forwarding

[Carol Koepp (carolkoepp]

Something worth forwardingTo FUS Social Action Folks.  Don Ingram is the fellow 
that owns the Glider Flight Company and  has contributed flights to our Service 
Auction for the past coupld of years.  Carol
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Don Ingraham 
To: don ingraham 
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 12:34 PM
Subject: Fw: Something worth forwarding


I don't often send stuff out, but I have heard that the debate over healthcare 
reform could use some actual facts to counter the myths. We don't watch any TV, 
so we balance the news we get via the Internet and research various claims 
using search engines. This makes it pretty easy to get at the claims, 
counter-claims and the facts. I think this short email is a good distillation 
of the pro-reform side.
Hope you are all doing well!
Drop in for a planetary departure anytime.
Take care,
Don



----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Axelrod, The White House 
To: doningra [at] means.net 
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 10:26 AM
Subject: Something worth forwarding






     
               
                 

                 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 

                    1.. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: 
Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of 
your medical history. 
                    2.. 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. 
                    3.. 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. 
                    4.. 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. 
                    5.. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be 
prohibited from charging you more because of your gender. 
                    6.. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance 
companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the 
coverage you receive. 
                    7.. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would 
continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26. 
                    8.. 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 
                    1.. 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. 
                    2.. 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. 
                    3.. 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. 
                    4.. 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. 
                    5.. 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. 
                    6.. 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. 
                    7.. 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. 
                    8.. 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 

                    1.. 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 
                    2.. 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 
                    3.. 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 
                    4.. 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 
                    5.. 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 
                    6.. 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 
                    7.. 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 
                    8.. 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 
                    
                 

                 


             
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