18 Wisconsinites take on Big Insurance in DC this week

The major lobby group for the insurance industry (AHIP - the Association of Health Insurance Plans) is holding a conference in Washington, DC on March 9th.  Hundreds of organizations involved in the Health Care for America Now campaign and many other allies in the fight for national health reform are pulling out all the stops to organize a massive direct action event outside the hotel where the conference is taking place.  The purpose is to send the message to Congress that the American people will not let the industry that profits from the current health care crisis kill national health reform.

Thousands of people are expected to join the DC action, and many more to participate in the virtual online "mass arrest" via fax and email. Click here  to see the details of the mass citizens' arrest to hold the insurance companies accountable for their crimes against Americans' health.

Please help us get the word out via your email lists, websites, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.  Follow Citizen Action on Facebook and Twitter.

It's been a long and hard fight.  We're getting close to the finish line for this stage of the long-term battle for health care for all.  What Congress passes now will be the platform on which we must build for the future.  Thank you for your commitment and your activism!

What is the next step in the legislative process?
House and Senate leaders are lining up votes for final passage of health care reform. President Obama is urging for the first House vote by March 18th. The House is expected to vote on and pass the Senate health care bill that was passed by 60 senators on Dec. 24, 2009. Then the House will pass a budget reconciliation bill and send it to the Senate for a vote. The Senate will pass the budget reconciliation bill with a simple majority. As with previous deadlines it is possible this one will be pushed back. It’s also possible that a budge reconciliation bill could be passed by both chambers of Congress first, before the House approves the Senate health care bill of Dec. 24. The bills will be likely be signed together by President Obama as a final package.

It’s important that we focus our message on the urgent need for reform.

(The following is from the Herndon Alliance)

We are facing a number of predictable attacks:

1. Americans are against reform;

2. This is all partisan bickering & backroom deals;

3. You can't trust the politicians in DC to reform health care;

4. We should delay and start over again;

5. This is a government takeover; and

6. Using reconciliation in health care is the nuclear option.

We need to answer these in a short, concise, and understandable form that gets us back to our core message. Do this in three sentences and people will understand you well.

1. Answer the question briefly including why the attack is wrong.

2. Question the motives or perspective of the attacker.

3. Get back to our core message (see www.herndonalliance.org/pdf/messageoftheweek_02-19-10.pdf).

Below are several examples of effective responses to attacks.

Bob Crittenden

Executive Director, Herndon Alliance

Americans are against health reform:

Attack: "...the majority in Congress are not listening to the American people on the subject of health reform."  - Senator Coburn

Response:   

1. Senator Coburn is wrong again - when people learn that the bill will require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions, that it will help small businesses afford healthcare and requires members of Congress to get the same plans as tens of millions of Americans, they support it.

2. The Senator is afraid of health reform passing - he is on the side of the health insurers and not our side. 

3. Congress needs to act now and get it right before the insurance companies start demanding huge rate increases like the 39% increase recently announced by Anthem Blue Cross.   

This is all backroom deals:

Attack: This bill is the result of backroom deals and partisan decisions that cannot be good for my family and me.

Response: 

1. The legislative process is ugly, but the opposition has made this much more partisan than the American people want - despite over a year of consultation and the inclusion of many opposition ideas including medical malpractice reform.

2. Opponents do not want health reform, and believe the answer is to loosen regulations on the insurance industry and give the insurance industry even freer rein to raise premiums and deny care.

3. We have had enough of insurance companies' denied claims, inflated profits, and soaring premiums. Health care costs are crushing our families and small businesses - we can't wait any longer. We need reform now.

We can't trust politicians to reform our health care system:  

Attack: You can't trust politicians in DC to reform health care so it is good for me.

Response: 

1. Health care reform would give uninsured individuals and small business owners the same kind of choice of private health insurance that members of Congress get for themselves -- because if it's good enough for members of Congress, it's good enough for the people who pay their salaries.

2. Many of the opposition have a political agenda that make them think they need to side with the insurers and defeat health reform because they are listening to health insurers and not you.

3. It is time to end the worst practices of insurance companies. No longer would they be able to deny your coverage because of a preexisting condition. No longer would they be able to drop your coverage because you got sick. No longer would they be able to force you to pay unlimited amounts of money out of your own pocket. No longer would they be able to arbitrarily and massively raise premiums like Anthem Blue Cross recently tried to do in California -- up to 39 percent increases in one year in the individual market. Those practices would end.

We should scrap this bill and start over:

Attack: We should ‘scrap' this bill and start over with a ‘clean sheet of paper.'

Response: 

1. Scrapping the bill is a delaying tactic. Opponents have no intention of reforming the health system. 

2. The opponents do not want any health reform to pass - they care more about health insurers than American families.

3. After more than a year of debate, Congress should listen to everyday Americans, not the insurance lobbyist's who are spending millions to block health care reform and protect their profits. We can't afford to continue with the status quo of denied care and rising premiums from insurance companies.

This is a government takeover:

Attack: The health reform bill is a first step in a government takeover of health care.

Response:   

1. This is not a government takeover - this is about holding the insurance companies accountable.

2. This is nothing more than a talking point that opponents of reform have been using for 75 years. It is tired, old and untrue.

3. What reform will do is stop insurance companies from denying coverage to people with preexisting conditions and cutting people off when they get sick. It requires insurance companies to spend money on health care, not CEO salaries and profits.

Reconciliation is the nuclear option:

Attack:  "This use of reconciliation to jam through this legislation, against the will of the American people, would be unprecedented in scope. And the havoc wrought would threaten our system of checks and balances, corrode the legislative process, degrade our system of government and damage the prospects of bipartisanship." - Senator Orrin Hatch

Response: 

1. Senator Hatch is completely off base. Reform has already passed the House with a majority - under the normal process. It has already passed the Senate with a supermajority of 60 votes - under the normal process. The only thing that would pass under a simple majority up or down vote would be a series of fixes to the bill.

2. Hatch and others who make this argument are being hypocrites. 16 out of the 22 times reconciliation has been used, it was by Republicans. 

3. We need Congress to cast a simple up or down vote on health care that will end the worst practices of insurance companies. The same kind of up or down vote that was cast on welfare reform, that was cast on the Children's Health Insurance Program, that was used for COBRA health coverage for the unemployed, and, by the way, for both Bush tax cuts. No more denied claims, inflated profits, and soaring premiums. 

Byrd defends reconciliation to finish reform

Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.V.), an architect of the reconciliation process and a guardian of Senate procedure, has quietly defended the Democratic plan to use the fast-track parliamentary tactic to finish the health care reform bill.

In a noteworthy boost for Democrats, Byrd wrote a letter to the editor in Thursday's Charleston Daily Mail that it is appropriate to use reconciliation on measures that reduce the deficit -- a standard that the package of fixes to the Senate health care bill could meet.

Byrd appeared to be responding to Republicans -- and the paper's editorial board -- who have repeatedly cited his Washington Post op-ed from March 2009, in which he said using reconciliation to pass health care reform or climate change legislation was an "outrage that must be resisted." 

"I believed then, as now, that the Senate should debate the health reform bill under regular rules, which it did. The result of that debate was the passing of a comprehensive health care reform bill in the Senate by a 60-vote supermajority.

"I continue to support the budget reconciliation process for deficit reduction. The entire Senate- or House- passed health care bill could not and would not pass muster under the current reconciliation rules, which were established under my watch.

"Yet a bill structured to reduce deficits by, for example, finding savings in Medicare or lowering health care costs, may be consistent with the Budget Act, and appropriately considered under reconciliation."

Byrd's statements, although tepid and a bit vague, suggest he would not take a strong public stand against the Democratic plan. Aides had viewed Byrd as a wildcard in the process until they read the letter to the editor, and it was greeted with a sigh of relief. 

Byrd is only a single vote. But by signaling comfort with reconciliation to finish health care reform, he provides cover for Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats to argue that their plan is procedurally sound. 

"My commitment to protecting the best interests of all West Virginians and the American people remains as firm and consistent as my devotion to observing the necessary and essential Senate rules and procedures intended to guarantee debate and the airing of diverse views." 

Full letter below:

It has been said that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. In the Daily Mail’s March 2 editorial regarding health care reform legislation, “Using reconciliation would hurt Democrats: Choking off debate is no way to muscle through health legislation,” the newspaper’s misunderstanding of congressional procedures misinforms readers who, in rapidly increasing numbers, find themselves unable to obtain or afford medical insurance.

The editorial correctly quoted me as saying in the spring of 2009 that using reconciliation to enact a huge health care package would “violate the intent and spirit of the budget process…”

I believed then, as now, that the Senate should debate the health reform bill under regular rules, which it did. The result of that debate was the passing of a comprehensive health care reform bill in the Senate by a 60-vote supermajority.

I continue to support the budget reconciliation process for deficit reduction. The entire Senate- or House- passed health care bill could not and would not pass muster under the current reconciliation rules, which were established under my watch.

Yet a bill structured to reduce deficits by, for example, finding savings in Medicare or lowering health care costs, may be consistent with the Budget Act, and appropriately considered under reconciliation.

With all due respect, the Daily Mail’s hyperbole about “imposing government control,” acts of “disrespect to the American people” and “corruption” of Senate procedures resembles more the barkings from the nether regions of Glennbeckistan than the “sober and second thought” of one of West Virginia’s oldest and most respected daily newspapers.

My commitment to protecting the best interests of all West Virginians and the American people remains as firm and consistent as my devotion to observing the necessary and essential Senate rules and procedures intended to guarantee debate and the airing of diverse views.

Robert C. Byrd
Washington, D.C.
Byrd is the senior U.S senator from West Virginia.

Reuters – U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about healthcare reform, as medical professionals look on, in the …

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Erica Werner, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 27 mins ago

WASHINGTON – House Democratic leaders are pushing to finish far-reaching health legislation and hold a climactic vote in the next three weeks, aiming to overcome reluctance from the rank-and-file lawmakers while answering President Barack Obama's challenge for swift action.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Thursday that Democrats would like to get a final vote by Congress' Easter break, which begins March 29. But Hoyer also said "the world doesn't fall apart" if that timeline isn't met — a nod to the many blown deadlines that have characterized the health overhaul effort so far.

Democratic leaders are contending with a host of undecided lawmakers who want to see the fine print before making a decision. Hoyer said final language and a cost estimate should come back from the Congressional Budget Office by the end of next week.

"At this point in time we don't have a bill," Hoyer said. "It's a little difficult to count votes if you don't have a bill."

Separately, more than a dozen House Democrats had a meeting scheduled on the issue with Obama at the White House Thursday afternoon. Among the group were lawmakers who voted against the legislation last year. Obama is leaving for an Asia trip March 18 and the White House would ideally like to see action before then, something Hoyer said was "doable," while noting the bill still hasn't been completed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday, "I feel very confident about how we go forward."

"Every legislative lift is a heavy lift around here," Pelosi said.

At its core, the legislation still is largely along the lines Obama has long sought. It would extend coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans while cracking down on insurance company practices such as denying policies on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. An insurance exchange would be created in which private companies could sell policies to consumers.

Much of the cost of the legislation, nearly $1 trillion over a decade, would be financed by cuts in future Medicare payments and higher payroll taxes on individuals earning more than $200,000 and couples more than $250,000.

In his latest changes Obama added some Republican ideas raised at last week's bipartisan summit, including renewed efforts on changes in medical malpractice and rooting out waste and fraud from the system.

The House passed health overhaul legislation by a narrow 220-215 vote in November and since then several Democrats have defected or left the House. To avoid a filibuster in the Senate that Democrats can't defeat, Obama is now pushing the House to approve the Senate's version of the bill, along with a package of changes to fix elements of the Senate bill that House Democrats don't like, including a special Medicaid deal for Nebraska and a tax on high-value insurance plans opposed by organized labor.

Obama made a closing argument for action Wednesday, saying, "I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote."

The legislative maneuvering ahead is tricky and Democratic leaders are facing a groundswell of discontent from lawmakers who've taken a political beating over the past year of corrosive debate. As many as a dozen anti-abortion Democrats are threatening to defect because of the Senate bill's more permissive language on federal funding of the procedure.

The outcome will depend on lawmakers like Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., a first-term lawmaker in a divided district who overcame initial qualms to vote for the legislation in November, only to come under attack from Republicans over the decision. Titus said Thursday she's undecided.

"I think what's happened in my district is, there's a great deal of uncertainty," Titus said. "Some people still think there's death panels."

Titus said she's trying to make the decision based on what's best for her district, leaving political considerations aside, but lawmakers who switch from voting "yes" to voting "no" — or vice versa — risk being labeled flip-floppers.

In his speech Wednesday, Obama called for an "up-or-down vote" within weeks under rules denying Republicans the ability to block the bill with a filibuster.

Lawmakers were almost finished merging House and Senate versions of sweeping overhaul legislation when a special election in January cost Democrats their filibuster-proof Senate majority, throwing the effort into disarray. With Republicans united in opposition, there is no certainty about the outcome of Obama's final push.

Thirty-nine Democrats voted "no" on the House bill, and Pelosi will probably need some of those to switch their votes to make up for votes lost from anti-abortion Democrats and others.

"We're not going to vote for the bill with that language in there," Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., leader of the anti-abortion Democrats in the House, said on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday.

"I want to see health care, but we're not going to bypass some principles that we believe strongly about," Stupak said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, appearing on the same show, said she hoped that "when the bill is in its final form and people have a chance to look at it, I think they will understand that this bill does not change the status quo on abortion."

"There will be no federal financing of abortion," she said.

It will take major efforts by Obama and Democratic leaders in the weeks ahead to put those concerns and others to rest. Obama has already made plans to try to sell the legislation directly to the public in states that are the home districts of opposed or wavering lawmakers, with visits planned Monday to Philadelphia and Wednesday to St. Louis.

Lawmakers expand investigation into health insurance rate hikes - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-insure3-2010mar03,0,6015413.story

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has summoned the chiefs of WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group, Humana and Aetna to testify about denying claims for policyholders with preexisting conditions.


President Obama looking for up-or-down vote - Politico
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33810.html

Republicans rebuffed President Barack Obama’s eleventh-hour bid for bipartisan support on health reform Tuesday, guaranteeing that the White House must resort to a fast-track maneuver to finish the bill.


Obama Offers to Use Some G.O.P. Health Proposals - New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/health/policy/03health.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

President Obama offered Tuesday to address some of the concerns expressed by Republicans in the health care debate as the two parties maneuvered for advantage heading into the legislative end game.


Sen. Hatch Gets It Wrong On Reconciliation - Media Matters
http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/201003020001

On March 2, 2010, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) penned a misleading op-ed in the Washington Post repeating false Republican claims about the budget reconciliation process.  Contrary to his assertions, health care reform has already passed the Senate through a 60 vote majority.  Democrats are considering using reconciliation to fix budgetary and taxation issues contained in the underlying bill, which is the exact purpose for which the reconciliation process was created.


Obama won’t have piecemeal approach - The Hill
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/84625-president-obama-wont-have-piecemeal-approach

President Barack Obama on Wednesday will seek to end the confusion that has enveloped the Democrats’ effort to reform the nation’s healthcare system.

Brian Rothgery

Organizing Director 

Citizen Action of Wisconsin

*(608) 219 - 2064 (*new primary #)

www.citizenactionwi.org

(414) 476 - 4501 (Citizen Action ofc.)