Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL): "If you think it's a socialist plot and it's wrong, for God's sake drop out of the federal employee health benefits program." (Regarding health insurance reform)
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) "A lot of people with catastrophic health care are the best consumers of health care." (Talking around the issue of health insurance reform)
President Obama: "Can America do what every other advanced country in the world has done?" [Give health insurance to all its citizens]
Yesterday's health reform summit at Blair House included much banter. If it wasn't clear before, it was clear yesterday that Republican Members of Congress agree on one thing: it's time to "scrap" the health reform legislation and "start over." Considering they've been trying to squelch health reform since the very beginning, starting over seems a truly futile endeavor.
President Obama defended his Administration’s own health plan which was released Monday. The plan contains several major steps toward improving the well-being of current and future retirees.
Obama’s plan addresses millions of seniors who are struggling to afford to see a doctor or get a prescription filled. Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs are on their way to eating up more than one-third of a retiree’s Social Security benefits, if they do not already. For retirees, continued inaction would truly be devastating.
The Alliance continues to receive letters and emails decrying the difficulty of being in the 'donut hole,' skyrocketing Rx drug costs and premiums. Recent messages include:
- "I'm just an old man trying ot get by. Please close the donut hole. This would help us old people."
- "Paying 672.00 monthly [in the donut hole] is very difficult after receiving just 542.00 dollars my wife receives from social security. In fact, the charge card calls to check if our card is lost or stolen when they get this bill."
- "I have friends and family members who could greatly benefit from this new health care reform. They will go to the doctor without hesitations for the health care they need."
Activists can follow up on the summit by doing 3 things:
| 1) Contact your U.S. House member and two Senators by calling 202-224-3121. Tell them that President Obama's proposal would close the "doughnut hole" coverage gap in Medicare Part D; finally end the $3.60 per month every senior pays in higher premiums to subsidize the big insurance corporations that run Medicare Advantage; and make long-term care more affordable for middle-class families. 2) Write a letter to the editor of your local paper reiterating the need for reform. You may find it helpful to use the language at http://bit.ly/8YMsgI as a guide; and 3) Share Alliance materials like the comparison chart above and the fact sheet at http://bit.ly/a1qtC8 with your friends and neighbors. |
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