Seniors Lead Fight Against Health Care Repeal

As Republicans Try to Repeal Health Care Law, New Benefits for Seniors Kick In

House Republicans are wasting no time trying to repeal health care reform. The new Congress convened last Wednesday, and the House Rules Committee met on Thursday to report a rule to repeal the health care law. The full House voted Friday, 236-181, largely along party lines, to move ahead to next week's final vote, which is scheduled for Wednesday, January 12.  Due to the attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, that vote has been moved to next week.

The plan to repeal the health care reform law would increase the deficit by $230 billion by 2021, according to a preliminary analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. Because of the law, many important, positive changes to Medicare - such as free preventive screenings - went into effect on January 1. Those benefits, as well as a 50% discount for brand name drugs and 7% off generics for beneficiaries in the Part D doughnut hole, would disappear if the repeal were to become law. The doughnut hole is set to close entirely by 2020, but a repeal would change that. In addition, subsidies for early retiree health care would disappear. The 2010 law also extends the solvency of Medicare by 12 years. To see the Alliance for Retired Americans fact sheet on 2011 Medicare changes, go HERE

It is expected that nearly all or all House Republicans will vote for the repeal legislation, H.R. 2, next week. However, Senate Democrats and grassroots organizations are pushing back. On Monday, the Senate Democratic Leadership – Sens. Harry Reid (NV), Dick Durbin (IL), Patty Murray (WA), Charles Schumer (NY) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) - wrote then soon-to-be Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and told him that repeal of health care reform will not occur in the Senate.

The five Senate Democratic leaders asked the Ohio Republican in the letter to preserve the health care law or risk leaving seniors without expanded insurance coverage for prescription drugs that the law provides. In addition, the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, a coalition of 65 senior organizations, including the Alliance, sent a letter to all members of the House on Wednesday night urging a vote against repeal; to view that, go HERE.

 “Repeal would hurt retirees immediately,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance for Retired Americans. “It would be a giant step backwards given all of the problems that were addressed by the 2010 health reform law.”

-30-

Big Changes For Medicare Beneficiaries

Medicare beneficiaries to benefit from changes implemented this year:

Drug makers will provide a 50% discount on brand-name drugs and the government will provide a 7% discount on generics for consumers in the gap (Donut Hole).  Each year, the discounts will increase until the consumer's share of costs while in the gap is 25% for both name-brand and generic drugs.

The elimination of deductibles and coinsurance for preventative services, as recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Coverage of annual wellness visit and personalized prevention plan at no charge.

Provides 10 % bonuses payments to primary care doctors working in areas with physician shortages.

Creates a CMS Innovation Center that will explore effective ways to create efficient payment systems that are patient-centered, and that preserve and provide incentive for high-quality care.

Reduces market basket updates for providers, beginning this year.  This stabilizes payments to the various Medicare providers, reducing changes and uncertainty regarding their payments for services from Medicare.

Prohibits private "Medicare Advantage" plans from charging enrollees more than Original Medicare for certain medical services, including chemotherapy administration and skilled nursing care.

Freezes "Medicare Advantage" plans payment rates to 2010 levels.  The intent is to reduce government subsidies to insurance companies by phasing in annual reforms intended to better match coverage costs in the private Medicare insurance market to those in the Original Medicare program.

Allows Medicare Advantage enrollees to switch to Original Medicare during the first 45 days of the new year.

Freezes inflation indexing for Medicare-related Part-B premiums for people with high incomes.

Raises drug plan premiums for individuals earning over $85, 000 and couples earning over $170,000.

Creates a new voluntary national insurance program for long-term care services (Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Program, financed through voluntary payroll deductions.  After five years of contributions one would be invested in the plan with an average lifetime benefit of $50.00 a day, depending on the needs of the person.

60-Plus, Just Another Right Wing Front

Back in the day, the 50s to be precise, Pat Boone was a white-bread singer of moderate talent whose primary appeal was to young republicans and the parents of the kids hopping and bopping, and jamming, and necking and petting, to Elvis, Bill Haley, Jerry Lewis, and Little Richard.  He was a punk then, and so remains to this minute.  I'd break my collection of his 45s, if I'd ever bought tone--I didn't!

The thing about Boone then was that he "covered" a lot of black and true rock-and-roll singers, such as turning Fats Domino's smarmy, throbbing promise of sex, make-out version of Blue Berry Hill into a innocuously pukish ballad.  The thing about Boone now, other than his insane need to appear as a teenager to this day --right daddy-o?--is that in addition to claiming to be the founder of the Beverly Hills chapter of the so-called Tea Party, he fronts the insurance and drug industry funded 60-Plus organization in its attempt to roll back health care reform.

If Boone had gone to my high-school he would have been on the wedgie-a-day list, and locked in hall lockers, or tossed pantless into the girls showers at weekly intervals.  I'm tellin' you, he was a simpering no talent punk who managed to ride "mellow" to a fortune.  That, and his born-again personae got him to where he is now.

Why so much rancor aimed at a no talent has-been--who never really was?  Why?

Well, if pandering and pimping the Tea-Party is not sufficient, consider the 60-Plus organization.  Boone, as their paid shill and mouthpiece, has been heard to utter these outrageous words; "Barack Obama is a president without a country, water boarding America with socialistic health care and other liberal causes".  Beyond that, according to Jon Perr, writing in Crooks and Liars, Boone has called for the "metaphorical gassing" of "all manner of parasites, vermin, roaches, rats, worms and termites" in Obama's White House team.  This punk Boone made his fortune by "covering" black artists and now uses code words to describe the President and White House as resembling a stereotypical "project".  The connotation is clearly racist!

But, Boone is merely a stooge, a life size cutout to prop in front of gullible seniors who were conned or frightened into believing the drug oligarch's and insurance tsar's lies about death panels and loss of Medicare during the health care reform debate.  Now, the conning continues as the group targets pro-health care reform candidates in Arizona, Florida, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.  These are all states with large senior populations and 60 Plus is flooding the airwaves with their lies and distortions once again in an attempt to frighten unwary seniors.

In past years, 60 Plus was the beneficiary of boucoups big bucks from PhRMa, the drug company's lobby group. Correspondingly, while claiming to be a "grassroots" organization, it receives absolutely no money from membership fees--such phony "grassroots' organizations are called AstroTurf by the informed.

When you stir all this in with the news yesterday posted by the LA Times that the drug and insurance companies are pouring money into Republican campaign coffers (3 times as much as given to Democrats) it is very clear that they are dead set on revision or roll back of our hard fought and narrowly won health care reform victory.

Pat Boone, who poses as a "Christian", seems not to care that if 60 Plus and the drug and insurance companies win, we will go back to allowing insurance companies to deny coverage to sick children, or older people with pre-existing conditions, or cancellation when the policy is really used.  Well, after all, a no-talent punk has to make a buck somehow and it's a cinch he isn't going to make it from record sales or movie residuals.

"60 Plus" TV Ads Lie and Scare Seniors

FLASH: Alliance for Retired Americans, Washington D. C.

A pharmaceutical industry front group that battled the new health care reform law with scare tactics is using the same techniques in more than a dozen congressional races to try to elect Republicans who have vowed to repeal health care reform. The 60 Plus Association has, according to the Federal Election Commission, spent $5,516,241 on independent campaigning so far this year, with 100 percent benefiting Republican candidates. 

Click on HERE for The Washington Post's race-by-race breakdown of the spending. 

According to the Center for Media and Democracy, 60 Plus, which claims it is a "nonpartisan senior advocacy group," really operates counter to seniors' best interests by staking out positions that explicitly favor the pharmaceutical industry. Their ads are running in Arizona, Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - states with a high percentage of seniors.

"With a drug-money-fueled war chest, they are likely to pop up elsewhere," according to the AFL-CIO blog. In Pennsylvania, for example, the ad attacks Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D), claiming that Kanjorski's vote on health care reform legislation threatened Medicare payments to seniors, when, in fact, the new health reform law does not cut Medicare. The new law actually takes money away from the big corporations who were receiving millions in taxpayer subsidies and instead puts that money back into the Medicare Trust Fund to strengthen Medicare for current and future retirees. To learn more, go to HERE.

Health Care Reform - Big Gains For Seniors

Officially it's called The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but most of us just call it the Health Care Reform Bill--that is unless you're a right-wing nutter, then you stupidly call it "Obamacare".

Regardless of what it is called, it has many, many very positive changes for seniors.

 Let's start with the the "Doughnut Hole".  Starting this year (2010) it provides for a $250 rebate to seniors falling in the doughnut hole. In 2011 it will provide a 50% discount on name-brand drugs and initiate a government subsidy for generic drugs (7% in 2011).  In 2013 there will phase in a 2.5% subsidy for name-brand drugs and by 2020, the doughnut hole will be entirely eliminated.

Free Preventative Services & Improved Care commence in 2011.  Starting next year seniors will receive FREE annual checkups.  And all co-pays and deductibles are eliminated for mammograms, colonoscopies and other critical preventative screenings.


Elder Justice Act & Nursing Home Transparency.  Nursing homes and home-care companies receiving federal money will have to conduct pre-employment background checks on job applicants.  They will also be required to disclose all owners, operators, suppliers, financiers and others with whom they do business.  Complaint procedures will be simplified and $500-million will be earmarked for: Adult Protective Services, A Long-Term Ombudsman Program and Staff Training.


Reins In Medicare Advantage Plans.  It begins in 2011 a phase out of the 14% overpayment to Medicare Advantage plans and requires such plans to spend at least 85% of premiums on patient care, instead of profits.  Such plans can no longer charge higher deductible than original Medicare.


Improves Auditing For Medicare Fraud and Abuse. From streamlining prepayment reviews to increased funding for the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Fund the new bill puts in place stronger reviews and controls.  It also puts into place strong new requirements for community mental health centers that provide Medicare partial hospitalization services. 

Other exciting changes include emphasis on community-based health care and new provisions enabling seniors to age "in place" rather being forced into demoralizing and dehumanizing "Nursing Homes".

These improvements and additions to Medicare, along with other provisions of the bill promises to extend the solvency of Medicare by at least 12 additional years.

All in all, seniors should be proud of what they've obtained in the health care reform process and they should be prepared to tell the insurance and drug company owned Republicans to "take a chill pill and call back if the condition worsens!"

Seniors Gouged By Hospitals Hiding From Medicare Auditors

"Under Observation" - Surprise Hospital Bills Hit Seniors!

An unintended glitch in Medicare rule is hitting a growing number of seniors with thousands of dollars with non-reimbursed hospital bills, according to a recent article in Bloomberg Business Week.

Medicare expanded a pilot program in December 2008 aimed at conducting audits to cut fraud.  Since then, the number of patients nationally who placed in long-term observation has increased and therein lies the problem. Under Medicare rules, patients who are listed "under observation" face 20% co-payments that they would not if actually admitted to the hospital.  Furthermore, expensive aftercare is not covered at all!


The "under observation" classification was to be designed when there is not an immediate diagnosis, or if it is determined the condition is not normally treated under "inpatient" care.

The problem is that hospitals are extending the the use of the "under observation status" in order to hide behind it so that Medicare auditors will not challenge them on patient admissions when cases lie between inpatient and outpatient.

Barbara Easterling, president of the 4-million grassroots senior activist organization, Alliance for Retired Americans is calling on Congress to clean up the problem.  "In the past, hospitals and physicians were on their honor, but no more" she said.  "Congress needs to make it clear that anyone who is in a hospital for 24 hours or more is considered an inpatient.

Click HERE to read more.about this critical problem.

Humana Crab Walks On Health Care Debate Lies!

Humana Now Back-Tracking On Its Health Care Reform Lies

Can you remember as far back as the run up to health care reform vote?

I ask this with just a certain amount of sarcasm, as I'm noticing that so many of my fellow Americans seem to suffer from both short and long term memory dysfunction.  For example, why are people ragging on Obama for getting us into the life-sucking quicksand of Afghanistan's history when it was Bush who took us there, then dallied while exploiting the oil-rich potential of Iraq with a war of invasion and occupation?

OK! I am digressing.  But do you remember what all the Medicare dis-Advantage lobbyists were spending millions of dollars to say to you?  Didn't it go something like this, "If Obama-care passes you'll lose your Medicare benefits".  Or something along those lines, right?  Oh yeah, and death panels, don't forget those damned old death panels.

Well, one of my sources has today provided me with a letter from SecureHorizons, the Medicare "Advantage" plan of healthcare insurance giant, Humana.

 "Your existing plan is not changing".  Well lordy me, Obama-care did not wipe out Medicare after all. And to my certain knowledge, there are no death panels being formed.

There is only one reason people (and giant insurance companies) lie.  That is to hide the truth!  The only reason this letter war necessary was to clean up from the lies Humana used to scare the living hell out of retirees and seniors---now they're having to back track.  It would be hilarious were it not so ludicrously tragic!

Long Term Care in New Health Law - Part Two

Part Two: State Incentives and the CLASS Act

Yesterday we wrote of the coming changes to Medicare and Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which will act to further a transition from institutional to "community-based" and "at home" health care for the disabled and the elderly.  Today we examine some of the finer points of that change.

In 2005, the "money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration" program was created to help states transition individuals from institutions to the community.  The new health law extends this demonstration program--originally set to expire September 30, 2011--to 2015 and reduces the minimum nursing home residency requirement to 90-days, rather than 6-months.  In 2007, CMS awarded $1,435,709,479 in grants with states proposing to transition over 34,000 individuals out of institutional settings over the five-year demonstration period.  Thirty states and the District of Columbia were awarded grants.

The health reform law also provides an incentive for states to devote more Medicaid funding toward community-based services.  Currently, only 4 states spend more than 50% of their Medicaid dollars on HCBS.  Under the new health law, states spending less than 50% of Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS) dollars on HCBS may receive a higher federal match as an incentive ti increase their HCBS spending.  States spending less than 25% on HCBS as of 2009 must aim to reach 25% no later than October 1, 2015, while all other states must have targeted spending percentage of 50% by October 1, 2015.  CLICK HERE to learn more.

The new health law also enacts the Community Living Assistance Support Act (CLASS Act), which creates a national long-term care insurance program financed through voluntary payroll deductions that will provide cash benefits to enrollees who are unable to perform two or three activities of daily living (ADLs).  Teh program has a five year vesting period and would pay enrollees no less than $50 per day to be used to offset the cost of long-term are services, including covering things like home modifications or paying for home health care aides.  To participate, individuals must be 18 or over and actively working.  "Actively working" includes part time workers and is not based on the number of hours and individual works, but by meeting in one year the baseline Social Security earnings requirement for one quarter--which is currently around $1200.  This program should be online by October 1, 2012, but payouts will not begin until 2016.  For more information, CLICK HERE.

Health Care Reform - Understanding the Details

 HEALTH CARE REFORM -  MANY BENEFITS

Amazingly many older Americans remain confused and fearful about what health care reform means and how and when the changes will become effective.  Here, from the Kaiser Family Foundation, are some highlights to answer those questions:

1) By 2014 most people will be required to have health insurance.  Those not qualifying for hardship exemptions and decline to buy insurance will be assessed a penalty.

2) Those lacking access to health care will be able to get coverage through a health Insurance Exchange with subsidies guaranteeing affordability.  Small business owners will also have access to similar exchanges.  Each exchange must include at least two multi-state and one non-profit option.  Optional levels of coverage will be offered with premium subsidies for families at up to 400% of the poverty level (currently $88,000).

3) Employers with 51 or more employees can choose not to provide health insurance, however they will be assessed a penalty for each employee receiving subsidized insurance through an exchange.  No mandate requires employers to provide insurance!  But, those who decline will find that there is a cost attached to their decision.

4)  New regulations will prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions or for jacking up premiums based on gender or current or previous health status.

5) Medicaid will expand to 133 percent of the federal poverty level (currently $29,327) for a family of four.

6) Lifetime limits on health care coverage will be banned.  No longer will catastrophic illness, disease or accident mean bankruptcy!

7) Dependent adults will remain covered under their parent's policies up to age 26.

8) Seniors should know that there are no death panels and that such decisions will remain between patient, family, clergy of choice and health care professionals.

9) Older Americans will benefit from the bill's ending of over payment to Medicare Advantage plans,  phased elimination of the Part D "doughnut" hole,  elimination of co-payments for "wellness" and "preventative" treatments, and provisions providing support and assistance to those elders who choose to "age in place".

The Christian Science Monitor reports, "Buried within the ..health care reform law is a small provision that in years to come could have a major effect on the kinds of treatments that American patients receive.

This provision requires the federal government to set up... a “Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.” It sets aside $500 million in seed money for this new nonprofit organization, which is supposed to become a national guiding force for comparative effectiveness research.

Comparative effectiveness research takes a particular health problem, then pits different ways of treating that problem against one another, in an attempt to find which, if any, is a more effective way to maintain or restore patient health".

Meanwhile, as the question of cost was central to the debate, the Congressional Budget Office reports, "...the law will reduce the number of uninsured by 32 million people in 2019 and while the new health care legislation will tote a heft cost of $938 billion over ten years, the changes will act to reduce the deficit by $124 billion.

Like Health Care Reform - Thank A Nun!

Slightly under two weeks ago the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) issued a perspective report titled: The Real Pro-Life Stance --- Health Care Reform and Abortion Funding.

The author of the perspective, George J. Annas, J.D., M.P.H. sums up the recent abortion funding display in the health care reform circus in this way, "There is no politics like abortion politics, and there are political winners and losers in the abortion sideshow.  President Obama is the big winner: he got a bill passed when passage seemed unlikely, and he remained constant in his pledge that under his plan, "no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions".  Stupak's Political future will be decided in the fall election (this was written prior to Stupak's stunning decision not to seek reelection), but in the eyes of many, including me, he has gained political stature by agreeing to support health care reform without his amendment.  Political losers include Congressman, Joe Pitts (R-PA) and the fundamentalist Christian political leadership group known as the Family or the Fellowship, as well as the Catholic Bishops, all of whom insisted the that health reform should not be passed without inclusion of the Stupak-Pitts amendment."

But, let us recall that while the Bishops were pontificating against health care reform Catholic woman's orders (nuns) were in favor of the reform measures without the Stupak-Pitts amendment.  It requires no leap of faith to understand why...the majority work in the deliverance of health care (more than 1200 institutions and organizations nationwide) and understood the real issues and problems with a practical knowledge well beyond that of their superiors.

The religious orders were supported by the Catholic Health Association of the United States which came forth in support of reform without the Stupak-Pitts amendment during the most heated period of the run up to the final vote.  Quoting Annas, "the nuns noted that the bill will not provide taxpayer money for elective abortions.  It will uphold longstanding conscience protections, and it will make new investments...in support of pregnant women".
 
The stated intent of the Stupak-Pitts amendment was to prohibit the use of federal funds "to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion" except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother".


Critics of the amendment charged that its inclusion, would result in "women losing health benefits they have today. Simply put, the Stupak-Pitts amendment would restrict women’s access to abortion coverage in the private health insurance market, undermining the ability of women to purchase private health plans that cover abortion, even if they pay for most of the premiums with their own money. This amendment reaches much further than the Hyde Amendment, which has prohibited public funding of abortion in most instances since 1977."

On final passage, as we now know,  the amendment was ditched, which as the nuns put it, "This is the REAL pro-life stance, and we as Catholics are all for it" 

Damned Fool Republicans Keep On Helping Democrats

Shortly after Republican Scott Brown won the Massachusetts Senate seat made vacant by Ted Kennedy's death Republicans began basking in a self-anointed glory of self-ordained political ascendancy.

They were fools to do so then and they are now even more foolish to think that their continued attempts to head off or "repeal" health care reform will provide them the basis for recovering a majority in the House in Senate come this November.

Here's why that "Old dog won't hunt", and in fact won't even crawl out from under the porch to wag its tail.

Imagine a campaign wherein a Republican says; "We're going to go back to a system wherein children can be denied health insurance because of a preexisting condition". That ought to play well with soccer moms and NASCAR dads don't you think?

Or, "Hey small business operator, we're going to make it really tough on you by repealing your tax credits of up to 50% of your employee's health care premiums".

Or, "Listen up grandma and grandpa, we want to leave open that doughnut hole in your drug coverage that has you paying premiums but having no benefits." You have not seen anger until you've experienced that of a senior denied what they feel they've earned through a long and productive life!

Or, "We need to have pity on those poor Insurance companies and restore annual and lifetime caps on what they'll pay once you became ill or injured."

Or, "It makes sense to cut your coverage once you start to use it. If those insurance company margins come down to 25%, well hell, we might not get taken to lunch, on trips, or get memberships to exclusive country clubs. And that there would be bad, real, real b-a-a-a-d!"

Or, "You rural folks just need to move into the city if you want Medicare payment protection".

Now let's say that they managed to shivvy enough gullible folks into giving them the votes whereby they could actually leverage some sort of repeal legislation, do they really think President Obama would sign it?

So hell yes Republicans, keep it up! You think you got an ass-whipping in 2008, well, you ain't seen nothing yet.

219 & That's That!

219

You Damned Straight - We Did it!

Health Care Reform - Coming To The Wire!

*******************************************************
In Week of Health Care Developments,Thousands Gather to
Rally Against Insurers
*******************************************************

Tens of thousands of activists, seniors, union members, and

religious leaders protested against insurance company abuses on
Tuesday in front of the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., where
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) leaders were meeting.

The enthusiastic crowd chanted and brandished their signs,
demanding that Congress finish their health care reform fight.
Several Alliance for Retired American groups were among the
activists who turned out in full force.

The same day, Alliance members participated in a conference call
on health care with White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod.

On  Wednesday, President Barack Obama delivered a passionate,
campaign-style health care stump speech in St.Charles, Missouri,
just outside of St. Louis. Ten Alliance members attended that
event.

The next day, the Congressional Budget Office announced that the
Senate health care plan would cut the deficit by $118 billion
over a decade. Also on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid (D-NV) outlined in a letter to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
his plans to use reconciliation to make budget-related changes
to the health reform legislation passed by the Senate in December.

The procedure will allow the changes to pass with a simple
majority in the Senate, rather than a super-majority of 60 votes.
Reid noted in the letter that the bill reduces health care costs
and fills the prescription drug "donut hole" for seniors while
reducing the deficit. "We urge Congress to take the next step
and pass this legislation, for the benefit of all Americans,
especially seniors, who are feeling the brunt of health
insurance abuses," said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the
Alliance.

Three Things You Can Do to Advance Health Care Reform

**********************************************************
Response to President's Health Care Plan and Summit: Three
Things You Can Do
**********************************************************

In order to bridge the differences between the U.S. House and
Senate-passed health care bills - and continue to move reform
forward - President Obama unveiled his Administration's own
health plan on Monday. The plan contains several major steps
toward improving the well-being of current and future retirees.

"President Obama's plan recognizes the millions of seniors who
are struggling to afford to see a doctor or get a prescription
filled," said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the
Alliance for Retired Americans. "For retirees, continued
inaction would be devastating. Medicare premiums and
out-of-pocket costs would soon eat up more than one-third of
a retiree's Social Security benefits."

For the Alliance's comparison of Obama's health reform bill
with those passed by the U.S House and Senate, go HERE.

On Thursday, President Obama led a televised health care reform
summit, which focused on discussing ideas and grievances about
the proposed health care bill from both parties. White House
officials named 21 lawmakers the president wanted to attend the
summit: the top leaders in the House and Senate and of the
committees with jurisdiction over the health legislation. Obama
also invited the top four leaders to invite four more lawmakers
each, bringing the total to 37; 20 Democrats and 17 Republicans.

For a specific list of the attendees, go to ATTENDEES LIST.

As a follow-up to the summit, concerned senior activists are
encouraged to do 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 this
language Letter as a guide; and

3) Share Alliance materials like the comparison chart  and
the fact sheet with your friends and neighbors.

Further evidence of the need for reform came last Friday, with
the release of a study by a major consulting firm showing that
spiraling costs are a problem even for seniors with solid
insurance. The Avalere Health study found that premiums for
private Medicare Advantage plans offering medical and
prescription drug coverage jumped 14.2% on average for 2010.
Some 8.5 million seniors and disabled Americans who signed up
for the private plans will therefore be facing sharp premium
increases this year, following an increase of 5.2% last year.

Public Option - Very Much Alive

Hard-Hitting Progressive Representatives Tell Senate:
Use Reconciliation & House Will Pass It!

Armed with petitions signed by over 225,000 Americans from several progressive action groups, Freshman Representatives, Jared Polis (D-CO) and Alan Grayson (D-FL) delivered this message to Senator Harry Reid.

Health Care Reform - It's Not "Mother May I?"

WHY THE HOUSE VERSION IS BETTER & HOW TO GET IT PASSED

Let me set the record straight. Both the House and Senate versions of health care reform are positive steps in the right direction. However, one is reminded of the child's game of "Mother May I?", in that the House bill is a "giant step" while the Senate bill is a series of "baby steps", "side steps" and "back steps". The issue should be clearly understood, we're not playing a child's game!

Right up front, we find the house bill contains a "Public Option" and the Senate bill does not. That fact alone should be sufficient to give one pause---and it has. Last summer when the House bill was passed, the majority of Americans favored it and supported a "Public Option". After the Senate bill was voted through, the public became wary and suspicious and support plummeted despite the administration's nearly frenzied attempts to whip up "grassroots" support.

By eliminating the Public Option the Senate and administration have capitulated to the Insurance Tsars and Drug Moguls and put forth a piece of legislation that will insure that those vested interests have no real competition and become even more powerful and rich from our illnesses, health conditions, and accidents than they already have.

But, like a late-night TV huckster, the Senate says, "But that's not all..." and targeted older Americans with charges and costs much higher than would be allowed under the House bill. They also targeted union workers and retirees who negotiated away higher wages and "fringe benefits" in order to obtain better health care coverage. the unions manage to push back some of that, and therein lies a lesson for all of us...fight back and organize, educate and mobilize others to join you.

Under McCarran-Ferguson, Fortune 500 insurance companies enjoy antitrust exemptions which would be repealed under the House bill but not under the Senate version. If it were to be included in the final version the Feds could go after the Insurance Tsars for misleading or dishonest business practices.

Appalled yet? Well consider this. The House bill would provide coverage to 94 percent of the uninsured while the Senate bill will leave 6% of the uninsured----still uninsured!

Supporters of the Senate bill say pass it, any bill bill is better than no bill and we'll improve it as we go along. I strongly disagree. In any negotiation process what you get is what you're going to have...Medicare Part D is resounding proof of that!

So what's to be done. Quite simple really. The Senate has 59 Democrats, well sort of actually, and 41 Republicans. In the vernacular of the day, "Do the math". Surely they could muster a simple majority of 51 and Lieberman, Nelson, etc.. be damned!

With that majority, the Democrats could do what the public, unions, progressive organizations and most members of the house want: Pass extension of Medicare to 55-64 year-olds, close the Medicare donut hole, allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices and the Medicaid expansion which both houses have already approved. The more contentious items such as the Public option can be passed by a simple majority in the parliamentary process known as "reconciliation".

Of course, for this to happen, Democrats need to develop the will, and stop reaching for the tissues every time a Republican sneezes, and stop playing "Mother May I?"

-30-

The Top Ten Reason Progressives Oppose Senate Version of Health Care Refrom

PROGRESSIVES UNITE TO FIGHT SENATE BILL

1. Forces you to pay up to 8% of your income to private insurance corporations — whether you want to or not.
2. If you refuse to buy the insurance, you’ll have to pay penalties of up to 2% of your annual income to the IRS.
3. Many will be forced to buy poor-quality insurance they can’t afford to use, with $11,900 in annual out-of-pocket expenses over and above their annual premiums.
4. Massive restriction on a woman’s right to choose, designed to trigger a challenge to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court.
5. Paid for by taxes on the middle class insurance plan you have right now through your employer, causing them to cut back benefits and increase co-pays.
6. Many of the taxes to pay for the bill start now, but most Americans won’t see any benefits — like an end to discrimination against those with preexisting conditions — until 2014 when the program begins.
7. Allows insurance companies to charge people who are older 300% more than others.
8. Grants monopolies to drug companies that will keep generic versions of expensive bio-tech drugs from ever coming to market.
9. No re-importation of prescription drugs, which would save consumers $100 billion over 10 years.
10. The cost of medical care will continue to rise, and insurance premiums for a family of four will rise an average of $1,000 a year — meaning in 10 years, your family’s insurance premium will be $10,000 more annually than it is right now

Tomorrow: Why the House Version is better...and how to get it passed!

"Scum-Bag" Liberals Demand the Promised Change

When Mr. Obama was elected as President of the United States he included in his victory speech these words: "This victory alone is not the change we seek--it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen without you."

On these lofty words, he began his administration with the support and the goodwill of the majority of America and with as favorable a legislative balance as any Democrat has had in many, many years. We liberals (and progressives, as I really see no distinction) were hopeful and confident that change would come about. That a real jobs program would be created to offset the tragically high rate of unemployment, that small and medium sized businesses would find support rather than rhetoric, that we would ratchet down our military presence in the Muslim world, and that we would see true regulation and restraint placed on Wall Street, its bankers and financiers and that there would be meaningful home-ownership relief to forestall, prevent or even end the horrendous rate of foreclosure. Those were some of our liberal hopes.

But most of all we dreamed of health care reform that would insure that never again would any American die, remain sick or crippled, or left bankrupt and in poverty because of lack of access to quality, affordable health care. We thought that at last we had a President and Congress who would do those things.

Now our dismay has turned to outright anger as we saw all that squandered on the naive altar of bipartisan negotiation and cooperation as though goodwill would be sufficient to get the monied interests and their legislative lackeys to do the right thing. We're angry because it is still business as usual, we're angry because the Senate version of health care reform does not do a damned thing to effect real change and that the administration through its grassroots campaign organization, "Organizing for America" is touting that the Senate bill is the best we can get.

Now, that is fine. That is politics. But, when a major regional figure in O. F. A. has the effrontery and gall to characterize a sitting Democratic Congressman as a "scum-bag" because he will not go along with the administration's marching orders, I think that perhaps it is time for people to take a deep breath and ask themselves if the promised change has happened, is happening, or looks likely to happen. And if one's answer is no, where do we turn to bring about the change we so urgently need to restore and insure the survival of an American middle class.

At least that is what this particular "scum-bag" liberal, who adamantly opposes the Senate version of health care reform, is thinking

Here We Go Again - Aqui Nos Vamos Novamente

Yesterday the Democrats of Massachusetts failed to hold on to the seat held by Ted Kennedy through a combination of things, which are being well belabored by the pundits and do not require any additional commentary from me. Mainly because they are all utterly wrong.

Turncoat Joe Lieberman suggests that Democrats should move to the center....Joe, the center is not the center, it is the not quite so moderate wing of the Republican party with garbage truck loads of "independents" who are for the most part; uninformed, uninvolved and uneducated.

Turncoat Joe is joined by many national commentators who say that the Democrats lost the Senate seat because the Congress is "too far to the left". Here we go again...

Heart breaking rendition of an old country standard. Here we go again.... A bit off topic and gratuitous, maybe..but it reinforces my point--In politics as in love, we sometimes repeat the same stupid action over-and-over expecting different results while deep down knowing that we're heading into disillusionment and pain.

Turncoat Joe Lieberman is dead wrong and the pundits are dead wrong. The Democrats got shellacked, not because they're doing too much, but, rather because they're doing too little. Democrats do not need to act like Republicans to win!

Exit polls by Research 2000 found that even Scott Brown voters want the Democrats "to be bolder and they want health care reform that includes a public option". And six to one, Obama voters in 2008 who stayed home yesterday agreed with 80% of all voters wanting a public option. Democrats failed to mobilize their base by attempting to be Republican Lite and are paying the price.

The Democrats have one chance to salvage health care reform and in so doing insure their future viability....no! not viability...their very future. They must listen to their progressive and liberal base and take strong action. They must invoke budget reconciliation in order to enact the major points of the House version of health care reform which will require a simple majority of 51 votes. Either that, or they will Be singing a really sad song come November 2010.

Senior's Groups Unite to Issue Health Care Demands

The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations has issued a strongly worded letter to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid iterating the key provisions of the two (House/Senate) health care reform bills which the senior's umbrella organization wants to see in the final version of the legislation:

* Closure of the Medicare Part D doughnut hole,
* Elimination of Medicare Advantage over-payments,
* CLASS program provisions,
* Nursing home transparency and improvement,
* Criminal background checks for employees of long-term care providers,
* Provisions to support and bolster the health care workforce,
* Improved care coordination services for chronic conditions, and
* A reinsurance fund for pre-Medicare eligible (55-64) retirees.

In the letter, LCAO Chairman, John Rother, strongly urges inclusion of provisions in the final bill which will address:

* Strong support for Home and Community-Based services (HCBS).
* The expansion of low-income subsidies in the Medicare program.
* Full inclusion of the Elder Justice Provisions from H.R. 3590 to prevent elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
* Deletion and exclusion of any and all age rating of insurance premiums in order that premiums are made affordable for everyone, regardless of age.
* Improve Medicare Part D by allowing real authority for negotiation of drug prices, outreach and assistance for Part D low-income drug programs, disease prevention and promotion of wellness.
* Simplify the annual beneficiary election period for Part D plans by extending the the option period to October 15 - December 7 of each year.

On Monday, President Obama heard from labor leaders of their deep concern and opposition to plans to help pay for reforms by placing taxes on top-end health care benefit plans. In many cases workers, through past negotiation, accepted those plans in lieu of wage increases or expansion or addition of other benefits. The initial concern was that this would affect only union workers and retirees, however, there is emerging a growing opposition to the tax notion from other affected non-union workers and retirees leaving the administration scrambling to lighten the blow while at the same time keeping its promise that health care reform would not add to the federal deficit.