New TV Ads Defend Members of Congress Under Fire From the Special Interests

“Not Happy”

Ad Back-Up

Americans United For Change

TV  (:30)

SCRIPT

FACTS

ANNCR:  The insurance lobbyists weren’t happy when

Congressman X voted for health insurance reform.

VIDEO: lobbyists planning in a corporate conference room.

CG: Insurance lobbyists weren’t happy when Congressman X voted for health insurance reform.

House Vote 887 - H.R.3962: On Passage Affordable Health Care for America Act, 11/7/09

The Health Insurance Industry Is Throwing Its Weight Around in Congress…“The insurance sector and health maintenance organizations spent more than $116 million on lobbying in the first six months of this year, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.” [CBSnews.com, 10/14/09]

…And Not in Favor of Reform. America’s Health Insurance Plans released this statement after the House passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act: “ The current House legislation fails to bend the health care cost curve and breaks the promise that those who like their current coverage can keep it…This bill imposes inflexible mandates before getting everyone covered and new regulations that duplicate what is already in place at the state level.” [AHIP statement, 11/7/09]

ANNCR:  No wonder he/she is being attacked with TV ads. 

VIDEO: TV screen(s) with attack ads in them

CG:TV attack ad(s)

“TV ads on health care battle top $100 million.” [AP, 10/29/09]

“Looking to build pressure on moderate Democrats, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says it will begin airing new TV ads in seven states and on national cable television attacking the emerging legislation, including a government-run insurance option.” [AP, 10/27/09]

“The 60 Plus Association, a conservative seniors group whose national spokesman is Pat Boone, is launching a $1.5 million ad campaign targeting 15 Democratic House members who voted for the health-care legislation that passed on Saturday.” [MSNBC.com, 11/12/09]

ANNCR: Insurance companies know the reform bill would stop

them from raising premiums and stop them from denying coverage when you’re sick.

CG: Stop skyrocketing premiums

No more denying coverage.

The House Health Care bill forces insurers to justify why they’re raising premiums. “…health insurance issuers to submit a justification for any premium increase prior to implementation of the increase. Such issuers shall prominently post such information on their websites.

The Secretary shall ensure the public disclosure of information on such increases and justifications for all health insurance issuers.” [Dingell Amendment, HR 3962, Section 104]

Premiums prices continue to soar without competition:

• “Commercial health insurance premiums have risen four times faster than wages and have more than doubled in the last nine years. Shrinking competition among health insurance companies is a major cause of these spiraling costs… The American Medical Association reports that 94 percent of insurance markets in the United States are now highly concentrated.” [“Premiums Soaring in Consolidated Health Insurance Market,” Health Care for American Now, 5/09]
• “Lack of competition has led to growing insurer profits, increased costs and reduced coverage for enrollees, an epidemic of deceptive and fraudulent conduct, and rapidly escalating costs. More than 46 million Americans are now uninsured, and premiums have grown 130 percent over the last 10 years.” [“Insurance Market Concentration Creates Fewer Choices,” Center for American Progress, 11/5/09]

The presence of the public option and the removal of the anti-trust exemption increases competition. “Insurers are not happy that the bill includes a "public option," a government-run plan that would be funded through an increased payroll tax for those who choose it. The public option would compete with private options in a regulated insurance exchange. Insurers say the public option will disrupt the healthcare market and could force some companies out of business. The bill also ends insurers' exemption from antitrust laws that prohibit price-fixing, another element that they say could drive up costs.” [LA Times, 11/1/09]

The public option in the Affordable Health Care for America Act creates competition in the health care marketplace. “Fortunately, our nation’s health insurance market can be fixed with a big dose of what fixes most sectors of our economy—healthy, well-supervised competition. One of the best ways to introduce this much-needed competition is for the federal government to offer a public health insurance plan that can compete with private insurers within an insurance “exchange” that ensures public and private health insurance plans compete equally and transparently in the public marketplace.” [“A Public Health Insurance Plan that Delivers Market Discipline,” Center for American Progress, 3/25/09]

Additionally, the House Bill would decrease premiums. “Jonathan Gruber, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, told reporters that his analysis of the House bill and CBO estimate suggests that families buying insurance on the non-group market would save $1,260 a year and individuals $470. Subsidies for low-income consumers would provide “better benefits at a lower price,” Gruber said.” Additionally, according to Gruber, “as of now, the most authoritative objective voice in this debate suggests that reform will significantly reduce, not increase, non-group premiums.” [Bloomberg, 11/3/09; Ezra Klein, Washington Post, 11/3/09]

The House Bill Prohibits Rescissions. “A federal law passed in 1996 bans rescission except in cases of fraud. But the law goes unenforced because there's no regulation at the federal level and nearly all states have much weaker laws on rescission, says Pollitz. The commerce-committee investigation found that just four states tracked rescissions. More than one third of state commissioners couldn't supply the committee with a complete list of insurers that offered individual health policies in their state. H.R. 3200, the current house version of the health-care bill, clarifies the ban and creates a new office and commissioner for federal enforcement.” [Jeremy Herb, Newsweek, 9/1/09]

ANNCR:  And the reform bill will strengthen Medicare,

that’s why it’s endorsed by the AARP.

CG: Reform will strengthen Medicare

Endorsed by with AARP logo.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “The Medicare provisions in the House health reform legislation would both strengthen Medicare’s financial footing and benefit most of the more-than-40 million seniors and people with disabilities whom Medicare covers. For example, the bill would do the following:

• Eliminate the “doughnut hole” in the Medicare drug benefit over time.
• Expand access to preventive care services for Medicare beneficiaries.
• Expand eligibility and increase participation in programs that assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries with their premiums and cost-sharing.
• Create incentives for health care providers to improve the quality of care they furnish to Medicare beneficiaries.
• Make Medicare more efficient by modifying payment rates in order to lower costs while maintaining beneficiary access to the providers that care for them.
  [“House Health Reform Bill Would Strengthen Medicare,” CBPP, 11/2/09]

AARP, "AARP Endorses Affordable Health Care for America Act." http://www.aarp.org/health/insurance/hcr_event/

ANNCR: Call Congressman X, tell him not to back down… tell

him to keep fighting for us.

CG: Call Congressman X

Thank Congressman X for fighting for us.  202-225-3121.

Paid for by Americans United for Change.