Subject: [big campaign] Top 10 Reasons YOU LOSE When Insurance Companies Win
From: Adam Jentleson <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]'" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:50:32 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

In light of President Obama's appearance on Letterman tonight, here's our take on the top 10 reasons hard-working Americans lose when insurance companies win.

Top Ten Reasons Why YOU LOSE When Insurance Companies Win

10.     YOU could be one of the 14,000 Americans who lose their coverage every day<http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2009/02/health_in_crisis.htmlhttp:/www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2009/02/health_in_crisis.html> - while insurance company CEOs rake in as much as $38 million<http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/12/best-boss-09_Ronald-A-Williams_NBHZ.html> a year.

9.      YOUR employer could drop coverage<http://ehbs.kff.org/> because their costs are projected to rise over 166 percent<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/15/AR2009091501175.html> in ten years without reform - which insurance companies are secretly organizing to kill<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/17/potter-charm-dirty-campaign/>.

8.      YOU could go bankrupt due to medical costs<http://pnhp.org/new_bankruptcy_study/Bankruptcy-2009.pdfhttp:/pnhp.org/new_bankruptcy_study/Bankruptcy-2009.pdf> even if you have insurance -insurance companies refuse to place a cap on the amount of money you can spend in the event of a serious illness, and 78 percent of people who filed for medical bankruptcy had insurance.  Insurance company executives act unaware<http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/09/18/insurers-bankruptcy/> of this crisis even as they take your premium payments year in and year out.

7.      YOU will continue to have little or no choice<http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/06/pdf/health_competitiveness.pdf> when it comes to health care -because one or two insurance companies have a stranglehold on the market in the vast majority of states, and the insurance industry is spending $2.5 million a month<http://www.campaignmoney.org/top_14_insurer_spenders> to keep it that way.

6.      YOU will continue to be swamped by unintelligible paperwork<http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/September/18/communications.aspx> - with 77 percent of Americans unable to understand health insurance terms, and insurance companies free to use mistakes on your enrollment forms<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/07/AR2009090702455_pf.html> as reasons to cancel coverage.

5.      If you're a woman, YOU will continue to pay 48 percent more than men for the same coverage<http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/08/22/competition_lacking_among_private_health_insurers/> on the individual market - because insurance companies deem women more expensive to insure and are free to charge practically whatever they want to preserve their profits at your expense.

4.      If you're older, YOU could be forced to pay 11 times more for coverage<http://www.newamerica.net/blog/new-health-dialogue/2009/health-reform-phasing-out-age-rating-14315> - because insurance companies have wide leeway to discriminate against you based on your age.

3.      YOU could be denied coverage for a "pre-existing condition"<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091803501.html?referrer=digg> - which could be anything from acne to hay fever to pregnancy, because insurance companies are free to deny coverage to anyone for practically any reason to preserve their profits.

2.      YOU could see your coverage cancelled when you get sick<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/07/AR2009090702455_pf.html> - because once you file a claim, insurance companies are free to scour your records and find even the flimsiest reason to cancel your coverage - like a typo on your enrollment form, a condition you didn't even know you had, or a condition your spouse has.  Three insurance companies alone cancelled 20,000 policies over a five year period to protect their bottom line at their policyholders' expense.

...And the number one reason why YOU LOSE when insurance companies win:

1.      Without reform, YOU will be at the mercy of insurance companies<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/07/AR2009090702455_pf.html> - because they will continue implementing their abusive practices and raking in huge profits while your costs rise to as much as one-third of your family's income<http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/09/family_health_spending.html>.

-----
Adam Jentleson
Communications Director, Progressive Media
Center for American Progress Action Fund
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>
ajentleson (AIM)
202-247-8614 (cell)

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