Subject: [big campaign] FW: Conservative Obstructionists Not Serious About Health Reform; New Savings Show We Can Afford Reform
From: "Adam Jentleson (CAPAF)" <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]'" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2009 15:32:10 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

FYI -- some pushback on obstruction, savings and attacks on mandates.

________________________________
From: Progressive Media [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 2:56 PM
To: Adam Jentleson
Subject: Conservative Obstructionists Not Serious About Health Reform; New Savings Show We Can Afford Reform

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A PROJECT OF CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS ACTION FUND<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=216&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> AND MEDIA MATTERS ACTION<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=19774&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>

July 8, 2009
MARKUPDATE

CONSERVATIVE OBSTRUCTIONISTS ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT REFORM.

 *   Despite the fact that:

    *   The average family's medical costs are projected to reach $18,000 next year and rise to $36,000 by 2020<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23943&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> if we don't reform our system now;
    *   The average family premium already costs $1,100 more<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=21760&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> because our system fails to cover everyone; and
    *   The U.S. economy is losing up to $248 billion every year<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23944&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> because of productivity losses due to the uninsured...

...Conservative obstructionists are still not serious about reforming our broken health care system - to rein in the costs that are crushing families and businesses, and exploding our deficit.

 *   Rather than pursuing thoughtful reform in good faith, conservatives on the HELP Committee are obstructing and delaying the legislative process by introducing about 350 obstructionist amendments - including provisions to maintain the broken system, "remove empowerment" of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and protect insurance company profits by eliminating the public plan. [Coburn 310, Hatch 216, Hatch 222, Burr 201, and Coburn 208]

 *   This is on top of the over 400 amendments<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23214&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> they introduced in June, which included two separate amendments to create a program that would force doctors to start spying on each other [Coburn 11<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=22929&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>, 87<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=22929&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>].

 *   These are not serious efforts to get the reform that families need. Senator Dodd has already accepted nearly 90 Republican amendments, showing a commitment to a thoughtful, deliberative and bipartisan process - but most of the amendments being offered now are advancing the cause of obstruction, not reform.

 *   The conservative obstructionists on the HELP committee appear to be following the example of their colleague Sen. Grassley, who recently said, "I take pride in being an obstructionist"<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23945&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> and told a constituent to "go work for the federal government" if he wanted better health care<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23946&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>.

 *   All this obstruction begs the question - what is conservatives' plan to rein in the health care costs that are crushing our families and businesses, and exploding our deficit?

Today's Announcement Of $155 Billion In Savings From Hospitals Alone Is More Evidence That We Can Afford Reform.

 *   The $155 billion in savings<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23947&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> announced today are real - in fact, we can save up to $600 billion in ten years through modernization<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23948&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> efforts like these, and $9 trillion over the next 25 years.

 *   Overall, we can save up to $1.2 trillion through a combination of smart reforms<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23949&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>: traditional savings in public programs achieved by reducing or eliminating spending generally recognized as excessive relative to costs; generating additional revenues from within or outside of the health system; and achieving savings that come from modernizing the delivery of health care.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY LOWERS COSTS - WAL-MART AGREES.

 *   Conservatives are hurling disingenuous attacks alleging that provisions to expand coverage through shared responsibility represent a "new tax" - when in fact these measures are a critical part of a larger strategy to lower health care costs<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23951&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>.

 *   Health care reform would expand coverage<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23951&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE> through shared responsibility - and when more people are covered, we can take more effective measures to lower costs. Right now the average family premium costs $1,100 more because our system fails to cover everyone<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=21760&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>.

 *   Don't take it from us - Wal-Mart expressed the view that mandates will lower costs when it endorsed the idea of an employer mandate last week<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23726&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>:

    *   Wal-Mart: Insuring More People Through Mandates "Essential" To Bringing Down Costs. Wal-Mart spokesperson David Tovar: "An essential goal of health-care reform is to insure as many of the uninsured as possible and to bring the cost of health care down...We think a broad-based employer mandate is essential to both those goals." [Bloomberg, 6/30/09<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23727&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>]

    *   Wal-Mart CEO: "Health Care Costs More Because We Don't Cover Everyone." In a letter to President Obama and Congressional leaders, Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke stated, "Today, health care costs more because we don't cover everyone - the average family premium costs an additional $1,100 because our system fails to provide continuous coverage for all Americans. And losing coverage pushes people already dealing with financial hardship to the verge of financial collapse. One accident or unexpected illness can financially ruin them. In 2008, half of all people filing for home foreclosure cited medical problems as a cause. [Letter to President Obama, 6/30/09<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23605&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>]

    *   Wal-Mart CEO: Health Care Reform Including Mandates Necessary "To Remove The Burden That Is Crushing America's Businesses And Hampering Our Competitiveness In The Global Economy." In a letter to President Obama and Congressional leaders, Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke stated, "reforming health care is necessary not just to improve the health of all Americans, but also to remove the burden that is crushing America's businesses and hampering our competitiveness in the global economy." [Letter to President Obama, 6/30/09<http://app.mx3.americanprogressaction.org/e/er.aspx?s=785&lid=23605&elq=330B2B76E6A748608B6FC4EBD9F7D8BE>]

For more information, contact:
Adam Jentleson, 202.682.1611
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>

Center for American Progress Action Fund | 1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor | Washington, DC 20005

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