There is no reason why a handful of Americans who will buy their insurance in the to-be-established health insurance exchange, cannot have a public option as one choice.
There are nine United States Senators who stand between us and the Murder by Spreadsheet for profit insurance industry.
Please call them.
And if you're not angry by now, if you, loved ones, family and friends have not trembled and suffered enough from the cruel and depraved corporate malfeasance of the American for profit insurance industry, then the next few stories of egregious insurer abuses will make you shake with rage.
And then, I have no doubt, you'll take action.
INSURER ATROCITY:
The insurer scam of the day. This new curve ball by insurers in Oregon, presupposes that Americans are eager to inflict on themselves major surgical procedures.
Insurers in Oregon will begin offering health policies which will cover routine care for things like diabetes, hypertension--relatively easy to treat and not terribly costly in the pantheon of expensive medical procedures.
But these same insurers think we're all running to get things like heart bypass, hysterectomies, and knee replacements, so these big ticket items will only be covered if the employee pays huge additional hefty fees. The insurers want to crack down on all those Americans who can't wait to get a heart stent, or a bypass operation, and wants to send a message to all those corrupt doctors performing the unnecessary bypass operations. I kid you not.
INSURER ATROCITY:
We all know about Anthem Blue Cross raising rates on individuals and small groups by 39% in California, so now there is some talk about a bill that would require health plans to submit their rate increases to government regulators before they take effect is gaining momentum in Congress.
Still not angry?
EGREGIOUS INSURER ATROCITY:
Meet Jeanne and Randal Wills.
They have to dig deeper and deeper into their pockets to pay their family health insurance premiums, which cost more than $3,000 a month now after going up 250 percent in six years. They can’t afford the policy, but they can’t afford to drop it.
The Tampa couple is trapped in an unaffordable insurance policy because it covers their 19-year-old daughter, who is in college. She has a serious digestive disease and has been through several surgeries.
"My goal is to provide continuous coverage for her at all costs, because if she goes one day without being covered by a major medical health plan, she runs the risk of having every cost related to her disease denied and left uncovered," Jeanne Wills said. "I can’t pass that on to my child."
They have appealed three times to Aetna to reduce their rates, but were denied. They complained to the Division of Financial Services, which operates a consumer help line. But the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation had approved the rates, saying they were justified by the expenses of the group. (Editor's note: An earlier version misidentified the agency.)
INSURER ATROCITY:
You think you work for a big corporation and you don't expect insurer atrocities, think again. Insurers are going to shift huge new costs onto employers, who in turn will pass them onto their beleaguered employees.
If you're overweight, you may be in big trouble.
Most big employers plan to shift a larger share of health-care costs to their workers next year, according to a survey to be released Thursday.
Many say they may charge more to cover spouses, tighten eligibility standards for their health plans and dispense financial rewards or penalties based on the results of certain lab tests. At some companies, employees who are overweight could be excluded from the most desirable plans.
INSURER ATROCITY:
Natoma Canfield is back in the hospital.
ALL EYES ARE ON THE SENATE HOLDOUTS:
These are the Senate hold outs. These are the representatives of the people standing between us and salvation from this murderous industry. The names in bold, are pretty much lost causes. That said, don't show them mercy. If you are a constituent, call the bastards anyway. These three are despicable corporate Democrats. These three side with their corporate sponsors, but the Red Sea parted for Moses, so keep up the pressure, even on these three. We'll take our votes from the devil. Note, Lieberman isn't even on the list. The rest, if pressured relentlessly by constituents, may sign on and agree to pass a public option as part of reconciliation.
Evan Bayh will get a high paying job (probably as an insurance lobbyist) in the private sector, let him do something for the people of Indiana. Indiana Residents, please call.
Millions of Americans are counting the days until they will get health care. This bill must pass, because, as a nation, we have a moral obligation to lift up the most vulnerable among us. Markos came out swinging the other night on Countdown against Dennis Kucinich, who seems almost gleeful about being the Ralph Nader of healthcare and killing the bill. Killing the bill is not the solution. Shame on you, Dennis Kucinich.
We must improve the bill and pass it. It will never be perfect, but we can make it better. We must end insurer atrocities against the American people. This what we all need to fight for, now, today, this minute.
President Obama said a public option will keep the Murder by Spreadsheet industry honest, he's right, we agree, so let's get a public option.
PLEASE CALL THESE SENATORS AND DEMAND THEY SIGN ON TO THE BENNET LETTER SUPPORTING A PUBLIC OPTION AS PART OF RECONCILIATION.
Sen. Max Baucus MT (202) 224-2651 (406) 329-3123
Sen. Evan Bayh IN (202) 224-5623 (317) 554-0750
Sen. Mark Begich AK (202) 224-3004 (907) 271-5915
Sen. Robert Byrd WV (202) 224-3954 (304) 342-5855
Sen. Thomas Carper DE (202) 224-2441 (302) 573-6291
Sen. Kent Conrad ND (202) 224-2043 (701) 258-4648
Sen. Kay Hagan NC (202) 224-6342 (336) 333-5311
Sen. Tom Harkin IA (202) 224-3254 (515) 284-4574
Sen. Herb Kohl WI (202) 224-5653 (414) 297-4451
Sen. Mary Landrieu LA (202) 224-5824 (225) 389-0395
Sen. Blanche Lincoln AR (202) 224-4843 (501) 375-2993
Sen. Claire McCaskill MO (202) 224-6154 (314) 367-1364
Sen. Ben Nelson NE (202) 224-6551 (402) 441-4600
Sen. Mark Pryor AR (202) 224-2353 (501) 324-6336
Sen. John Rockefeller WV (202) 224-6472 (304) 347-5372
Sen. Mark Warner VA (202) 224-2023 (804) 775-2314
Sen. Jim Webb VA (202) 224-4024 (804) 771-2221
AHIP, which pumps huge amounts of money into both Democratic and Republican campaign coffers is nothing but a huge lying machine, and must be brought to its knees. Here's their latest commercial which will be running across America soon.
It's a lie.
Tell my doctor who spends a half hour with me and gets reimbursed by my for-profit insurer, $21.00.
Tell the hospital where I recently had a one hour highly complex hearing test and my eyes nearly dropped to the floor when I saw my for-profit insurer paid them $55.00!
This is the civil rights struggle of our generation. It's not going away, if anything, our work becomes even more urgent the day after President Obama signs this legislation. Please help us continue this fight.
The funds donated to the Progressive Congress Action Fund, a 501(C)4 not for profit, will be used to advocate on behalf of the progressive agenda, to advance progressive legislation, and may include payments to individuals engaged in fund raising.
ANOTHER SENATE LIST COURTESY OF JP Massar
ALASKA Mark Begich
202-224-3004 email
907-271-5915, 907-456-0261, 907-586-7700
ARKANSAS Mark Pryor
202-224-2353 email
501-324-6336
ARKANSAS Blanche Lincoln
202-224-4843 email
501-375-2993, 870-382-1023, 870-910-6896, 479-251-1224
CONNECTICUT Joe Lieberman
202-224-4041 email
860.549.8463
DELAWARE Tom Carper
202-224-2441 email
302-573-6291, 302-674-3308, 302-856-7690
INDIANA Evan Bayh
202-224-5623 email
317-554-0750, 812-465-6500, 260-426-3151, 219-852-2763
IOWA Tom Harkin
202-224-3254 email
319-365-4504, 563-322-1338, 515-284-4574, 563-582-2130
LOUISIANA Mary Landrieu
202-224-5824 email
318-676-3085, 337-436-6650, 225-389-0395, 504-589-2427
MISSOURI Claire Mccaskill
202-224-6154 email
573-442-7130, 816-421-1639, 314-367-1364
MONTANA Max Baucus
202-224-2651 email
406-657-6790, 406-586-6104, 406-782-8700, 406-329-3123
NEBRASKA Ben Nelson
202-224-6551 email
402-391-3411, 402-441-4600, 402-209-3595, 308-293-5818
NORTH CAROLINA Kay Hagan
202-224-6342 email
1-877-852-9462, 336-333-5311, 919-856-4630, 704-334-2448
NORTH DAKOTA Kent Conrad
202-224-2043 email
701-258-4648, 701-852-0703, 701-775-9601
OREGON Ron Wyden
202-224-5244 email
503-326-7525, 541-431-0229, 541-858-5122, 503-589-4555
VIRGINIA Mark Warner
202-224-2023 email
804-775-2314, 757-441-3079, 703-442-0670, 540-857-2676
VIRGINIA Jim Webb
202-224-4024 email
804-771-2221, 276-679-4925, 757-518-1674, 540-772-4236
WEST VIRGINIA Robert Byrd
202-224-3954 email
304-342-5855, 304-264-4626
WEST VIRGINIA Jay Rockefeller
202-224-6472 email
304-253-9704, 304-347-5372, 304-367-0122, 304-262-9285
WISCONSIN Herb Kohl
202-224-5653 email
1-800-247-5645, 608-264-5338, 414-297-4451A