State Efforts to Derail Health Reform Progressive States Network Enzo Pastore Health Policy...

State Efforts to Derail

Health ReformProgressive States NetworkEnzo PastoreHealth Policy [email protected] x205

Families USA Health Action 2010


• At least 24 States introducing bills that could negate federal reforms and empower insurance companies

• Bill modeled after ALEC's "Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act” (PA HB 2053)

• No requirement to purchase health care from the government or a government- defined health plan & includes freedom to pay out of pocket


• Serves as a messaging platform to spread misinformation about federal reform legislation

• Sponsors of this legislation say intent is to “protect individuals’ right to make their own health care choices

• In fact, it would decrease choice and hamper patients’ ability to access care and give insurers more power


Strategy for Pushing Back

• Georgia proposed constitutional amend

• Rep. Morgan branded the bill as “the wrong approach for meeting Georgians’ health reform needs and as a distraction from the real problems”

• “Real problem is that Georgia has close to 1.7 million uninsured”


• “To truly create consumer choice in health care, we need to support the federal reform bill now before the U.S. Senate”

• “Senate bill ends the practice of insurers denying coverage to people with pre- existing, allow Georgians freedom to choose their doctor and create option to purchase a government-run health plan”


• •“Instead of going after the consumer and small business-friendly Senate bill, we should go after insurance companies, who repeatedly deny health care to families & withhold payments from our family physicians”


Talking Points

• More and more families are losing their medical insurance because it's too costly for them and their employers

• This bill does nothing to help families and small businesses access quality and affordable health care


• The Congressional health reform bills provide security and stability for the insured, offer affordable options for the uninsured, strengthens the financial health of Medicare

• They also create more choices by helping tens of millions of uninsured and under-insured American families afford quality coverage


Messaging Health Reform

• Conservatives say, Government-run health care will fleece hard-working taxpayers, restrict choice, and degrade the quality of health care

• Conservative activists are playing to fears of middle and right-leaning Americans, fears shared by independents if the message is repeated often enough


Examples include:

• My family won’t get the care they need, socialism leads to scarcity, rationing

• Change will result in loss of control, deny freedom of choice

• Reform means more and higher taxes

• Mandates, government telling us what to do

• Subsidies = people getting something for nothing


To successfully address affordability and quality:

• Security and stability for those with coverage –speaks to concerns of Americans with coverage but are not happy with it, can’t afford it, or fear losing it.

• Addresses such reforms as health insurance regulations


•Affordable choices for the uninsured – speaks to the new options available in the Exchange and subsidies for those who need assistance

• Controls costs for businesses and families –speaks to long-term efforts to control health care costs, such as payment reforms so providers focus on quality and coordinated care rather than quantity


• Reform will provide peace of mind – true freedom – for America’s families, seniors, and small businesses..

Reform will provide constituents with: • Coverage you can count on that can’t be taken away• No denials for a pre-existing condition; • No spikes in premiums if you fall ill; • No lifetime or annual limits of coverage


• Help with premiums if you hit a rough patch

• Free preventive care

• Discounts on premiums for healthy behaviors

• Quality health care wherever you live

• Less red tape, less paperwork

• Lower premiums for older Americans


Resources

• Progressive States Network www.progressivestates.org

• HHSwww.healthreform.gov/healthcarestatus.html

• Kaiser Family Foundation www.kff.org

• Herndon Alliance www.herndonalliance.org/

• NCSL State Legislation Opposing Certain Health Reforms, 2009-2010

State Efforts to Derail Health Reform Progressive States Network Enzo Pastore Health Policy...

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