In recent weeks, orchestrated outrage and loony scare tactics have drowned
out the most basic fact about health reform: The status
quo is far more frightening.
High and escalating costs.
Rationing of care. Restricted choice. Long waits for care. Even
"death panels" (read: insurance claim-review departments). Our
private insurance system imposes all this already -- on people lucky enough to
be insured.
But it could get worse. As the Los Angeles Times reported
this week, the insurance industry's massive lobbying blitz appears to be
twisting health reform into a bonanza
for insurers.
This is scarier than the status quo. Insurers
could gain tens of millions of new customers compelled to buy insurance,
with taxpayers providing subsidies to pay many of those premiums. And insurers
may be allowed to sell junk
plans that cover only 65% of medical costs -- plans that increase insurer
profits and give consumers even less for their money.
If these proposals
become law -- especially without the competitive alternative of a public plan to
hold down insurers' costs and uphold quality -- the health
reform act will amount to a huge subsidy for insurance companies and will
solve nothing.
The insurance industry has molded US healthcare to its advantage for
decades. Congress members need to hear clearly from the majority
of us who want reform designed to provide healthcare for all people,
not to protect insurance companies.
Here are some ways to speak out:
> Congressmember Susan Davis
has a Town Hall meeting on health reform tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 p.m.,
836 Kempton St., Spring Valley 91977. Reform opponents and tea-baggers are
expected to disrupt this meeting (listed as Lemon Grove/La Presa Neighborhood
Day on Davis'
website). Proponents of real reform and the public options should get there
by noon and bring signs.
> Watch the Courage
Campaign's "Insurance
Jive" video and then use their click-to-call tool on the same page to make a
free call to your Congressmember.
> ACORN is planning a
health care action day earlier tomorrow, starting with neighborhood
canvassing at 10 a.m. Meet at the ACORN offices at 22 W. 35th St. in National
City.
> The San Diego branch of
Organizing for America is holding a Congressional
Send-Off next Thursday, Sept. 3, to demand real healthcare reform.
It's from 5 to 7 p.m. in City Park, between 3rd and 4th Aves. on Broadway.
OFA's Setting
the Record Straight website has responses to false claims about President
Obama's health proposal.
