SUCCESS!
After a long and difficult fight, together, we made history. I want to thank all of you for everything you’ve done as part of this incredible movement for change in America. You have responded to our every call. You wrote letters, made phone calls, participated in rallies and sit-ins across the country to deliver health care reform to a nation in crisis.
This bill isn’t perfect, but it is a major step in the right direction. It provides us an opportunity to bring much needed health care coverage to all.
Because of your hard work and dedication to this cause, over 32 million uninsured Americans will have access to affordable, quality health care coverage:
The legislation that passed the House would:
- Extend health insurance coverage to millions of uninsured persons, assuring coverage for 95 percent of Americans;
- Ensure that coverage is affordable by providing substantial subsidies for middle income families;
- Implement insurance market reforms to outlaw abusive practices by insurance companies, such as denying coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions;
- Provide assistance to employers and VEBAs to encourage them to continue coverage for pre-Medicare retirees;
- Eliminate co-pays for preventive screenings to help older Americans more quickly and affordably identify and treat diseases such as diabetes;
- Cut wasteful spending to extend the life of the Medicare Trust Fund so seniors can better afford premiums which have doubled over the past eight years;
- Reduce costly health problems by assisting pre-Medicare retirees with insurance costs and banning discrimination based on pre-existing conditions;
- Close the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” that costs our seniors hundreds or even thousands of dollars in prescription drug costs; and
- Reduce costs for individuals and businesses by eliminating most uncompensated care, reforming the delivery and provider payment systems, and creating exchanges to facilitate coverage in a cost-effective manner.
Our work is not done; we must call on the Senate to act quickly on the corrections legislation that will make this landmark legislation a reality.
Connie Entrekin
