Is it a no-brainer or a dog-bites-man story? Our new coalition name – Employers for a Healthy Economy might seem a touch prosaic (business wants a healthy economy … really?) but for the seriousness of the health care reform debate I’ve been writing you about. Our new coalition is organized around opposition to the House health care reform bill (H.R. 3962, the absurdly misnamed “Affordable Health Care for America” Act). Follow the link to my recent broadcast email for the bill text and supporting materials.
We strongly oppose this bill, among many other reasons for: the punitive employer mandate (8% of payroll must be “paid” if a company doesn’t meet the impossibly high standards [72.5% employer share of insurance premiums for full and part-time employees] to “play;” a public option that will still shift costs to private plans even if it doesn’t use Medicare rates; ERISA restrictions and waivers; and the wildly generous provision of benefits on a one-size-swamps-all basis. As the Wall Street Journal recently opined, this is the worst of the worst health reform bills … and that’s says a lot.
Follow the link to our coalition’s website to see the list of our coalition members and to watch our new television advertisement (prominently displayed at the top), which argues against the House health reform bill. The ads will tentatively run through Sunday (though the buy may be extended) in 19 states and 46 media markets. It is a multi-million dollar ad buy. Just think of how much health care that could have bought … but, such is politics.
In our view, the House health care bill is too far gone to be fixed: it’s irredeemable. We will key vote [track for purposes of educating constituent votes] against the bill and related procedural motions. Congress should start over.
We have our own ideas for health care reform – but think Congress would do well to pull back from the abyss and take a more measured approach. If Congress could succeed in reducing the cost of health care and hence health coverage, both public and private, that would be a tremendous accomplishment. It is important to reduce spending on governmental programs like Medicare and Medicaid, but it is not sufficient to do so. Private premiums paid by companies and individuals must also go down … or otherwise, coverage will never go up. It’s economics at the most basic and personal level.
Congress could take affirmative steps to value quality care rather than the quantity of care delivered in determining reimbursements. Congress could focus much more attention on keeping people healthy or healthier, if chronic conditions have already come to call. Like a magic way-back machine, many of the effects of these chronic conditions can be reversed or eliminated with progress on weight and exercise.
We could all lock arms and march together in favor of these consensus and bipartisan reforms … we could, if Congress will just set a more realistic approach. Sadly, realism is in short supply in Washington, DC – sometimes better known as Disneyland on the Potomac. Just don’t ask Congress to do something big like health care reform; they’ll always overreach … it’s in their nature. Perhaps we can re-wire the genetic makeup of Congress? It’s a thought…
4 Comments
I have rarerly seen a website or a series of ads and articles as one sided as those put out by “Emplyers for a healthy economy”. Healthy for who—-certainly not for me. I am a retiree who had a more or less guaranteed health care plan thru my employer mainly through the give and take of labor negotiations. Now that I am retired, the employer insurance company is going bankrupt….and the employer has decided that the only health care program it is willing to consider is one which will raise my premiums from $174 per month to $400 per month. Yeah, that’ll make the company which got my brains and capability for 26 years at cut rate prices in exchange for a reasonable health insurance, economically viable. But not me. Cut it out with your one sided TV ads. Those working men and women pictured in your ads are notthe working men and women I know.
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i am totally for the health care reform bill! I am a american that does not wear tea bags on my head, i put them in my teacup. instead of putting money out for your propaganda ads why don’t you give it to someone who can’t pay their doctor bills!!!!! sincerely, mia
The ads will tentatively run through Sunday (though the buy may be extended) in 19 states and 46 media markets. It is a multi-million dollar ad buy. Just think of how much health care that could have bought … but, such is politics.
The congress and the democrats can only change the health reform bill. Its not you nor me. Already congress is aware of the people’s reaction towards the 8% from payroll by employer to the insurance companies. So i think lets stop spending in creating awareness and lets help hands to poor people those who lack health care policies.
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[...] National Retail Federation has a good blog post on the campaign and the House health bill, “Employers for a healthy economy.” Excerpt: We have our own ideas for health care reform – but think Congress would do well [...]