Tell Sen. Schumer: Stand strong for real health care reform

We need 3 people from Inwood to call Sen. Schumer today. Can you call? Tell him how important it is to you that we have a strong public health insurance option in health care reform this year. Senator Charles Schumer Phone: 202-224-6542 Report your call

Dear MoveOn member,

This week, as key Congressional committees are finalizing draft health care reform legislation, opponents are ramping up the fight against their number one target: the public health insurance option.

Their new strategy? Rather than simply oppose a public plan outright, they're pulling a bait-and-switch, pushing weak, half-measures and calling them "public plans."¹

We only get one chance for health care reform, and we have to get it right. Your senator, Charles Schumer, needs to hear right now from people all across New York to know that these public plans in name only won't cut it: Americans want a strong public health insurance option as part of real reform this year. That means we need 3 people to call from Inwood today. Can you call?

Here's where to call:

Senator Charles Schumer
Phone: 202-224-6542

And after you call, click on the link below to let us know how it went:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNY_1&cp_id=962&id=16410-10220574-AoAofSx&t=3

Here are a few key points about what a strong public health insurance option would look like:

• Available to all of us: A strong public health insurance option should be available to anyone who chooses to participate. If you like your current plan, you can keep it; if you want to participate in the public health insurance plan, you can choose to do so.

• A national plan with real bargaining clout: In order to truly control costs and compete with private health insurance plans, a strong public health insurance option must be available nationwide.

• Ready on day one: Every day we wait on real reform, health care costs continue to rise. A strong public health insurance option right out of the gate is key to building a competitive program that will help control costs.

• A truly public plan: To ensure it's held to the highest standards of accountability, a public health insurance option must be truly publicly run—accountable and transparent to Congress and to voters.

Senators are hearing daily from insurance lobbyists and conservatives about these half-measures. The latest that's gaining steam is a proposal for "co-ops"—small, regional insurers that would be too weak to bring costs down or compete with existing private insurance.²

We need to make sure they're also hearing from Americans who support strong health care reform this year. Can you call Sen. Schumer today? And then click on the link below to let us know how it went:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSNY_1&cp_id=962&id=16410-10220574-AoAofSx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Patrick S., Kat, Nita, Justin and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Co-op compromise gives White House a health option," The Associated Press, June 14, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51504&id=16410-10220574-AoAofSx&t=5

2. "Insurance co-op idea gains appeal," The Washington Examiner, June 16, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51512&id=16410-10220574-AoAofSx&t=6

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PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on June 17, 2009. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.