I'm posting this in case other event hosts find it useful. Our event involves volunteers walking around a busy shopping area, inviting people to share their health care stories, and asking them to keep up the pressure on their legislators. Knowing that most people who will be volunteering have not been involved with planning the event, I wanted to provide them with key points ahead of time, and again on the day, so they can be prepared to talk about the key issues. The information contained below has been compiled from OFA conference calls, the President's town hall meeting on health care reform, and info in the public domain.
“CALL FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM” – TALKING POINTS
1) Why do we need reform?
· Forty-six million Americans are uninsured
· Health insurance premiums are growing four times faster than wages
· Half of all personal bankruptcies stem from medical expenses
· We spend at least 50% more than any other advanced country, but we don’t have better outcomes
· The system is already out of whack – costs will go up at least 6-8% per year if nothing is done
2) President Obama has called for health care reform based on three core principles:
· REDUCE COSTS
- Rising health care costs are crushing families, businesses, and government
- 1/3 of what we pay for is unnecessary
- The President is committed to achieving reform without adding to the deficit – this is possible
· GUARANTEE CHOICE
- Every American must have the freedom to choose their plan, doctor, and hospital, and a public insurance option
- A health insurance exchange, with a public health option, would give people that are currently without health insurance the free market buying power they need to obtain adequate health care
- President Obama has consistently said that if a family likes the plan they have, they will be able to keep it
· ACCESS FOR ALL
- All Americans must have access to quality, affordable care
- We need to move from quantity to quality of health care, where doctors are rewarded for health outcomes rather than procedures, and where insurers are regulated on discriminating practices such as pre-existing conditions and cherry-picking healthy patients
3) Why now?
Health care reform can no longer wait. It’s urgent that we act now - Congress is already discussing options for reform and they want to have a plan agreed before their summer recess at the end of July.
After 60 years of trying, and with the American people behind the move, this President will achieve health care reform.
4) Why a public option?
A public option will help drive down costs, expand consumer choice, and keep insurance companies honest. According to a New York Times/CBS News poll, 72% of Americans want the choice of a public health insurance plan.
This event was organized by private citizens and grassroots organizers in the State of Washington that support President Obama efforts at health care reform. We are a group of independent citizens who have come together because we are concerned about our health care system. We are not affiliated with or coordinated by the Democratic Party or Organizing for America.
Comments are closed for this post.
