(NAME-MCE) White House response to health care questions

[Bill Howe]

 [image: The White House, Washington]





Dear Friend,

This is probably one of the longest emails I’ve ever sent, but it could be
the most important.

Across the country we are seeing vigorous debate about health insurance
reform. Unfortunately, some of the old tactics we know so well are back —
even the viral emails that fly unchecked and under the radar, spreading all
sorts of lies and distortions.

As President Obama said at the town hall in New Hampshire, “where we do
disagree, let's disagree over things that are real, not these wild
misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that's actually been
proposed.”

So let’s start a chain email of our own. At the end of my email, you’ll find
a lot of information about health insurance reform, distilled into 8 ways
reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage, 8
common myths about reform and 8 reasons we need health insurance reform now.


Right now, someone you know probably has a question about reform that could
be answered by what’s below. So what are you waiting for? Forward this
email.

Thanks,
David

David Axelrod
Senior Adviser to the President

P.S. We launched
www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck<http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/?e=11&ref=text0>this
week to knock down the rumors and lies that are floating around the
internet. You can find the information below, and much more, there. For
example, we've just added a video of Nancy-Ann DeParle from our Health
Reform Office tackling a viral email head on. Check it out:

[image: Health Insurance Reform Reality
Check]<http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/71/?e=11>

*8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without
coverage*

   1. *Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions*: Insurance companies
   will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical
   history.
   2. *Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays*:
   Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can
   charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
   3. *Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care*: Insurance companies must
   fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you
   prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.
   4. *Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill*: Insurance companies
   will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for
   those who become seriously ill.
   5. *Ends Gender Discrimination*: Insurance companies will be prohibited
   from charging you more because of your gender.
   6. *Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage*: Insurance companies will
   be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you
   receive.
   7. *Extends Coverage for Young Adults*: Children would continue to be
   eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.
   8. *Guarantees Insurance Renewal*: Insurance companies will be required
   to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full.
   Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone
   became sick.

Learn more and get details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/<http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/?e=11&ref=hicp>

*8 common myths about health insurance reform *

   1. *Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it*: It’s a myth that
   reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to
   "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing
   that are currently being used by insurance companies.
   2. *We can’t afford reform*: It's the status quo we can't afford. It’s a
   myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has
   identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by
   cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs;
   ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with
   such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long
   term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal
   crisis.
   3. *Reform would encourage "euthanasia"*: It does not. It’s a malicious
   myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For
   seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of
   life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private
   consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult
   family decisions.
   4. *Vets' health care is safe and sound*: It’s a myth that health
   insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To
   the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under
   the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously
   excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all
   eligible veterans.
   5. *Reform will benefit small business - not burden it*: It’s a myth that
   health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform
   will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them
   pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms
   who pay much less to cover their employees on average.
   6. *Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform*: It’s myth that
   Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To
   the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of
   Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary
   subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut"
   hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.
   7. *You can keep your own insurance*: It’s myth that reform will force
   you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To
   the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.
   8. *No, government will not do anything with your bank account*: It is an
   absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts.  Health
   insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more
   convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose.  Just like
   paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or
   by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will
   be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of
   privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people
   make.

Learn more and get details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck<http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/?e=11&ref=myth1>
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck/faq<http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq/?e=11&ref=myth1>

*8 Reasons We Need Health Insurance Reform Now*

   1. *Coverage Denied to Millions*: A recent national survey estimated that
   12.6 million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of those who tried to purchase
   health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual
   insurance market – were in fact discriminated against because of a
   pre-existing condition in the previous three years or dropped from coverage
   when they became seriously ill. Learn more:
   http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html
   2. *Less Care for More Costs*: With each passing year, Americans are
   paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance
   premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than
   wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an
   employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage
   job.  Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less
   coverage. Learn more:
   http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/index.html
   3. *Roadblocks to Care for Women*: Women’s reproductive health requires
   more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap
   smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report
   fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic
   conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men,
   women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to
   experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require
   regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care. Learn more:
   http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html
   4. *Hard Times in the Heartland*: Throughout rural America, there are
   nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The
   past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty,
   mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider
   in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an
   increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are
   already elevated in rural communities. Learn more:
   http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes
   5. *Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage*: Nearly
   one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – are employees of firms with
   less than 100 workers. From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly
   Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%.
   Much of this decline stems from small business. The percentage of small
   businesses offering coverage dropped from 68% to 59%, while large firms held
   stable at 99%. About a third of such workers in firms with fewer than 50
   employees obtain insurance through a spouse. Learn more:
   http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline
   6. *The Tragedies are Personal*: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at
   least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may
   have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare
   alone. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction
   7. *Diminishing Access to Care*: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of
   non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from
   66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people - one in every three Americans
   under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More
   than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. Learn more:
   http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html
   8. *The Trends are Troubling*: Without reform, health care costs will
   continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families,
   businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most
   visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans
   currently without health insurance - projections suggest that this number
   will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. Learn more:
   http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf<http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf?e=11&ref=report>

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