Entry 1002 of 1084
By Blue Prevails On March 15 at 5:17 PM

                                       THE HEALTH CARE CRUNCH TIME

                                                         By Henry Tieleman

Virginia Voters want Warner and Webb to fight hard for the Public Option. 
Information from the Research 2000 Virginia Poll conducted in the second half of February, 2010 is presented below:

  1. 61% support the public option, only 36% support the current Senate bill without it.
  2. By 63% to 32%, independent voters favor a bill with a public option.
  3. By 7 to1, independent voters want Webb and Warner to fight harder for a health bill with a public option
  4. 74% of independent voters in Virginia support reconciliation on a good bill, only 17% would object
  5. By a 4 to 1 margin independent voters in Virginia want Senators Webb and Warner to fight for a public option in any reconciliation.
  6. Only 36% favor the health care reform bill passed in December by the US Senate without a public option. If you think the public option is important, call your senators: James Webb 202-224-4024, Mark Warner 202-224-2023 and your Representative. Urge them to fight for the public option through reconciliation.
    Faux News falsely claims that the Health Care Bill does not provide immediate benefits. In fact, numerous benefits contained in the Senate Bill would become available in the first year after the bill is enacted. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act include the following first year benefits:
  7. Eliminate life time limits and eliminate annual limits on health care benefits. Your insurer cannot suddenly throw you off the rolls because you have exceeded your current annual limit.
  8. Some interim help for people who have pre-existing conditions.
  9. Require insurers to cover preventive care and immunizations.
  10. Access to affordable coverage for uninsured people with pre-existing conditions, providing $5 billion in immediate federal support for coverage.
  11. Allow young adults to stay on their parent’s insurance plan until age 26.
  12.  Force insurers to spend 80% of all premium dollars on medical care, thus capping the money that can go toward administrative profits.
  13.  Create an appeals process and a consumer advocate for insurance customers.
  14. Create an internet site to help people shop for and compare coverages
  15. Access to quality care for vulnerable populations by making immediate and substantial investments in Community Health Care Centers.
  16. Recognize the special vulnerability of children. The plan prohibits health insurers from excluding coverage of pre-existing conditions for children.
  17. Fills the ‘donut-hole’ by giving a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the ’donut hole’ in 2010.
  18. Offers tax credits to small businesses beginning in 2010 to make employee coverage more affordable.
  19. Tax credits of up to 35% of premiums will be immediately available to firms that choose to offer coverage.
  20. Beginning January 1, 2011 Medicare beneficiaries will receive a free annual wellness visit and will have all cost sharing waived for prevention services.
  21. Stops insurers from rescinding insurance once a claim is filed.
  22. Prohibits group health plans from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that has the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage employees