[Peace-discuss] Fw: Support a Public Option

[C. G. Estabrook]

The public option preserves all the systemic deficiencies that we see in 
the current system.  It maintains a finance system that is based on 
private insurance and private insurers and their drive to fight claims, 
issue denials, screen out the sick and make a big profit; and it 
generates tremendous administrative waste — 400 billion dollars a year. 
  You can expand coverage by just raising taxes and paying insurers to 
cover people, but that’s not a sustainable system.  It won’t cover every 
body and it will fall apart quickly due to rising costs -- as we’ve seen 
in Massachusetts, Vermont, Oregon, Tennessee and Minnesota. [Russell 
Mokhiber]

Don't sign the petition. Write to these senators -- who are protecting 
the profits of the private insurers -- and insist on  a single payer 
system, instead. --CGE

Jenifer Cartwright wrote:
> 
> --- On Fri, 6/19/09, Senators Leahy, Durbin and Schumer
> <info at leahyforvermont.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: Senators Leahy, Durbin and Schumer <info at leahyforvermont.com> 
> Subject: Support a Public Option To: "Jenifer Cartwright"
> <jencart13 at yahoo.com> Date: Friday, June 19, 2009, 12:12 PM
> 
> 
> 
> Dear Jenifer,
> 
> 
> 
> Sign our online petition today to show your support of Congress' work
> to reform America's health care system and create a public insurance
> option!
> 
> Sign our Petition at CitizensForAPublicOption.com >>
> 
> Nearly 50 million Americans -- one-in-six of our fellow citizens --
> lack health insurance. And even those families lucky enough to have
> health insurance have seen their premiums triple in the past decade,
> now paying an average of $16,000 per year and rising rapidly.
> 
> In short, America's health care system is in a crisis, and it's time
> to do something about it.
> 
> This month, Congress is working on new reform legislation that will
> make quality health care available and affordable for all Americans.
> But we know the forces of the status quo will battle us every step of
> the way.
> 
> So we're asking for your help, today, to get this critical
> legislation passed.
> 
> Please sign our online petition today -- and circulate it to your
> friends -- and show your support of Congress' work to reform
> America's health care system now!
> 
> The whole reason for health insurance in the first place is to spread
> costs among as large a group of people as possible, so we all pay a
> reasonable amount for quality health care and don't get stuck with an
> enormous bill if we get sick.
> 
> Unfortunately, that's not how our system works anymore.  Now, private
> insurance companies have been able to cherry-pick the healthy
> customers they want -- denying coverage to people who are most in
> need while charging exorbitant premiums to other folks with
> "pre-existing conditions."
> 
> That's not right. It's time for private insurers to treat Americans
> fairly.
> 
> That's why, as part of any health care reform plan, we support a
> public health insurance option that would foster greater competition
> in the marketplace.  If you're happy with your current insurance
> plan, you could keep it.  But a public option would create more
> choices for consumers -- and lead to lower costs and better quality
> for all.  Plus, a public option would allow you to always keep your
> insurance, even if you lose or change your job.
> 
> Please sign our online petition today -- and circulate it to your
> friends -- and show your support of Congress' work to reform
> America's health care system now!
> 
> At a time when our country is struggling to pull itself out of a
> severe recession, we can't let our health care system continue to be
> an anchor dragging down our nation's economy.
> 
> We'll take this petition to our colleagues to show them the strong
> grassroots support for reforming America's health care system now --
> including creating a public insurance option.
> 
> With private insurance lobbyists roaming the Capitol, trying to stop
> real health care reform, the time to act is now.  We need you to make
> your voice heard.
> 
> Please stand with us: Sign our online petition now -- and help us
> pass strong health care reform legislation this summer!
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Senator Dick Durbin
> 
> Senator Patrick Leahy
> 
> 
> Senator Chuck Schumer P.S.  Hearings are already underway, and
> legislation is already being drafted.  This is a critical time for
> you to stand up, join us, and make your voice heard.  Please sign our
> petition now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Paid for by Friends of Dick Durbin, Leahy for U.S. Senator, and
> Friends of Schumer