[big campaign] Major TV Ad Counteroffensive Launched Backing Members Under Fire for Supporting Health Insurance Reform

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www.americansunitedforchange.org <http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/> www.afscme.org <http://www.afscme.org/> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jeremy Funk (AUFC), 202-470-5878 DATE: November 18, 2009 Gregory King (AFSCME), 202-429-1134 New TV Ads Defend Members of Congress Under Fire From the Special Interests for Putting Their Constituents' Interests First and Supporting the Affordable Health Care for America Act Ads from Americans United for Change/AFSCME the First Wave in a $1.7 Million Dollar Counteroffensive Backing Up 13 Members of Congress on the Receiving End of Dishonest Attack Ads from the Forces of Status Quo including the U.S. Chamber <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUkv9o8t2Ik> Washington D.C. - Americans United for Change <http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/> and AFSCME <http://www.afscme.org/> today announced the first wave of a $1.7 million dollar counteroffensive on television backing up 13 U.S. Representatives who put their constituents' interests first by voting for the Affordable Health Care for America Act <http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/legislation?id=0327> and are now on the receiving end of dishonest attack ads from special interests fighting to protect the status quo, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce <http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/1109/Chamber_spent_16_million _in_last_week_.html> and the 60 Plus Association <http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/11/12/2125775.aspx> . Members in the crosshairs of the misinformation campaign include: U.S. Reps. Baron Hill (IN-9), Brad Ellsworth (IN-8), Joe Donnelly (IN-2), Chris Murphy (CT-5), Joseph Cao (LA-2), Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL), Marion Berry (AR-1), Vic Snyder (AR-2), Tom Perriello (VA-5), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Paul Hodes (NH-2), Michael Michaud (ME-2) and Dina Titus (NV-3). CLICK HERE <http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200911120005> for a Fact-Check of the distortion-filled ad from the 60 Plus Association. CLICK HERE <http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200911120007> for a Fact-Check of the dishonest ad from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The dishonesty doesn't stop there for the U.S. Chamber - See Huffington Post: "Chamber Of Commerce Solicits Money For Economist Who Will Give Bad Review Of Health Care Bill" <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/16/chamber-of-commerce-solic_n_35 8706.html> Americans United for Change and AFSCME kicked off the first wave of the counteroffensive today with a television spot called "Not Happy," airing for a week on a mix of broadcast and cable in the following districts: Joint Americans United/AFSCME Ads: Baron Hill (IN-9) in Louisville and Evansville: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYC2-wbYJHI Brad Ellsworth (IN-8) in Terre Haute and Evansville: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZApJjy48zyQ Chris Murphy (CT-5) in Hartford: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUkv9o8t2Ik Additional ads sponsored by Americans United: Gerry Connolly (VA-11) in Washington D.C.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgkBCUhfeog Tom Perriello (VA-5) in Charlottesville and Roanoke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMRbKDEiOa4 Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL) in Fargo, Minot and Bismarck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLJR6n_-q_k Marion Berry (AR-1)/Vic Snyder (AR-2) in Little Rock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ5k8yIo48A Americans United for Change and AFSCME will announce spots in additional districts later in the week. In addition, the Service Employees International Union <http://www.seiu.org/> is preparing to follow with $1 million in additional ads --- for a total $1.7 million coalitional effort that will clear the air in all 13 districts under siege by the Chamber and 60 Plus Association. Gerald McEntee, President, AFSCME: "The health care crisis is dragging down our economy, yet all the insurance industry cares about is their profits. The House passed a strong bill that lowers costs, improves quality, covers more Americans and stops insurance company abuses. We will stand with the members who stood for real reform and the middle class against the powerful interests of the insurance companies." Tom McMahon, Acting Executive Director, Americans United for Change: "We're not going to sit by and let these special interests push around Members of Congress who put their constituents' interests first by supporting health insurance reform. Wherever the insurance industry front groups go to peddle misinformation about the Affordable Health Care for America Act and attack Members of Congress who did right by their constituents, they can expect this coalition to push right back. We're also sending a message to all members of Congress that we will have their backs if they in the end stand up to big insurance and stand alongside their constituents, the AARP and the American Medical Association <http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/reports?id=0263> ." The Affordable Health Care for America Act will cover 96 percent of the American people, make coverage more affordable for all Americans, create real competition in the insurance market place through a public health insurance option, the strengthen Medicare, and finally put an end to the indefensible health insurance industry practices of denying coverage based on "pre-existing conditions" and rescinding policies when Americans get sick and need it most. In addition, the legislation is fiscally responsible and fully paid for. According to the CBO, the House bill will reduce the deficit by $109 billion over the first ten years (2010-2019). Furthermore, the legislation will continue to reduce the deficit over the second ten year period (2020-2029). For more information on the Affordable Health Care for America Act, CLICK HERE <http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/legislation?id=0327> . -30- "Not Happy" Ad Back-Up Americans United For Change TV (:30) SCRIPT FACTS ANNCR: The insurance lobbyists weren't happy when Congressman X voted for health insurance reform. VIDEO: lobbyists planning in a corporate conference room. CG: Insurance lobbyists weren't happy when Congressman X voted for health insurance reform. House Vote 887 <http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml> - H.R.3962: On Passage Affordable Health Care for America Act, 11/7/09 The Health Insurance Industry Is Throwing Its Weight Around in Congress..."The insurance sector and health maintenance organizations spent more than $116 million on lobbying in the first six months of this year, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics." [CBSnews.com, 10/14/09 <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/14/politics/washingtonpost/main5 383845.shtml> ] ...And Not in Favor of Reform. America's Health Insurance Plans released this statement after the House passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act: " The current House legislation fails to bend the health care cost curve and breaks the promise that those who like their current coverage can keep it...This bill imposes inflexible mandates before getting everyone covered and new regulations that duplicate what is already in place at the state level." [AHIP statement, 11/7/09 <http://www.ahip.org/content/pressrelease.aspx?docid=28730> ] ANNCR: No wonder he/she is being attacked with TV ads. VIDEO: TV screen(s) with attack ads in them CG:TV attack ad(s) "TV ads on health care battle top $100 million." [AP, 10/29/09 <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33078834/ns/politics-health_care_reform/> ] "Looking to build pressure on moderate Democrats, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says it will begin airing new TV ads in seven states and on national cable television attacking the emerging legislation, including a government-run insurance option." [AP, 10/27/09 <http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ilhSy_pUsBlPICWCmCC8i w9Xcs2wD9BJOGJ00> ] "The 60 Plus Association, a conservative seniors group whose national spokesman is Pat Boone, is launching a $1.5 million ad campaign targeting 15 Democratic House members who voted for the health-care legislation that passed on Saturday." [MSNBC.com, 11/12/09 <http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/11/12/2125775.aspx> ] ANNCR: Insurance companies know the reform bill would stop them from raising premiums and stop them from denying coverage when you're sick. CG: Stop skyrocketing premiums No more denying coverage. The House Health Care bill forces insurers to justify why they're raising premiums. "...health insurance issuers to submit a justification for any premium increase prior to implementation of the increase. Such issuers shall prominently post such information on their websites. The Secretary shall ensure the public disclosure of information on such increases and justifications for all health insurance issuers." [Dingell Amendment, HR 3962, Section 104 <http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/November/04/~/media/Files/ 2009/rules_comm_dingell.ashx> ] Premiums prices continue to soar without competition: * "Commercial health insurance premiums have risen four times faster than wages and have more than doubled in the last nine years. Shrinking competition among health insurance companies is a major cause of these spiraling costs... The American Medical Association reports that 94 percent of insurance markets in the United States are now highly concentrated." ["Premiums Soaring in Consolidated Health Insurance Market," Health Care for American Now, 5/09 <http://hcfan.3cdn.net/1b741c44183247e6ac_20m6i6nzc.pdf> ] * "Lack of competition has led to growing insurer profits, increased costs and reduced coverage for enrollees, an epidemic of deceptive and fraudulent conduct, and rapidly escalating costs. More than 46 million Americans are now uninsured, and premiums have grown 130 percent <http://ehbs.kff.org> over the last 10 years." ["Insurance Market Concentration Creates Fewer Choices <http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/11/insurance_market.html> ," Center for American Progress, 11/5/09] The presence of the public option and the removal of the anti-trust exemption increases competition. "Insurers are not happy that the bill includes a "public option," a government-run plan that would be funded through an increased payroll tax for those who choose it. The public option would compete with private options in a regulated insurance exchange. Insurers say the public option will disrupt the healthcare market and could force some companies out of business. The bill also ends insurers' exemption from antitrust laws that prohibit price-fixing, another element that they say could drive up costs." [LA Times, 11/1/09 <http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-na-healthcare-qa1-2009nov01,0 ,1015350.story> ] The public option in the Affordable Health Care for America Act creates competition in the health care marketplace. "Fortunately, our nation's health insurance market can be fixed with a big dose of what fixes most sectors of our economy-healthy, well-supervised competition. One of the best ways to introduce this much-needed competition is for the federal government to offer a public health insurance plan that can compete with private insurers within an insurance "exchange" that ensures public and private health insurance plans compete equally and transparently in the public marketplace." ["A Public Health Insurance Plan that Delivers Market Discipline <http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2009/03/public_plan.html> ," Center for American Progress, 3/25/09] Additionally, the House Bill would decrease premiums. "Jonathan Gruber <http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Jonathan+Gruber&site=wnews&client= wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p &getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1> , an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, told reporters that his analysis of the House bill and CBO estimate suggests that families buying insurance on the non-group market would save $1,260 a year and individuals $470. Subsidies for low-income consumers would provide "better benefits at a lower price," Gruber said." Additionally, according to Gruber, "as of now, the most authoritative objective voice in this debate suggests that reform will significantly reduce, not increase, non-group premiums." [Bloomberg, 11/3/09 <http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a0F1tKwhqAOU> ; Ezra Klein, Washington Post, 11/3/09 <http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/11/massachusetts_provi des_evidenc.html> ] The House Bill Prohibits Rescissions. "A federal law passed in 1996 bans rescission except in cases of fraud. But the law goes unenforced because there's no regulation at the federal level and nearly all states have much weaker laws on rescission, says Pollitz. The commerce-committee investigation found that just four states tracked rescissions. More than one third of state commissioners couldn't supply the committee with a complete list of insurers that offered individual health policies in their state. H.R. 3200, the current house version of the health-care bill, clarifies the ban and creates a new office and commissioner for federal enforcement." [Jeremy Herb, Newsweek, 9/1/09] ANNCR: And the reform bill will strengthen Medicare, that's why it's endorsed by the AARP. CG: Reform will strengthen Medicare Endorsed by with AARP logo. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "The Medicare provisions in the House health reform legislation would both strengthen Medicare's financial footing and benefit most of the more-than-40 million seniors and people with disabilities whom Medicare covers. For example, the bill would do the following: * Eliminate the "doughnut hole" in the Medicare drug benefit over time. * Expand access to preventive care services for Medicare beneficiaries. * Expand eligibility and increase participation in programs that assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries with their premiums and cost-sharing. * Create incentives for health care providers to improve the quality of care they furnish to Medicare beneficiaries. * Make Medicare more efficient by modifying payment rates in order to lower costs while maintaining beneficiary access to the providers that care for them. ["House Health Reform Bill Would Strengthen Medicare," CBPP, 11/2/09 <http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2925> ] AARP, "AARP Endorses Affordable Health Care for America Act." http://www.aarp.org/health/insurance/hcr_event/ ANNCR: Call Congressman X, tell him not to back down... tell him to keep fighting for us. CG: Call Congressman X Thank Congressman X for fighting for us. 202-225-3121. Paid for by Americans United for Change. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "big campaign" group. To post to this group, send to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] E-mail [email protected] with questions or concerns This is a list of individuals. It is not affiliated with any group or organization.