DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS
OF AMERICA
 
 
October 16, 2009
 

NEWS FROM DSA 
A REPORT FROM DSA'S NATIONAL OFFICE


IN THIS
ISSUE

 

You can help DSA spread the word by  forwarding this message.
 
 Take Action on Health Care: 

Fight the Insurance Companies!

If ever you had any doubts about just how contemptible the insurance companies are, their recent actions have exposed the truth for all to see.
 
First the insurance industry launched a major offensive designed to kill any reform of the health insurance system in the United States. A new report, released on the eve of the Senate Finance Committee?s vote on a bill, makes clear that the insurance industry will use its monopolistic pricing power to raise premiums in order to preserve their profit margins no matter what Congress does. Then on Wednesday the Washington Times, a conservative, even right wing newspaper, reported that the Guardian Life Insurance Company had completely eliminated entire lines of insurance coverage in several states so that it could avoid paying a few high payout claims. They even dug up a juicy email quote from one Guardian executive who called high-cost patients "dogs" that the company could "get rid of."  It is a complete validation of our perspective on reform?the private insurance system must be replaced by a government sponsored single payer system.  
 
The Baucus Bill is not a bill that DSA supports but in the context of the insurance industry assault, even the approval of such a deeply flawed healthcare bill by the Senate Finance Committee might be described as a step forward.
 
The legislative battle in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is at the same stage: the melding of different bill?s into a single bill to be voted by the House or Senate as a whole and then reconciled with the other house?s bill in a conference committee.
 
In the Senate the leadership is melding the Senate Finance Committee Bill and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee Bill into a single bill that will then be debated and subject to amendment on the Senate floor.
 
In the House of Representatives, three different committees produced their own version of HR 3200 that the leadership is merging into a single bill.   The merging of the bills will proceed at different paces in each branch of congress making it difficult for progressives to know how or when to support our perspective with their state?s two senators or their Representative. But this is a time when it is important to keep applying pressure to the politicians; they cannot get the idea that passing any bill is the same thing as passing a good bill.
 
A new issue has emerged which gives us a way to apply political pressure on the insurance companies: their anti-trust exemption.  Under current law insurance companies are exempt from the anti-trust laws. In most states the insurance industry would be judged as unduly concentrated and subject to enforcement actions if it were not for the this exemption.   
 
We encourage you to continue to contact your Senators and your Representative indicating you support repeal of the anti-trust exemption for insurance companies. Personalized letters or phone calls are best. Because of the different political and legislative circumstances in the House and Senate different messages are required.
 
Here are two sample messages:  
 
Dear Representative x:   Reform of the U.S. health care system must provide affordable, comprehensive health care for every American; the best way to achieve that goal would be to approve the Weiner amendment to HR 3200, which would transform the bill by substituting the provisions of HR 676, a single payer Medicare-for-All bill, for the current bill.   If that amendment fails it is essential that HR 3200 include a robust public option and the Kucinich amendment allowing states to establish their own single payer alternatives by opting out of the national plan.
 
I also support repeal of the anti-trust exemption for Insurance companies and urge you to sponsor or co-sponsor such legislation immediately.   Thank you  
 
Dear Senator Y:   Reform of the U.S. health care system must provide affordable, comprehensive health care for every American. The best way to achieve that goal would be to pass the health care legislation proposed by Senator Sanders. If that fails, a Senate bill must include a robust public option and provisions allowing states to opt for their own single payer plan.  
 
Additionally, I believe that you should co-sponsor Senator Leahy?s bill to repeal the insurance industry anti-trust exemption.
 
Thank You  
 
Contact information for your Senators or Representative can be found through the Congressional web sites:
 
Senate
 
House  
 
The legislative situation is very complex and it is unclear how good or bad a bill might ultimately emerge. As political developments warrant we will continue to keep you posted on the health care battle and actions you can take to support our perspective.  
In solidarity,   
  
Frank Llewellyn
National Director
 
 
 
Paid for by Democratic Socialists of America,  75 Maiden Lane, Suite 505, New York, NY 10038.