OFA on HEALTH CARE--"THE COST OF INACTION"

"Final March Day 1: Spread the Facts" (OFA):

It's time to show the insurance lobbyists that no smear campaign can match the power of millions ready for change and committed to the truth.

If you haven't already, please download the fliers and posters below, and make sure everyone in your community sees the facts about reform.

"IF WE DO NOT PASS HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM"

Up to 17 million more people will be uninsured by 2019 than today. 1
The average family's health care costs will nearly double by 2020, from $13,000 to $24,000
— meaning they'll be paying a quarter of their income toward health care costs. 2
Insurers can continue the massive and arbitrary premium rate increases we've heard about
recently — such as Anthem Blue Cross raising rates for customers in California by nearly
40%, and rates in Illinois going up by as much as 60%.
As many as 275,000 people could die prematurely over the next 10 years because they
don't have health insurance. 3
Health care costs will take up a staggering amount of our national budget. In 1960, it was 5
percent of gross domestic product (GDP), last year it was 17 percent. Costs will reach 21
percent of our economy by 2020 if we fail to act. 4
Rapidly rising costs will make it harder for employers — particularly small businesses — to
provide quality health insurance to employees, leading many to drop coverage or shift to
plans that cover less. 5
Even those who have insurance today will be less secure, and more likely to lose coverage if
they switch jobs or lose their job due to rising costs on the individual market or being
denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. 6

1. http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411965_failure_to_enact.pdf
2. Commonwealth Fund, via NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/weekinreview/28abelson.html
3. Families USA, via NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/weekinreview/28abelson.html
4. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Blog/The-Costs-of-Failure.aspx
5. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Blog/The-Costs-of-Failure.aspx
6. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/opinion/07sun1.html?pagewanted=all

Howie P.S.: OFA is blasting email from "Day 1" (Wednesday, 3/10) thru "Day 7." New AP story in the WaPo today: "Democrats, White House close in on health bill." And AP reports

Labor union members, religious leaders and other activists protested in the nation's capital against what they call an abusive health insurance industry.

Organizers with Health Care for America Now say thousands came in from across the country for Tuesday's march. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean addressed the crowd, calling on Congress to take a final vote on the proposed health care overhaul.