From Families USA

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

By Ron Pollack
Executive Director, Families USA

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Senate
The Democrats were working for a fundamental tenet:
All Americans should have health care at a reasonable price
By forcing insurance companies to finally play nice.

The reform bill they pushed took some very strong positions,
Like no one denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
Premiums, in the future, would need to be fair
With no differences for women and people needing care.

The Democrats made sure that the bill they designed
Would give folks 'cross the nation some real peace of mind.
Health care would not end if jobs changed or were lost
As all could choose health plans at an affordable cost.

For seniors needing medicines, the bill had much to extol:
It plugged gaps in their coverage, like the bad "doughnut hole."
And for empty-nesting parents, there was reason to rejoice
Kids could keep family coverage, this was now a parent's choice.

But all Republicans scoffed and persistently said "no"
With the sometimes exception of their colleague, Ms. Snowe.
With obstructions and filibusters, they tried every delay
To stop the bill and kill reform, before Christmas day.

So Leader Reid called his colleagues from left and from right,
For all 60 to join him, lest they lose this big fight.
Now Nelson, now Lincoln, now Franken and Wyden,
On Lieberman, on Bingaman, on Harkin and Cardin.

Christmas eve turned to night, and when the votes were all counted,
The filibusters and obstructions were completely surmounted.
The vote was inspired by the memory of Ted
Who'd applaud the victory for the cause he had led.

The work isn't over, there's much yet to be done
The Senate and the House bills must be merged into one.
But the vote on Christmas eve offers reason to cheer
'Cause health care reform will pass in the new year.

So call your fine leaders, and let your voice be heard,
With letters and emails, we must spread the word.
Our message is clear, and it shines a bright light.
"Health care coverage for all, and for all it's our right."

Thanks to your tireless dedication and hard work, the health care justice movement continues to advance. May your holidays be filled with much health and happiness.

Best wishes,

Ron Pollack
Executive Director
Families USA

Breaking News - Senate Bill Passes

POLITICO Breaking News:
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After months of blown deadlines and political near-death experiences, a sweeping health care reform bill that would expand coverage to 31 million currently uninsured Americans cleared the Senate early Thursday morning on a 60-39 party-line vote, putting President Barack Obama within reach of a domestic policy achievement that has eluded Democrats for decades.

Happy Holidays

If you're at all like me, you are looking forward to the holidays as much because it means a chance to get some rest as because it means some gifts and nice social events. I can feel it -- it's almost here -- I can almost sleep as long as I feel like!

But this time of year also heightens my emotions. Maybe it's because I'm exhausted beyond comprehension, but I'm the kind of teary that makes you cry at Hallmark card commercials. I listen to Christmas music (I'm Jewish, but I love the music of the holidays) and it reminds me of my mom and I cry. I listen to my favorite Peter, Paul and Mary and it reminds me of Mary Travers, whom we lost this year, and I cry. I hear that a friend's child with awful cancer has clear scans and I cry. Good tears, tears that mean I'm alive.

This has been quite a year. We lost not only Mary, but Ted Kennedy -- I so wish he was here to vote yes tomorrow morning when the Senate passes its reform bill. It touches me so that his widow will be in the gallery.

And we lost the public option. But in 2010, we will have health insurance reform, and everybody in America with a pre-existing condition will be able to sign up for a high risk pool in a matter of weeks or months, with more changes taking effect over the next few years. 30 million people will get insurance. We just have to make it through conference and it will be done.

Here's what the LA Times said today:

These "insurance reforms ... will open a new chapter in the lives of sick people ... those with mental illness, heart disease, cancer, diabetes -- chronic ailments that touch almost every family in America. Those patients are the ones most likely to lose coverage because their policies impose lifetime limits, or because they have, in industry parlance, a 'preexisting condition.' ... (L)egislation President Obama is expected to sign into law next year will almost certainly ensure they have access to health insurance."

And it's been a busy year in other ways, as well. In October, I was quoted in AARP Magazine and our call volume exploded by 50%. I had two trips in October, one in November, and surgery in November, so the past few months have been absolutely insane. I'm due for a break and I will get one -- Advocacy for Patients will be closed for the holidays so I can recharge my batteries.

It's been a good year, in all. We were overjoyed by the addition of little Amieta to the Advocacy for Patients family. Between Amieta and Emily (the cat), Celeste and I have two good helpers!

Anyway, I'm too tired to do any serious writing, but I wanted to wish you all very happy and HEALTHY holidays, and a wonderful 2010. Maybe next year will be the year when we raise the money to hire a second lawyer! Regardless, though, we'll do our best to be here for you if you need us.

After the holidays!

Wishing you and yours the very best, Jennifer

Charter for Compassion

Please check this out. It's pretty much my answer to everything.

May 2010 bring us health and love and peace. Jennifer

Victoria Reggie Kennedy on Health Reform

On Sunday December 20, 2009, Victoria Reggie Kennedy -- the widow of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, published a moving essay urging Americans -- including but not limited to members of Congress -- to get behind the health reform bill. Here is an excerpt:

The moment Ted Kennedy would not want to lose

By Victoria Reggie Kennedy

My late husband, Ted Kennedy, was passionate about health-care reform. It was the cause of his life. He believed that health care for all our citizens was a fundamental right, not a privilege, and that this year the stars -- and competing interests -- were finally aligned to allow our nation to move forward with fundamental reform. He believed that health-care reform was essential to the financial stability of our nation's working families and of our economy as a whole.

Still, Ted knew that accomplishing reform would be difficult. If it were easy, he told me, it would have been done a long time ago. He predicted that as the Senate got closer to a vote, compromises would be necessary, coalitions would falter and many ardent supporters of reform would want to walk away. He hoped that they wouldn't do so. He knew from experience, he told me, that this kind of opportunity to enact health-care reform wouldn't arise again for a generation.

***

The bill before Congress will finally deliver on the urgent needs of all Americans. It would make their lives better and do so much good for this country. That, in the end, must be the test of reform. That was always the test for Ted Kennedy. He's not here to urge us not to let this chance slip through our fingers. So I humbly ask his colleagues to finish the work of his life, the work of generations, to allow the vote to go forward and to pass health-care reform now. As Ted always said, when it's finally done, the people will wonder what took so long.

The full text of the essay is in the Washington Post, here. Jennifer

But if we don't do this now ....

The last time health reform was taken up with any seriousness was 1993. That means we may wait another 15 years to get ANYTHING if we don't take as much as we can get NOW.

Senator Reid is not at 60 votes yet. Ben Nelson is still stuck on the abortion issue. Although anti-abortion Senator Casey from Pennsylvania has drafted compromise language, Senator Nelson is not yet on board. As I've already explained below, the issue is the use of federal funds -- subsidies, basically -- to pay for insurance policies that cover abortion. Senator Nelson wants to prohibit any policy covering anybody who receives a subsidy from covering abortion. A majority of the Senate has rejected this because it would essentially eliminate insurance coverage of abortion, even if paid for by a woman's own money. Senator Nelson appears to be the lone Democrat hold-out.

Why should we support a bill even though it won't have a public option?

• The Senate compromise will result in coverage for more than 30 million people who don't have insurance and cannot afford insurance today.
• The Senate compromise will allow people to buy insurance through an Exchange so people can see all of their options and make informed choices.
• The Senate compromise contains subsidies making health insurance affordable for people who otherwise could not afford insurance. This includes people who are unemployed and cannot afford COBRA premiums.
• Insurers no longer could charge women more than men for the same coverage.
• The Senate compromise will eliminate lifetime caps on benefits.
• Children will be covered to age 26.
• The Senate compromise provides subsidies for small businesses who provide insurance for their employees.
• The Medicare coverage gap or doughnut hole will be plugged, so people who have high prescription drug costs will not have thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket expenses.

I'm deeply saddened that, due to Senator Lieberman and others, we will not be able to control premium prices by creating a public option that would cost less and, thus, create real competition in the insurance industry. But if the Senate fails to garner 60 votes to end debate and bring the bill to a vote, we will get none of that, and it's likely that we won't have another shot at reform for many years. And cost may be controlled to some extent; there is a push on to require that insurers spend 80 or 85 percent of premium dollars on medical benefits rather than administrative costs and profits. So there's still hope.

So please, please, please CALL YOUR SENATOR TODAY. The first "cloture" vote to end debate and bring the bill to a vote is expected to occur on Monday. You can find your Senator's contact information here. Alternatively, call 1-800-828-0448 and ask to be connected to your Senator's office. Thank you. Jennifer

I stand by my opinion, but here's another point of view

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Jennifer