Why Reform

Why We Need Real Reform Now

Too many Americans are straining under the burden of shrinking health care coverage and rising health care costs. Over the last decade, millions of Americans have found themselves uninsured. And today, someone loses their health insurance every 12 minutes!

At the same time, health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs have risen steadily, and more and more families are facing unmanageably high health care costs.

The color of your skin, your ethnic background, and where you live have a major impact on your health care access and quality.

In fact, according to the American Journal of Public Health, the deaths of 880,000 black people would have been prevented if the mortality rate of blacks had been the same as that of whites over a 10-year period.

Every American deserves security and stability when it comes to their health. Congress must pass real health care reform, including a public option, now. This will ensure affordable, quality care for all Americans and eliminate racial health care disparities, including coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Economic Benefits to Health Care Reform:

  • Insuring Americans currently without insurance would save between $75 billion and $125 billion per year, or 0.75% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Without Health Care Reform:

  • One of every THREE dollars spent will go to health care
  • By 2019, families will pay 68% more for health insurance and out-of-pocket expenses, and 65.7 million people will be uninsured – that’s more than the population of Texas and California combined (roughly 61.2 million)

(Courtesy of www.HealthReform.gov)

Why Real Reform:

  • Real people are suffering and dying because of the current system, and we need real reform
  • Forty-six million have no insurance at all, and millions of those who do are denied necessary care or lose their insurance
  • Health care is a civil right, and the current system discriminates against people of all races just because they are sick
  • Real reform puts physicians over profits, and will make prescription drugs more affordable
  • Real reform will put care for our children over cash for insurance company CEOs
  • A public option is vital for real reform and is the key to competition, affordability and accountability

Real Reform Must:

  • Include a strong public option that provides a choice for low cost, basic coverage and creates honest competition for private insurers
  • Provide full health care coverage that is affordable to every individual, family and business and covers all pre-existing conditions
  • Contain standard, comprehensive health care benefits that meet everyone’s needs from preventive to chronic care
  • Provide individuals with the choice of a private or public health care plan, including a new public health care plan that will provide a guaranteed backup to ensure quality, affordable health care coverage no matter what
  • Ensure equity in health care access, treatment, research, and resources to people and communities of color and stronger health services in low-income communities