Charlotte Tea Party Headquarters

From "A Scarlet Stethoscope":  http://rnadvocate.blogspot.com/2009/10/hr-3713-call-to-action.html

For those of you who read my October 11 blog (http://rnadvocate.blogspot.com/2009/10/hr-3713-hesitant-endorsement.html ), this will be a refresher for you, along with some follow up information…for those of you that missed it, please take some time to read this…it is time to take action.

After the grueling weeks of healthcare town hall meetings, certain members of the House got together and penned a healthcare bill that addressed many of the issues that we worked hard to bring to the table. This healthcare bill is different – it does not include the issues that many people stood so strongly against: mandates, fines, ‘public options’, and government control of healthcare.

HR 3713, “American Health Care Solutions Act of 2009”, is sponsored by Michael Rogers (R, MI-8), and cosponsored by the following:

Sue Myrick (R, NC-9)

Marsha Blackburn (R, TN-7)

Mary Bono Mack (R, CA-45)

Stephen Buyer (R, IN-4)

Ralph Hall (R, TX-4)

Joseph Pitts (R, PA-16)

John Shimkus (R, IL-19)

Frederick Upton (R, MI-6)

What it DOES address:

It employs free-market solutions to address healthcare priorities.

It prohibits healthcare legislation that even implies rationing of care.

It allows for purchase of health insurance across state lines.

It prohibits the use of healthcare data research, otherwise known as “comparative effectiveness”, to direct the care of a patient – thus allowing for personalized medicine and understanding that each patient responds differently to treatments.

It calls for verification requirements to prevent illegal aliens from receiving Medicaid benefits.

It provides tax incentives and taxpayer credits for long-term care insurance and long-term care needs.

It provides incentives for organizations to band together to provide low-cost PRIVATE healthcare insurance plans that people can purchase – IF THEY SO CHOOSE – in lieu of their employer’s health care plans, and opens the door to lower-cost private health insurance to those who currently have no insurance, cannot afford private insurance but do not qualify for Medicaid.

And it includes medical liability reform.

I did hear from Sue Myrick’s office about the IMA’s, “Independent Membership Associations”, mentioned in HR 3713 - and was very pleased with what I found out. What IMA’s are: they allow small employers/organizations to band together for better bargaining power with insurers. The bill would authorize (NOT mandate) associations to band together to purchase their health insurance through member groups of their own choosing, and will not be tied to an employer for health coverage. In order for an organization to qualify as an IMA for the purposes of offering insurance, an association would have to be in existence for 5 years, be organized for a purpose other than offering insurance, and offer insurance only to members of the group. This would include organizations like Knights of Columbus, a university alumni association, or a local Chamber of Commerce. The opportunities with this are huge, and combined with the ability to purchase insurance across state lines, it will allow free market forces to FINALLY pull the cost of health insurance down so it is affordable for everyone.

I cannot find where this bill has been evaluated by the Congressional Budget Office yet, and would assume that will happen after it has begun discussion in the House Committees. I will update you as soon as I hear anything about the estimated cost – but by the nature of this bill, and allowing the free market to actually work, I would think that the cost of this bill would be EXPONENTIALLY lower than the other multi-billion and trillion dollar healthcare bills being debated right now.

I stand firm in my conviction that there should not be ANY government involvement in healthcare. Period. And after further investigation of this bill, I’ve found that it is a very well written bill in that it works to reform health INSURANCE, where a huge part of the healthcare crisis lies. It provides for medical malpractice reform, where another huge part of the healthcare crisis lies. Regarding government involvement, it includes specific language that restricts government involvement in rationing healthcare – so, if anything, it is a bill that does the exact opposite of the other ‘government-takeover’ healthcare bills. In my almost-14 years of working in healthcare, I can honestly say that the two biggest headaches that doctors and nurses deal with are dealing with health insurance companies and doing their best to protect themselves from lawsuits. These are two problems that, in my opinion, manage to effectively tie the hands of healthcare workers and prevent them from being free to provide the optimal, high-quality care that Americans deserve.

I am giving this bill my endorsement because it RESTRICTS the government from mandating or rationing anything with regard to healthcare – and – allows the free market to take over and bring down the cost of health insurance.

I am giving this bill my endorsement because it addresses where the REAL problems are in the healthcare industry, and provides real solutions to areas that desperately need reform.

On October 30th, this bill will be referred to the House Judiciary, Appropriations, and House Education and Labor Committees…we can’t let this bill die in committee just because it has been introduced by the party that is not in control of Congress. THE PEOPLE should be in control of Congress – not ANY political party. It’s time we let them know who is in charge.

This bill has received little to no publicity in the press. And that is no surprise – it addresses none of the priorities that the current White House is pushing – there’s nothing to increase government control of the American people, nothing that allows the government to invade your private healthcare records, nothing that will cause another explosive rise in our national debt. Of course they are going to do their best to keep this bill under wraps – it does nothing for THEIR agenda.

But it is what we have asked for. So, making noise will be up to the American people.

It’s sad that we are not able to have trust in our elected officials to have discernment in issues like this, but the tide has changed – for now – and we have to stand up and make our voices heard.

Here is the call to action:

Look up HR 3713. There are several references – the direct link to the bill is here:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3713ih.txt.pdf

The OpenCongress summary of the bill, including updates and news, is here:

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3713/show

OpenCongress also has links to the sponsors and co-sponsors of the bill, and lists the members of the committees that will be debating this bill so you can contact them.

But...I think we will need to go a step further. I think we need to let other Americans know that this bill IS OUT THERE. This is so critically important, people – we are at a crossroads. We can allow Congress to railroad through a bill that will cripple the economy and paralyze the healthcare industry. Or we can advocate for a bill that will really address the problems that exist in healthcare.

I feel like this is turning into my mantra, but here it is:

We face dire consequences if we break what is working and do not address what is already broken.

I am going to do all that I am able to make more people aware of this bill and get the word out. I need your help. Please share information about this bill – feel free to share the link to this blog – and encourage family, friends, colleagues, everyone to review it, and if it is something they agree with – start speaking out! Contact your elected officials – House, Senate, AND THE WHITE HOUSE. Contact the media – no matter which direction they spin – you are a customer, and if they hear from enough customers, they will eventually bend. I will be sending out any articles I can find over this blog and over Facebook – again, feel free to share the information and pass it on to anyone you think will listen. And even to those you think may not – you may be surprised.

It’s up to us – so much is at stake here.

THIS AFFECTS YOU.  Please take the time to act.