President Obama's weekly address: Necessary reform vs. absurd attacks

From our friends at Whitehouse.gov:

In his weekly address, President Obama calls health insurance reform critical to our nation's long-term economic strength, and dispels the outlandish rumors being promoted by those who are defending the status quo.



If the viewscreen above is not visible, President Obama's weekly address is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGdbKEr29I0.

Donations still needed for the Aug. 15 'Back To School Health Fair'

The West Fresno Health Care Coalition is still taking donations for the Back To School Health Fair being held August 15th at the Hinton Community Center. Backpacks, school supplies, and monetary donations for the purchase of school supplies are still being accepted.

If you would like to make a donation please contact Kris Arden at 559-978-1736 or kkarden@yahoo.com by August 12th.

Help Fresno's school kids start the school year off right!

Eight more volunteers needed for the 'Back To School Health Fair' Aug. 15

Volunteers For Change-Fresno still needs at least 8 volunteers to help with the "Back To School Health Fair" being hosted by the West Fresno Health Care Coalition. This event targets children grades K - 12 and their families. Various vendors will provide health screening (diabetes, high blood pressure screening for adults and dental & vision screening for the children) and health-related information. Children will receive backpacks filled with school supplies for the new school year. Free breakfast & lunch will also be provided to volunteers. To see the flyer produced by the West Fresno Health Care Coalition regarding the event, please click on the following link:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3790649115_1008606f4d_b_d.jpg

Volunteers For Change-Fresno plans to play a key role in the event by supplying the West Fresno Health Care Coalition with 15 volunteers. Additionally, we plan to host a booth at the event where we will conduct voter registration and run health related children's activities.

Hosted by the West Fresno Health Care Coalition, the Back to School Health Fair is scheduled 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Hinton Community Center, 2385 S. Fairview Ave. in southwest Fresno.

Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Hinton+Center,+Fresno,+CA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.943777,63.105469&ie=UTF8&ll=36.717094,-119.803655&spn=0.007138,0.015407&z=16&iwloc=A

Help local children start the school year off right!

To sign-up for the event, go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpcr97.
For more information, contact Kris Arden at kkarden@yahoo.com or (559) 978-1736.

Volunteers needed: August activities continue with two phonebanking opportunities

As part of our August fusillade of activities supporting meaningful healthcare reform, Volunteers For Change-Fresno is looking for volunteers to make some enthusiastic and supportive calls during two phonebanking sessions, scheduled:

• 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9; and
• 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12.

V4CF member Patience Milrod will host each session at her law office, 844 N. Van Ness Ave. in central Fresno. V4CF member Connie Peterson is also coordinating these sessions.

Participating volunteers should bring their cell phones, chargers, gifts of gab and enthusiasm! Scripts, training, good company, food and fun will be provided. Space is limited, but should the room fill up, volunteers can make these calls from the comfort of their own homes, too.

Visit either of the following links to sign up for the Aug. 9 session or the Aug. 12 session.

Stay tuned to the V4CF Action Blog throughout August! Let's win this battle!

Breaking News: Tomorrow's healthcare town hall meeting CANCELED

This just in: The healthcare town hall meeting with Rep. Jim Costa, originally scheduled tomorrow at UCSF Fresno, has been canceled. From the desk of the Associate Dean:

CANCELED: HEALTH CARE REFORM INFORMATIONAL MEETING

Unfortunately, due to multiple scheduling conflicts from our panel members, we have been forced to cancel tomorrow’s informational meeting on health care reform.

The intent of the informational meeting was to share the many views of health care practitioners from around the Valley on the health care reform legislation that is being discussed in Congress, with our invited guests and panel members.

This informational meeting will be rescheduled for a future date convenient for all of our invited guests.

Joan L. Voris, MD, Associate Dean
UCSF Fresno
155 N. Fresno St.
Fresno, CA 93701
Website: www.fresno.ucsf.edu

We'll watch for a reschedule date and keep our members posted.

What we're up against: Who are these mobs?

This comes to us from our friends and action partners at Organizing For America. Sure, it's partisan, but like our recap of the Fresno Tea Party a few months back, it is a good reminder of the tactics being used against President Obama's healthcare-reform efforts.



If the viewscreen above is not visible, you can view the video on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtTBkxvBq88.

Want to join us in winning this fight? Scroll down and choose your action!

Join us in canvassing to support healthcare reform Saturday in Fresno

With the August Congressional Recess under way, now is the time for big action. In conjunction with Health Access and Organizing For America, Volunteers For Change-Fresno needs 30 volunteers to hit the streets Saturday, Aug. 8, and canvass selected neighborhoods in support of healthcare reform.

In canvassing, our purpose will be fivefold:

• To reach Congressional constituents in each district;
  
  
• To help those constituents get past fears and falsehoods about the current healthcare reform proposals;
  
  
• To ask those constituents to sign a petition, for delivery to Congressional Representatives;
  
  
• To ask the people we visit to make calls to their representatives in support of healthcare reform; and
  
  
• To join us at events supporting healthcare reform.

We need you. Six Volunteers For Change signed up for canvassing during our Aug. 4 meeting, but we need more. We're looking for 30 volunteers. Training and support will be provided.

To participate, send an e-mail message to event coordinator Patience Milrod at pm097@csufresno.edu, Nancy Griesser at nancyg@csufresno.edu, or to Volunteers For Change at v4cfresno@yahoo.com.

Then, plan to meet your fellow canvassers at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Fresno ACORN office, 1300 E. Shaw Ave, Suite 125. We hope to see you there!

Fighting the Mobs: Big, supportive turnout critical for Costa 'town hall' tomorrow

UPDATE: According to the Associate Dean of UCSF Fresno, this event has been canceled. Stay tuned to our Action Blog for more information.

-----

With Congress home for their summer recess, many Senators and Representatives are holding 'town hall' meetings on the topic of healthcare reform.

But as has been widely reported, many of these meetings are being disrupted by ill-informed 'mobs' shouting down any notion of responsible healthcare reform, and trying to keep any sort of reasoned debate from actually occurring. Here's one example, as broadcast on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow show

Representative Jim Costa has scheduled a healthcare town hall meeting scheduled 9-11 a.m. tomorrow, Aug. 7, at UCSF Fresno, 155 N. Fresno St. (Not at Fresno State, as had been previously announced.)

To counter the possibility of such an occurrence at Rep. Costa's town hall, we need as many healthcare-reform supporters as possible to attend.

To attend, you must RSVP by sending an e-mail message to charris@fresno.ucsf.edu

From Linda Leu, the coordinator from Health Access who spoke at our V4CF meeting Aug. 4:

We really need to turn out as many health reform supporters as possible at the UCSF Health Reform Meeting Friday morning because Rep. Costa will be there to “hear comments”. As we discussed at our meeting, the opposition is out in full force and we need to be there to deliver the message that his constituents need and want health reform!

The opposition will try to get there early, they will try to sit in the front, and they will try to make this discussion about euthanizing seniors, illegal immigrants, and abortions. We must be there too because we know that this is really about the 48 million Americans that will benefit from health reform. In Congressional District 20 alone, up to 9,700 small businesses could receive tax credits to provide coverage to their employees; 4,200 seniors would avoid the donut hole in Medicare Part D; 1,180 families could escape bankruptcy each year due to unaffordable health care costs; health care providers would receive payment for $123 million in uncompensated care each year; and 267,000 uninsured individuals would gain access to high-quality, affordable health insurance.

Please bring as many people as possible to attend the event and to encourage Congressman Costa to support the needs of his district.

For more information about the rally including location details, download this promotional flyer. We hope to see you there!

UPDATE: Our friend Dillon Savory has reported that no one has yet been able to confirm whether or not Rep. Costa will actually attend the meeting. Dillon reports he is supposed to get more information this afternoon, so please stay tuned for an update.

Fighting the Mobs: Falsehoods about healthcare reform spreading through e-mail

From our friends at Health Care For America Now (HCAN):

There is a nasty and misleading chain email going around. Some of you may have gotten it forwarded to you by family and friends. The email pretends to go through the "itemized contents of the Health Care Reform Bill," pulling out outrageous claims like, "Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!"

These claims are universally false. So we want to arm you with the tools to fight back against these smears. Below, we've created an message you can copy and paste in response to anyone who forwards you these lies. Just reply to the smear email and make sure everyone knows the truth.

We can fight these smears, one lie at a time.

Levana Layendecker
Health Care for America Now

-----

The contents of the email I am replying to are patently false. If the anonymous writer of this email had actually read the bill, he or she would know better.

Here are the facts. Anyone can verify them by reading the bill at http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text

"Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure! "

TRUTH: This is not an "audit," it's a study. Moreover, the bill states (pp. 22-23) that the report will "include any recommendations the Commissioner deems appropriate to ensure that the law does not provide incentives for small and mid-size employers to self-insure or create adverse selection in the risk pools of large group insurers and self-insured employers." This is almost directly the opposite of the email's claim.

"Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!"

TRUTH: Page 29 continues to define the "essential benefits package" and discusses limits on what Americans will have to spend on health care under this minimum standard. In no way does this section stipulate the rationing of care.

"Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)"

TRUTH: Page 30 begins to describe the Health Benefits Advisory Committee which establishes certain minimum standards for health insurance plans. In no way does this committee deny treatments and benefits to Americans with health insurance.

"Page 42: The 'Health Choices Commissioner' will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None."

TRUTH: Page 42 begins to describe the Health Choices Commissioner' s duties. The idea that this person will decide what benefits Americans receive is patently false, given that most Americans will keep their current plans under reform, and Americans within the exchange will have the choice of purchasing many different kinds of health plans. Rather, the Commissioner will establish minimum standards to protect Americans.

"Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services."

TRUTH: Pages 50-51 contain a provision stating that discrimination will not be allowed in the provision of health care services. Nowhere does the bill state that non-US citizens will be provided free health care services. The bill prohibits federal dollars from being used for undocumented immigrants.

"Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard."

TRUTH: Page 58, in the context of a discussion of administrative standards, mentions that "determination of an individual's financial responsibility at the point of service and, to the extent possible, prior to service, including whether the individual is eligible for a specific service with a specific physician at a specific facility...may include utilization of a machine-readable health plan beneficiary identification card." In no way does the bill state that such a card would be national, or that it would be issued to every person, or that it would, in fact, be used at all.

"Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer."

TRUTH: Page 59 continues the discussion of administrative standards, and authorizes electronic transfers of money within the government. In no way does this provision grant the government access to individual bank accounts.

"Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (read: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)"

TRUTH: Here's what page 65 says: "Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a temporary reinsurance program to provide reimbursement to assist participating employment-based plans with the cost of providing health benefits to retirees and to eligible spouses, surviving spouses and dependents of such retirees." No mention is made of unions or community organizations.

"Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange."

TRUTH: That's true! Plans have to have a minimum standard of benefits, bat can offer other plans as well. But that's fair, isn't it? Private insurers can continue to operate outside the exchange if they wish - should the government establish no standards for the exchange? In that case, how could reform end insurance industry abuses and help to control costs?

"Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)"

TRUTH: This section says is that if private health care plans want to operate in the Exchange, they must provide a basic benefit package.

"Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens"

TRUTH: Some American citizens are more comfortable speaking a language other than English, especially in a sensitive situation like a consultation with their doctor. This provision in no way opens the door for coverage of undocumented workers.

"Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan."

TRUTH: Page 95 makes no mention of ACORN and Americorps; all it says is that the Commissioner can conduct outreach to vulnerable populations, making them aware of their options.

"Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter."

TRUTH: People who are eligible for Medicaid will not have to face the burdens of paperwork and other bureaucratic struggles. Far from depriving people of choice, this measure will ensure coverage.

"Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No 'judicial review' is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed."

TRUTH: This section describes rate-setting under the public health insurance plan option, which will compete with private insurers, who can set their own rates. Because of inherent advantages like their established administrative and provider frameworks, private insurance companies will not be "crushed" by government competition.

"Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages."

TRUTH: The government will negotiate rates with providers under the public health insurance plan option. However, private insurers will continue to pay their own rates.

"Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives. "

TRUTH: This is simply not true. Employers with more than 20 employees aren't even eligible to participate in the exchange, let alone the public plan, until several years after the exchange launches in 2013. Moreover, no employer will be forced to participate in the public plan.

"Page 146: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families."

TRUTH: Employers are required to pay some benefits for part-time employees on a basis proportional to what they pay for full-time employees. No language on this page or the next stipulates coverage for the families of part-time employees.

"Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll"

TRUTH: The payroll penalty applies to employers with payroll over $500,000 who do not provide insurance to their employees. The percentage for employers with payroll from $500,000 - $750,000 is 6%. Employers do not have to offer the public option to avoid this penalty, they can offer private insurance if they wish.

"Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll"

TRUTH: This is false, see above.

"Page 167: Any individual who doesn't' have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income."

TRUTH: Pages 167-173 detail what "acceptable health care" means (basically, insurance coverage) and also allow for many different kinds of exceptions to this rule.

"Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them)."

TRUTH: Non-resident aliens do not have to pay the penalty for not having health insurance, nor will the receive federal assistance, because they are not required to purchase health insurance. They are not exempted from individual taxes generally.

"Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records."

TRUTH: This is a gross overstatement. For the purposes of determining affordability credits for Americans who need financial assistance in purchasing health insurance, employees of the Health Choices Administration will have access to tax information that the federal government already keeps. As is clearly stated on page 196, "Return information. .. may be used by officers and employees of the Health Choices Administration or such State-based health insurance exchange, as the case may be, only for the purposes of, and to the extent necessary in, establishing and verifying the appropriate amount of any affordability credit described in subtitle C of title II of the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 and providing for the repayment of any such credit which was in excess of such appropriate amount.''

"Page 203: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." Yes, it really says that."

TRUTH: This quote is taken out of context, and is in fact referring to a calculation used in the bill. Full context of quote: "'(4) NOT TREATED AS TAX IMPOSED BY THIS CHAPTER FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES.-The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax imposed by this chapter for purposes of determining the amount of any credit under this chapter or for purposes of section 55.''

"Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected."

TRUTH: This section has nothing whatsoever to do with reducing services. It makes much needed changes to the way in which physician reimbursement is recalculated every year. The bill will, in fact, create much more opportunity for seniors and the poor to receive necessary care.

"Page 241: Doctors: no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)"

TRUTH: Page 241 does not say this. Nowhere does it say this. It does say that physicians will be grouped into certain categories regardless of specialty. These categories merely determine if the physician is engaged in primarily therapeutic or preventative care.

"Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc."

TRUTH: There is no good response to this assertion as it appears to have been made up completely. The section deals with 'misvalued codes' meaning that the government is potentially not paying an acceptable rate for a specific service. This will allow the government to, for example, pay more for services that require more payment, such as high-overhead procedures. The author of these criticisms separately attacks the bill for paying the same rate to all doctors, then attacks again for paying different rates.

"Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries."

TRUTH: This section amends the Social Security Act to include productivity measures. There is no mandate or control of anything. This merely updates the way in which doctors and hospitals are paid through Medicare.

"Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs. "

TRUTH: This is simply not true. This slightly amends existing guidelines for payments for medical equipment, in this case power-driven wheelchairs. This section introduces no 'regulations' that are not in the Social Security Act.

"Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!"

TRUTH: Overusage of the hot-button word "rationing" is a way to deflect attention away from the actual language of the bill and incite unjustified fear. This section only compares costs incurred by cancer hospitals to costs incurred by similar hospitals, and adjusts payments to reduce the possibility of fraud and abuse.

"Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions. "

TRUTH: This is almost correct. The section is one of the first efforts at targeting excessive readmissions. Excessive readmissions are physically and emotionally damaging to patients, while simultaneously putting them, and the health care system, in far more financial risk than is necessary. The American Hospital Association recommended reduced payments for avoidable readmission in testimony to Congress.

"Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government."

TRUTH: This is patently false. The section is about possible methods that the Secretary of Health and Human services might consider in order to address the growing problem of patient readmission. This section does not, in any way, create a penalty, nor does it even mandate policy. It merely provides examples of recourses that might be considered.

"Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited from owning and investing in healthcare companies!"

TRUTH: This provision only limits Doctor's investments in health care facilities that they refer patients to The effort to limit self-referral has been ongoing for many years as an effort to reduce fraud and abuse. This is, essentially, the medical community equivalent of insider trading. Limiting this incentive works to put the patient's health above all other considerations. Doctors remain free to engage in investment opportunities in areas that don't create a significant conflict of interest.

"Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval."

TRUTH: This section regulates physicians' investment in hospitals to make sure that physicians are not unfairly benefiting from their power to refer patients to hospitals they have a stake in. The section does not prohibit hospital expansion.

"Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on 'community' input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN."

TRUTH: In the ongoing effort to demonize community-based groups such as ACORN, every instance of the word "community" has become associated with that group's efforts. In reality, this provision allows for anyone to provide input. This includes homeowners, religious leaders, neighborhood groups, and others. There are no payoffs. There is no money exchanged in any way.

"Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing."

TRUTH: This provision is included in order to allow the government to base payments on practices that work. Nowhere does it say health care will be rationed. The attempt to isolate what works and what does not work in Medicare Advantage plans only benefits the health care system in general.

"Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc."

TRUTH: The government can disqualify some Medicare Advantage Plans from receiving some additional payments, but only if those plans are not meeting necessary requirements.

"Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals. "

TRUTH: This section only deals with how to handle special needs individuals who need to enroll outside of the open enrollment period. Almost every type of plan operates with open enrollment periods. This section does not create more restrictions.

"Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone)."

TRUTH: This section merely expands existing Telehealth programs, which supplement but do not replace other health coverage, and provide a vital resource to Americans in rural and remote areas.

"Page 425-430: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?; Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time; Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death; Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends; Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT; Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life. "

TRUTH: All of these hysterical claims have been debunked elsewhere. HR3200 provides for the reimbursement of a voluntary session of end-of-life counseling with your physician once every five years. This in no way means the government will make decisions for patients or encourage doctor-assisted suicide. Counseling simply makes patients and their families aware of their options.

"Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN."

TRUTH: ACORN is not a Community-Based Medical Home.

"Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN."

TRUTH: This is clearly still referring to community health groups, not ACORN.

"Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage."

TRUTH: Covering marriage and family therapy, as many private insurance plans do, does not mean that the government "intervenes in your marriage." The types of individuals who are recognized as therapists are clearly defined on page 491; in brief, professionals only, not bureaucrats.

"Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services."

TRUTH: This section expands government coverage for mental health services under various government programs, and ensures that all mental health services will be offered by qualified professionals.

Thanks for the information, HCAN!

A fusillade of actions on tap as healthcare reform battle continues in August

Earlier today, Organizing for America sent out the following message from President Obama:

This is the moment our movement was built for.

For one month, the fight for health insurance reform leaves the backrooms of Washington, D.C., and returns to communities across America. Throughout August, members of Congress are back home, where the hands they shake and the voices they hear will not belong to lobbyists, but to people like you.

Home is where we're strongest. We didn't win last year's election together at a committee hearing in D.C. We won it on the doorsteps and the phone lines, at the softball games and the town meetings, and in every part of this great country where people gather to talk about what matters most. And if you're willing to step up once again, that's exactly where we're going to win this historic campaign for the guaranteed, affordable health insurance that every American deserves.

We've got to get out there, fight lies with truth, and set the record straight.

So throughout this 'battle month' of August, Volunteers For Change-Fresno is doing our part, strongly encouraging our members will step up and join us in this fight. This month, we'll be coordinating our efforts with organizations like Health Access and Organizing For America, all with the goal of winning this most critical of fights.

Here are some of the actions we'll be taking this month in support of meaningful healthcare reform, including a strong public option. And we need your help with each of them:

• Canvassing: On Aug. 8 and Aug. 22, we'll be joining Health Access and Organizing For America in canvassing, going door-to-door to encourage others in our community to take action supporting healthcare reform.

• Phonebanking: As we did in July, we'll be coordinating efforts with Organizing for America, making calls to encourage our fellow citizens to support healthcare reform;

• Phonebanking to V4CF members: Also, we'll be trying to reach each of our Volunteers For Change by telephone, encouraging them to call their representatives and urge their support;

• Tabling: V4CF members may staff booths and tables at community events, educating attendees about the importance of this healthcare reform effort;

• Coordinated Congressional Visits: Also in conjunction with Health Access and OFA, we're looking for members who want to participate in visits to the office of our congressional representatives, especially the office of Rep. Jim Costa; and

• Costa Send-Off Event: Finally, we're looking for members who want to participate in creating a send-off event for Rep. Costa, an event designed to ensure he does not forget our voices when he returns to Washington D.C. in September.

These events are the biggest, most important Calls To Action we've planned since our group's inception. And we need help from everybody to win this fight. Stay tuned to our Action Blog to find out how you can be involved.