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We Need Affordable Health Care NOW!
The next seven working days of the California Legislature will determine the outcome of health care reform this year. During this critical time, we need your help to make sure our elected officials commit to providing health care that is meaningful and affordable for working families.
Assembly Bill 8, the health care legislation currently being negotiated, could require workers to pay for coverage they can’t afford. If you care about affordable health care, NOW is the time to speak up.
Here’s how you can make a difference:
· Act Now! Urge your legislator to push for the inclusion of cost containment and affordability amendments in AB 8. Send the letter below.
· Call Speaker Núñez, Senate President Don Perata and Governor Schwarzenegger and urge them to pass real health care reform this year.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: I Need Affordable Health Care Now!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
The cost of health care coverage is the most pressing issue facing California's working families. Premium costs continue to increase by double digits and we're paying the price - facing higher out of pocket costs, giving up raises and other benefits, and accepting slimmer health care plans.
The following measures are crucial for meaningful health care reform. I urge you to push for their inclusion in this year's health care proposals:
1. Cost containment - For those of us who have insurance, containing the costs of health care is the key to the success of any serious reform effort. Assembly Bill 8 must include specific strategies to control costs - such as bulk purchasing of prescription drugs, the creation of a public insurance option, price and quality transparency, and state oversight of health insurance rates. Each of these four proposals has a proven track record of success and is necessary to protect consumers.
2. Affordability - Health care reform must also guarantee that health care is affordable for working families. We cannot support proposals that require families to pay for health insurance that isn't affordable or buy insurance that we can't afford to use, like high deductible plans. Workers cannot be required to take up health insurance that they cannot afford.
Any reform without the above mentioned protections will fail to deliver real results for the vast majority of Californians. Without your focus and attention on this pressing issue, we will squander this year's unique opportunity to win meaningful health care reform.
With these important considerations, I urge you to push for the inclusion of these measures into AB 8. We're counting on you to make this happen.
Sincerely,
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