TEXAS AFT LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE--WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009
(copyright 2009 Texas AFT)
 
Health-Care Reform: Myths, Facts, and Real Choices for Health-Care Consumers
 
The American Federation of Teachers, on behalf of 1.4 million members nationwide (including 62,000 Texas AFT members), has a message for the shouters trying to drown out factual discussion of health-care reform: "The time for health-care reform is now, and the facts must be heard."
 
While opponents of health-insurance reform are taking their message across the country and spreading myths about what health-care reform would mean for Americans, AFT is initiating a series of messages to get the facts straight. One such message is contained in a four-minute video about how health-insurance problems are hurting AFT members, their families, and the people we serve. You can view it at www.aft.org/fight4america.
 
Other print messages will follow a "mythbuster" format. Here's a an example:

MYTH#1: Reform doesn't affect people who already have health insurance.

"THE FACTS: Reform affects all Americans who have ever worried about health-care costs or about losing their coverage if they become too sick, lose their jobs or change jobs. Every day, 14,000 Americans lose their health insurance. Further, one of the driving forces behind government deficits is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid. A public plan option will provide competition with the insurance industry to help keep costs down. If health-care costs are not brought under control, there will be fewer resources for education and other important public services. In addition, out-of-pocket health-care costs for every family will continue to climb."

Visit www.aft.org/fight4america to learn more about AFT's campaign for health-insurance reform and how you can be part of the action.
 
Today AFT President Randi Weingarten reinforced that campaign with a strong endorsement of expanded consumer choice in the health-care insurance market--which is what it would mean to have a "public option" in addition to privately offer health insurance. In many states, only one or two giant companies offer group health insurance, with no real competition, so they can effectively dictate the price consumers must pay for health coverage. The "public option" would give consumers the choice of joining a non-profit, publicly provided alternative group plan instead of facing a take-it-or-leave-it deal from the insurance giants.
 
Here's how Randi Weingarten sized up the matter in her statement issued today: "Health-care reform must include a public option that provides the real competition needed to help control spiraling costs. Absent such cost containment, we will continue down a road in which high-quality health care is further out of reach for many Americans and in which everyone is adversely affected by the drain on our economy.
 
"Health-care reform needs to happen now, and it needs to take place in an atmosphere that allows for real discussion based on the facts about what is being proposed. An issue of this importance deserves nothing less.
 
"The American Federation of Teachers will continue to support a comprehensive reform bill that makes quality health care accessible and affordable for all."