Tell Pelosi & Reid: NO on MANDATE, YES on STATES' RIGHTS !

[Better Believe It]

Tell Pelosi & Reid: NO on MANDATE, YES on STATES' RIGHTS

We're nearly at the end of this healthcare reform battle and it has been very disappointing for those of us who hoped to see real healthcare reform--Medicare for All.

Those who thought a "public option" was good enough, and fought for that eventuality, are finding out that they should have supported Medicare for All from the beginning in the hopes that we would end up with a "robust public option." Instead we're all being forced to buy private insurance policies without a meaningful "public option" component to offset rising costs. Furthermore, states have no right to innovate in healthcare--until 2017.

At every turning point, supporters of a single-payer plan were thwarted, despite the fact that a clear majority of Americans support Medicare for All. At each turn, we weaved and bobbed until we were left with the conference report. Now it appears, that a deal has been made to sidestep that final stage.

Unless Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid hear from us in a big way, Congress will trample a state's right to implement single-payer healthcare by failing to include an ERISA waiver (effective immediately) and we'll all be forced to buy deficient insurance policies whether we can afford them or not, like it or not.

Please call Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid and tell them you want inserted in the final bill:

the ERISA waiver--effective immediately, and
NO MANDATE to buy private policies from the heartless insurance corporations who created this crisis.

Please go to this link for more information:

http://pdamerica.capwiz.com/pdamerica/callalert/index.tt?alertid=14518236

[debbierlus]

1. Doing it right now - I will post any action updates I find as well.

Thanks, as always!

[debbierlus]

2. Can the moderators please place this on the front page journals?

This is a emergency. We need to act together now and get as much exposure as possible. We need to forward this to all our friends and family and call them to encourage them to act.

Thank you

[debbierlus]

3. And, for those who want more information on Erisa waiver -

http://www.centerforpolicyanalysis.org/id47.html

Some state and local governments that have attempted to expand health care coverage have been successfully challenged in court under the terms of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). ERISA pre-empts states from enacting legislation if it is “related to” employee benefit plans. It reserves that right to the federal government. Section 514 of ERISA states that Title V (Administration and Enforcement) and Title IV (Fiduciary Responsibility) of ERISA “shall supercede any and all State laws insofar as they may… relate to any employee benefit plan.” There is no provision for an administrative waiver of these rules.



The Kucinich amendment to HR 3200, approved by a recorded vote of the House Education and Labor Committee, would remove this barrier for states that have enacted and signed into law a single payer system.

[stray cat]

4. If no mandate - do you have to prove you have money and pay up front

for medical care? Also, if there is no mandate to have insurance we shouldn't have to help others pay for it either - so no subsidies?

[debbierlus]

5. Called and begged. I am so tired of this whole fucking thing.

[IndianaGreen]

6. K&R

Pelosi and Reid are about to deliver a BOHICA to the American people, and without lubrication.

[Little Star]

7. k&r n/t