Week Ending May 16th
This week was one of the most important in the health care reform debate, with the president using his bully pulpit several times to promote the issue. On Monday, May 11, he met with executives from organizations representing health insurers, drug companies, hospitals, doctors, medical device makers, and unions. The participants pledged to find cost savings of up to $2 trillion over the next 10 years. The president has asked for more concrete details by June 1. Cost savings was on the agenda again Tuesday, when the president met with leaders from some of the nation’s largest employers and unions.
The Senate Finance Committee took up cost issues on Tuesday as well, at its third and final public roundtable. Committee members heard from policy experts about ideas to generate savings while also making the health care system more patient-centered and cost effective. Raising revenue to pay for reform was also discussed, with new taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and soft drinks mentioned. ACS CAN supports raising the federal tobacco tax and is already talking to members of Congress about the lifesaving impact and long term cost savings of this policy option.
With all of the roundtables concluded (previous sessions focused on delivery system reform and quality coverage), the Finance Committee is now putting forward a series of concepts based on their findings and is seeking comment from other lawmakers and stakeholders, including ACS CAN. From there, draft legislation will be developed, introduced, and considered by the Committee during the first two weeks of June. On a parallel track, preliminary legislative language is expected next week from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The Finance and HELP Committees are planning to combine their efforts into a single bill.
Momentum is picking up on the House side as well. On Wednesday, May 13, the three Committee chairs who have jurisdiction over health care reform issue met with the president as well as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Following the meeting, Speaker Pelosi said, “Legislation will be on the floor by the end of July, I am quite certain.”
Also on Wednesday, ACS CAN teamed up with business, union, and consumer groups in a new coalition, Healthy Economy Now, to continue to make the case that health reform is vital to the nation’s economic recovery via a new ad called “Fix.” The effort is part of ACS CAN’s ongoing work in, and collaborative approach to, the debate to ensure that lawmakers consider the interests of cancer patients, survivors, and their families as legislation is drafted. The ad will run for six weeks on national cable news stations in six states and the District of Columbia. Several of the groups in the coalition joined with ACS CAN in sponsoring the “Factory” ad that ran in January with much the same message.
Of course, we all know that the high cost of health care is also wreaking havoc on family finances. That is why ACS CAN is bringing 15 people whose stories were featured in Spending to Survive: Cancer Patients Confront Holes in the Health Insurance System, a joint report issued in February by the American Cancer Society and the Kaiser Family Foundation, to Washington, D.C. next week for ACS CAN’s “Stories Lobby Day.” The report did much to focus the reform issue through the “cancer lens” and the stories should resonate greatly on Capitol Hill. Volunteers from several partner groups will join us.
Finally, while the week opened with the president at his bully pulpit, it will close with ACS CAN speaking from ours! Today, Friday, May 15, is the first day of “50 Ways in 50 Days to Get Active on Health Care Reform,” a new grassroots activity that offers advocates a new action they can take to help pass health care reform every day for 50 days. If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to download this on-screen tool, known as a widget, onto your computer and participate. You can run it on your computer or share it with friends and family through your Facebook page, blog or any other web page you may have.
Comprehensive health care reform legislation is a critical step to expanding access to quality affordable care. Your voice, your actions and your willingness to join in the fight will help the Society and ACS CAN achieve their shared mission. I look forward to keeping you informed through these weekly emails, other email updates, regular staff conference alls, and pod casts. You can also visit fightcancer.org/healthcare or contact Erin O'Neill, senior director for Grassroots at [email protected] or 202-661-5716.
Thanks, as always, for all you do.
Dan