All across the country, right-wingers and opponents of health care reform are spreading misinformation about President Obama's proposals to improve health care coverage for all Americans. To help debunk the misinformation about what health care reform actually means, a new coalition called Americans for Stable Quality Care--which includes the SEIU, American Medical Association (AMA), PhRMA, the Federation of American Hospitals and FamiliesUSA--will launch their first ad today as part of an August recess campaign for health care reform.

From Politico:

The group is likely to be the biggest spender in support of health reform. The campaign will serve as a counterweight to the critics at town meetings, which are getting saturation news coverage while Congress is out of town.

In a reversal from former President Bill Clinton's 1993-94 health care debacle, the group's campaign is likely to mean that White House supporters keep the upper hand on the airwaves.

Watch the ad here:

As President Obama said at the town hall in New Hampshire, "where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real, not these wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that's actually been proposed." In line with prospering the truth about reform, here's the text of the first ad from this coalition:

What DOES health insurance reform mean for you? It means you can't be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition, or dropped if you get sick. It means putting health-care decisions in the hands of you and your doctor. It means lower costs, a cap on out-of-pocket expenses, tough new rules to cut waste and red tape, and a focus on PREVENTING illness before it strikes. So what does health insurance reform really mean? Quality, affordable care you can count on.

An official from Americans for Stable Quality Care elaborates on the groups' objectives for the campaign, saying "Now that the debate is turning on what health reform means for the individual, they felt the need to launch a new front that addresses some of those particulars while debunking some of the myths that are floating around. Plus, these groups recognize that their collective voice packs more punch than if they were to just speak out individually." The ads will air in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Virginia.

For the 47 million Americans without health insurance and the rest of the country, reform in health care is worth doing. If you're looking for an opportunity to help turn the tide on reform, attend a town hall to contribute to civil public debate about important healthcare issues our country faces. Find a town hall meeting near you (hat tip to FireDogLake).

A new poll for CT Gov. M. Jodi Rell shows her approval rating has dropped to her lowest level ever, amid a severe economic downturn and months of criticism and ad campaigns from SEBAC, a coalition that represents Connecticut State public service workers.

The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute numbers show that 71% of voters support "raising the state income tax for individuals making at least $265,000 per year and couples making at least $500,000." Yet the Governor continues to refuse to raise taxes on the wealthy. The poll also finds that 55% of voters reject the "argument that raising taxes will force wealthier residents to move out of Connecticut." A majority of voters also support raising taxes on corporations.

Rell has said that raising taxes would be the worst thing the state could do and instead has proposed deep cuts to social services, health care, and higher education.

What do SEBAC leaders think about these poll results? As you may have guessed, they're definitely not shocked.

"I am not surprised that her approval numbers are beginning to drop," said Ron McLellan, the President of CEUI/SEIU Local 511. "Until this economic crisis, Governor Rell could hide her allegiance to big corporations and Connecticut's wealthiest citizens. But now, when the difficult decisions must be made, she has taken money from services that protect the middle-class and that support the most vulnerable among us -- all so that the rich and big businesses don't have to sacrifice."

"The Governor does not ask our wealthiest households and corporations to step up to the plate and be part of the solution,"[MO3]  said Maggie Adair, Policy Director for Connecticut Association for Human Services, an organization that works to end poverty and empower families. "Her budget priorities do not reflect the opinion of Connecticut's residents, who overwhelmingly support increasing the income tax on our highest wage earners."

In February, the SEBAC launched an aggressive television campaign that was designed to educate the public about the Governor's budget priorities and to hold her accountable for her budget decisions into the gubernatorial election season. To learn more about the coalition's campaign for a fair budget and view the video of their latest TV ad, visit www.InThisTogetherCT.org.

As Congress marshals us closer to a clean energy economy that creates green jobs, boosts national security and protects our planet, SEIU and coalition groups launched a print ad campaign last week in Capitol Hill publications. The print ads--from groups including Blue Green Alliance and Sierra Club-- urge Congress to pass and strengthen the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES).

Check out the ad below, which is currently running in Congress Daily AM, Politico, The Hill, Roll Call, CQ and the National Journal.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act is expected to end up on the floor of the House this week, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announcing yesterday that she plans to bring the legislation for a House vote on Friday.

Yesterday SEIU launched an online campaign asking senators to stand with working people, not greedy CEOs, on the Employee Free Choice Act.  The Huffington Post wrote of our campaign:

One of the nation's largest unions is making a significant ad purchase targeting four Democrats and one Republican Senator on the Employee Free Choice Act.

Targeting Democratic Senators Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Jim Webb of Virginia, and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, as well as Republican David Vitter of Louisiana, the message is at once effective and sharp: To oppose the labor-backed legislation would be to side with the institutions that create the current economic malaise.

In addition to putting out the four web videos, the SEIU is also launching email campaigns targeting the five senators, with much the same message and aim.
The email campaign mirrored the below message sent to our Arkansas activists; you can see all the ads below.

Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, stand with Arkansas' working people, not greedy CEOs

Arkansas

Louisiana

Pennsylvania

Virginia

Our health care activists have kept a watchful eye on ad buys by Rick Scott's "Conservatives for Patients' Rights," and with good reason. Scott's ads have contained demonstrably false material, misleading excerpts of interviews, and blatant fear-mongering in an attempt to swift-boat health care reform. A new ad--called "Bulldozer"--began airing this week, and just as before, Scott showed what low regard he holds for the truth.

FALSE CLAIM: "There are hundreds of choices of health care plans today..." [Conservatives for Patients' Rights "Bulldozer" Ad, 6/4/2009]

FACT: Only A Few Insurance Companies Dominate The Market, Leaving Americans With Limited Choices In Health Care. According to the American Medical Association, 94 percent of United States health care markets are considered highly concentrated, meaning that one company or a small group of companies control a great deal of the market. [American Medical Association, "Competition in Health Insurance," 2008 Update]

FALSE CLAIM: "This government-run plan could crush all your other choices, driving them out of existence..." [Conservatives for Patients' Rights "Bulldozer" Ad, 6/4/2009]

FACT: Public Plan Will Only Drive Out Inefficient Private Plans, Leaving Consumers With Greater Choices And Better Care Options. According to Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) chairman Glenn Hackbarth's comments on National Journal's health care blog, "some private plans will not survive this competition - namely, plans that do little more than offer free-choice of provider, fee-for-service coverage. We don't need those plans; a public plan can do that better." [National Journal's Health Care Blog, 12/8/2008]

FACT: Private Plans That Offer Lower-Cost Options And More Comprehensive Plans Will Be Able To Compete. According to the Urban Institute, "Private plans that offer better services and greater access to providers, even at a somewhat higher cost than the public plans, would survive the competition in this environment. It is also conceivable that private plans offering a lower-cost option - for example, lower premiums than the public plan, say by exploiting care management innovations, and network and payment rate limitations - could stake out a separate niche in some markets." [Urban Institute, 3/18/2009]

FACT: Many States Run Public And Private Plans Alongside Each Other Successfully. According to the Center for American Progress, "Today, state governments (all of which regulate insurance companies) operate public Medicaid programs, purchase insurance for thousands of public employees, and regulate insurers. In fact, many states successfully offer their employees and retirees private health insurance plans side-by-side with these states' self-funded health insurance plans." [Center for American Progress, March 2009]

FALSE CLAIM: "Government-run plan" will force "119 million off their current insurance coverage, leaving no choices in health insurance and government in control of your health care." [Conservatives for Patients' Rights "Bulldozer" Ad, 6/4/2009]

FACT: CBO Director: Lewin Study Claims Are Overstated. According to National Journal's Congress Daily, "CBO Director Elmendorf told Senate Finance Committee members and staffers he expects fewer Americans would migrate from private health insurance to a public plan than projected by the oft-quoted study by nonpartisan policy experts at the Lewin Group." [National Journal's CongressDaily, 5/20/2009]

FACT: Lewin Group Is Mouthpiece For Insurance Industry. The Lewin Group was "acquired" by Ingenix in 2007, according to the Ingenix website. Ingenix is "a leading health information technology company." According to the New York Times, INgenix is the "database business" of UnitedHealth Group. [Ingenix.com, 6/12/2007; New York Times, 3/31/2008]New York State Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo: Ingenix is "a conduit for rigged data to the largest insurers in the country." In February 2008, Andrew

• Cuomo, the New York State Attorney General, announced his "industry-wide investigation into a scheme by health insurers to defraud consumers by manipulating reimbursement rates." Cuomo's release named Ingenix as the center of the scheme" referring to it as "the nation's largest provider of healthcare billing information," and "a conduit for rigged data to the largest insurers in the country." [New York State Office of the Attorney General, 2/13/08]

Rick Scott Pushes To Keep Status Quo. Says Rick Scott in the new Conservatives for Patients' Rights ad, "It's not too late. Protect your health care choices. Tell Congress to say "no" to a government-run plan. "

FACT: Scott Has Made His Fortune Off Our Broken Health Care System.

Scott Received Nearly $10 Million In Severance And A 5 Year Contract With Columbia/HCA Following Resignation. Modern Healthcare reported that Richard L. Scott's "$9.9 million severance included a five-year consulting contract with HCA." [Modern Healthcare, 7/11/2005]

• Scott's 5 Year Consulting Contract Paid $950,000 Every Year. According to the New York Times: "The Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation said yesterday that it had agreed to pay its former chairman and chief executive nearly $10 million when he was forced out in July in the wake of an unfolding criminal investigation of the company. The agreement with the executive, Richard L. Scott, provided for a one-time payment of $5.13 million, as well as a five-year annual consulting fee of $950,000, for a total of $9.88 million, according to a copy of a severance agreement included in the company's quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission." [New York Times, 11/14/1997]

Scott's Severance Package Included $300 Million In Stocks. According to the Florida Times-Union, Richard L. Scott left Columbia/HCA "with a $10 million severance package and 10 million shares of stock valued at more than $300 million." [Florida Times-Union, 6/21/2006]

Full Script:

ANNCR: There are hundreds of choices of health care plans today, but imagine this is the massive government-run health insurance plan some in Congress want. This government-run plan could crush all your other choices, driving them out of existence, resulting in 119 million off their current insurance coverage, leaving no choices in health insurance and government in control of your health care.

RICK SCOTT: It's not too late. Protect your health care choices. Tell Congress to say "no" to a government-run plan. [Conservatives for Patients' Rights "Bulldozer" Ad, 6/4/2009]

Take action now. http://action.seiu.org/page/s/fakedocumentary

On Sunday, a group of DC residents delivered all 68,000 of your petitions to the NBC studios in Washington, demanding Rick Scott's phony infomercial be pulled. You should have seen the look on the producer's face when she saw the boxes of signatures waiting for her in the lobby.


Despite the objections from thousands of viewers, NBC went ahead and aired Rick Scott's 30-minute attack ad against health care reform. And, just as we had warned, it was filled with shameful and misleading distortions. (Check out Media Matters Factcheck on the CPR infomercial here)

It's going to be up to us to push back on Rick Scott with the truth about President Obama's plan to fix health care. This Saturday, thousands of Americans will be hosting health care organizing kickoffs in their communities.

Will you take part? This is a critical opportunity to tell the real story of President Obama's plan for health care reform: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/june6signups

After 80 years, we finally have the solution to this health care crisis in our sights. Getting there is going to require an all-out sprint to the finish line that starts right now. Let's show opponents like Rick Scott that no amount of expensive television ads can stop us from winning quality, affordable health care for every American.

This evening we received word that over 68,000 people (and counting!) have signed the petition calling for NBC not to air Rick Scott's "infomercial" attacking a public healthcare option. The ad is set to air on the network after Meet the Press this Sunday.

NBC needs to know that if they run this fake "documentary"--sponsored by former hospital CEO Rick Scot and his group Conservatives for Patients Rights (CPR)--and it contains any falsehoods (which is likely, given his track record), they could face an FCC violation and big fines. SEIU sent a letter to the network, asking for this 30-minute phony "documentary" to be pulled off the air before it runs, only
serving to further distort the debate on health care reform. We've also warned Meet the Press that they're being used by Rick Scott, and will be tarnished by his swift-boating.

Media organizations like NBC and Meet the Press have a responsibility to their viewers and the public NOT to air falsehoods--and it's our job to up the ante and keep the pressure on them to do so. Along with signing the petition, we asked Washington, DC residents to give the local NBC4 station manager a call, telling them this ad by Conservatives for Patients Rights is unfit to air.

We're keeping a tally of how many calls go into the station, and many activists have already reported back to us after making the call to NBC4 and asking to speak with General Manager Michael Jack.

From caller A.L., who was unable to get through directly to NBC4's general manager Michael Jack:

Spoke with an assistant. She took my message, which was: info in the ad is not correct. Also, Rick Scott's record at Columbia/HCA (having to resign because of fraud charges) makes his claims suspect at best. If NBC4 cares about accuracy, they outght not to run the advertisement.

From caller J.B., who also spoke to Jack's assistant:

In voicing my concern, I said I generally watch NBC4 because I find their reporting more substantive than [others]. I asked that NBC, its management and staff carefully review the 30-min ad because (having seen CPR's literature), there are several things patently false and misleading.

I added that since NBC4 is interested in reporting the FACTS, that they do review this ad's content to ensure it is factual and not misleading--because it is about a very important issue for ALL of us and they should not accept the ad merely for financial purposes.

As of right now, NBC still has plans to air this unfit ad and it's up to us to get NBC to do the right thing. So if you are a Washington, DC resident, please call the NBC4 station at (202) 885-4000 and ask for General Manager Michael Jack.

The 68,000 voices who've already sent their message to NBC and Meet the Press demanding Rick Scott's 30-minute "documentary" be pulled from the air this Sunday is thanks to the combined efforts of SEIU and other healthcare reform advocate organizations HCAN, DFA and Credo. Will you join the 68,000+ people who have already taken action? Tell NBC & Meet the Press: Don't Air Rick Scott's Phony "Documentary"

Harley riders. Pancake breakfasts. Governor Howard Dean.

What do they all have in common? They're just a few of the unique ways that SEIU's keeping our campaigns for health care reform and Employee Free Choice moving during the Memorial Day recess.

As the Congressional week draws to a close, and Members head back to their districts, they'll be greeted by a wave of activities on the ground, in the mail and over the airwaves, letting them know that working families need affordable, quality health care, and the right to bargain with their employers for job security and better benefits.

Here's just a few highlights from the more than 100 events in 16 states taking place next week:

• In North Dakota, SEIU leaders will be participating in a Divided We Fail event with Senator Conrad. Keep an eye out for our traveling "Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act" billboards as well.
• In Colorado, we'll be standing with former Gov. Howard Dean at a town hall to champion the need for a real public health insurance option. We're also going to be partnering with the Sierra Club in CO to highlight the economic and environmental support for Employee Free Choice and green jobs, through community engagement and signs along the road.
• In Maine, our "Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act" billboards will travel the state from event to event, where members will be making calls to their Senators. Maine is also one of nearly a dozen states where we'll be releasing our "Value of Reform" reports that demonstrates the true value of changing our broken healthcare system.
• In Virginia, we will continue our statewide door-to-door canvassing campaign to build community support.
• In Montana, we'll join Senator Tester at events across the state to share personal stories on why the legislation is needed.

In addition, we're keeping the heat on through television ads, mail and phone calls asking Senators where they stand: with working families or with corporate CEOs? Like this ad, currently running in Pennsylvania, noting that Sen. Specter voted for Employee Free Choice two years ago, and now has a big decision to make about his priorities.

During these next few weeks, we'll be sprinting to the finish line on major pieces of legislation that will truly deliver the change we voted for in November. To get involved, become a part of Change that Works and start making the difference in health care reform and ensuring workers have a voice on the job today.

Rick Scott knows what he can get away with.

Recently, Mr. Scott bought ads for his group "Conservatives for Patients' Rights" on CNN and FOX News networks. The ads were created by the same firm behind the now discredited "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" ads from the 2004 presidential campaign.

Rick Scott's anti-health care reform ad is chock-full of misinformation. SEIU has requested that the ads be pulled based on the following:

• Rick Scott misleads viewers about the Federal Coordinating Council , claiming: "not only could a government board deny your choice in doctors, but it can control life and death for some patients." This statement is demonstrably false.
• The advertisement further deceives viewers by blatantly misrepresenting the positions of two physicians. (Our full request is available here.)

These lies break CNN and Fox News' own policies protecting viewers from false advertising. But the television networks are doing nothing.

Watch the video, then tell FOX News and CNN to stop airing this ad: http://action.seiu.org/tellFoxNews

CNN's lawyers are giving CPR five business days to respond. During this time, they will continue running CPR's ad. The 60-second ad runs until May 7th, which means that if CPR fails to defend the gross misstatements and distortions in their ad, they only stand to lose one day of airtime.

CNN claims this is "standard" policy for advertising disputes. If that's the case, no wonder CPR chose to run their misleading advertisement on their network. (Meanwhile, FOX News has not responded to our request.)

We welcome thoughtful discussion and disagreement on health care reform - what we will not tolerate are lies and distortions meant to scare the American public.

Join SEIU in calling on FOX News and CNN to adhere to their own policies and immediately cease running CPR's distortions: http://action.seiu.org/tellFoxNews

Thanks for speaking out.

Yesterday, SEIU sent letters to FOX News and CNN requesting they pull a grossly misleading ad by Rick Scott's "Conservatives for Patients Rights." The ads, which contain false statements and misleading quotes from doctors, were produced by the same PR firm that created the now-widely discredited "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" ads against Sen. John Kerry in 2004.

Below are the reasons we are asking for this ad to be taken down:

• Rick Scott, the narrator featured in the advertisement, misleads viewers about the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research, a newly-created entity by the economic recovery package signed into law by President Obama in February. Mr. Scott makes a specific claim: "not only could a government board deny your choice in doctors, but it can control life and death for some patients." This statement is demonstrably false. In reality, the powers of this so-called "government board" are clearly defined and cannot do what Mr. Scott claims. The statutory authority of the Council specifically excludes the power "to mandate coverage, reimbursement, or other policies for any public or private payer." It is worth noting that even under President Bush, the National Institute of Health already had an annual budget of $355 million to conduct precisely this type of research. Plainly, this has not led to the sort of catastrophic consequences in America that Mr. Scott warns against.


• The advertisement further deceives viewers by blatantly misrepresenting the positions of two physicians. While the advertisement paints both as opponents of any role for government in health care reform, in reality, just the opposite is true. Both physicians are in fact supporters of universal health care. What they are opposed to is the U.S. 'two-tiered' system that already rations health care based on the ability to pay. In fact, Mr. Scott misrepresented Dr. Day's comments, and Dr. Day openly mocked the ineffectiveness of the U.S. health care system. What Dr. Day is opposed to is Canada's outdated funding model, not Canada's healthcare system. Dr. Day actually advocates reform of the funding structure to preserve Canada's healthcare system, not dismantle it.

Update:

CNN has provided a disappointing response to our request. According to their lawyer, they are giving CPR five business days to respond. During this time, they will continue running CPR's ad. The 60-second ad runs until May 7th, which means that if CPR fails to defend the gross misstatements and distortions in their ad, they only stand to lose one day of airtime.

CNN claims this is "standard" policy for advertising disputes. If that's the case, no wonder CPR chose to run their misleading advertisement on their network.

Download our entire letter to CNN and FOX News.

Join the chorus of viewers calling for CNN and FOX News to adhere to their own truth-in-advertising policies and remove this ad: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/TellFoxNews

Now, in my experience, there aren't that many cherry blossoms in Nebraska this time a year. Or statues of Civil War generals. Or, uh, White Houses.

But for whatever reason, that's the backdrop the Chamber of Commerce has chosen for their new anti-Employee Free Choice Act attack ad in the state, an ad whose theme of is supposedly "You can't let Washington tell Nebraskans what to do."

As it so happens, I agree with that message. And so do a great number of Nebraskans who are speaking out on behalf of the Employee Free Choice Act:

SEIU joined with Families USA, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) this week to launch a $10 million ad campaign to applaud Members of Congress for voting to expand and strengthen the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This program will ensure that over 11 million lower income children, many of whose parents have lost their employer-provided health care coverage through layoffs and cutbacks, will be able to receive doctor check-ups, dentist visits, and preventive care.

The TV ads will run on local cable television stations including Comedy Central, CNN, FOX and MSNBC; specifically targeting 34 senators over a three week period and 49 congressmen for two weeks.

Watch it here:

Multi-Million Dollar Television Ad Buy Unveiled Today Promotes Health Care Reform as a Top Domestic Priority for the Next President and the New Congress

Washington, D.C. - Six organizations representing consumers, physicians, insurers, patients and pharmaceutical research companies are banding together to launch a new multi-million dollar national television advertising buy. Their common message: In order to fix the ailing economy, the nation needs health care reform that addresses the related problems of health care costs and people losing health coverage.

The groups are the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the American Medical Association (AMA), Families USA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Regence BlueCross BlueShield, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The ad will air at least until Feb. 5 and focuses visually on the nation's manufacturing sector, but the organizations all agree that every sector of the economy will benefit from health care reform. The ad opens with: "At a time when American businesses are hurting, why should we worry about fixing health care? Because quality, affordable health care can save money and make businesses more competitive."

"Cancer patients across the country--including those with insurance--often must dig deep into their savings and risk financial ruin to pay for cancer treatment and care," said John R. Seffrin, Ph. D., Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN. "Elected officials should recognize what American families already know--that fixing the economy requires that we fix the broken health care system."

"Healing our health care system is a key component to jumpstarting our national economy. As our new ad makes clear--quality, affordable health care is good for families and it's good for businesses," said AMA President Nancy H. Nielsen, M.D.

"While businesses and families cope with unaffordable health care costs, many workers are losing their jobs and health coverage," said Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA. "As a result, it's clear that America's economic difficulties require meaningful health care reform. It's this message that animates our ad campaign."

"Expanding access to quality and affordable health insurance is good for patients and good for our economy," Billy Tauzin, President and CEO of PhRMA, said today. "Improved access means we can do more to promote prevention and more to detect and treat conditions at an early stage, when we can do the most to avoid poor health outcomes and costly complications of chronic diseases, which account for seven out of every ten deaths in America."

"Given the nation's economic and health care crises, now is the time to bring meaningful, lasting change to our health care system," said Mark Ganz, President and CEO of Regence. "We urge President-elect Obama and Congressional leaders to bring together stakeholders who are willing to discard outdated concepts and collaborate on practical solutions."

"As the economy sputters, the need to fix healthcare is becoming more and more urgent. The clock is ticking," said Andy Stern, President of SEIU, the nation's largest union of healthcare workers. "It will take all of us--individuals, corporate leaders, healthcare providers and the government--working together to solve America's healthcare crisis."

The ad was unveiled today by all the sponsoring organizations at a news conference in Washington, D.C.

About the sponsors:

ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.

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The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issues. Working together, the AMA's quarter of a million physician and medical student members are playing an active role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please visit www.ama-assn.org.

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Families USA is a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Working at the national, state, and community levels, we have earned a national reputation as an effective voice for health care consumers for 25 years. For more information, visit www.familiesusa.org

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With 2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy.

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Regence BlueCross BlueShield is a leading health insurer in the Northwest/Mountain State Region, offering health, life and dental insurance. Regence serves nearly three million members as Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueShield (selected counties in Washington), Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield of Idaho. Each plan is a not-for-profit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is committed to improving the health of our members and our communities, and to transforming our health care system. For more information, please visit regence.com.

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The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $44.5 billion in 2007 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $58.8 billion in 2007.