There was only one speaker at Sen. Harry Reid's press conference today who was NOT a member of the U.S. Senate. Her name? Loretta Johnson, a home health care worker who lost her own coverage when her husband became ill, and Loretta was forced to quit her job.

Loretta is an SEIU member who worked for 18 years as a deputy courthouse clerk in Lebanon, Virginia. When her husband fell ill, Loretta quit her job to take care of him, and subsequently lost their health insurance, income, retirement, security, sick days and more. Today, as a personal care assistant, Loretta works to build the Personal Care Assistant Association in Virginia. While she brings home a paycheck, she still doesn't have health insurance or benefits of any kind.

Below are Loretta's remarks at today's Senate health care bill unveiling:

My husband had open heart surgery and was diabetic. And in 2000, he was so sick I had to quit my job to take care of him. So, I lost my health insurance. After he passed away, I became a home health care worker. I'm at the bedside every day giving people the same type of care I gave my husband. But, I don't have health insurance.

And that is why I am so proud to be standing here today representing SEIU and its 2.1 million workers.

Because, after more than 100 years of debate, Senator Reid said, "Enough". Enough scare tactics. Enough politics as usual.

The Senate's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act puts us one step closer to health care that works for every American.

Because of his leadership, insurance companies will no longer control our healthcare system - making sure people like me actually have a choice.

Now, in my opinion, there's probably some room for improvement. But I know, Senator Reid and the Senators standing here today are as committed as we are to making sure people can afford the care they need.

And believe me, I'll be up here to make sure every one of these Senators does just that.

Stand with Loretta in holding the Senate accountable on health insurance reform. Get started by adopting one of our health care "swing states" (CT, NE, LA, AR), to make sure that after months of hard work, Congress finally gets to vote on health insurance reform.

Watch full video from today's press conference with Loretta here.

You can also see Loretta Johnson at SeniorstoSeniors.org.

There was only one speaker at Sen. Harry Reid's press conference today who was NOT a member of the U.S. Senate. Her name? Loretta Johnson, a home health care worker who lost her own coverage when her husband became ill, and Loretta was forced to quit her job.

Loretta is an SEIU member who worked for 18 years as a deputy courthouse clerk in Lebanon, Virginia. When her husband fell ill, Loretta quit her job to take care of him, and subsequently lost their health insurance, income, retirement, security, sick days and more. Today, as a personal care assistant, Loretta works to build the Personal Care Assistant Association in Virginia. While she brings home a paycheck, she still doesn't have health insurance or benefits of any kind.

Below are Loretta's remarks at today's Senate health care bill unveiling:

My husband had open heart surgery and was diabetic. And in 2000, he was so sick I had to quit my job to take care of him. So, I lost my health insurance. After he passed away, I became a home health care worker. I'm at the bedside every day giving people the same type of care I gave my husband. But, I don't have health insurance.

And that is why I am so proud to be standing here today representing SEIU and its 2.1 million workers.

Because, after more than 100 years of debate, Senator Reid said, "Enough". Enough scare tactics. Enough politics as usual.

The Senate's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act puts us one step closer to health care that works for every American.

Because of his leadership, insurance companies will no longer control our healthcare system - making sure people like me actually have a choice.

Now, in my opinion, there's probably some room for improvement. But I know, Senator Reid and the Senators standing here today are as committed as we are to making sure people can afford the care they need.

And believe me, I'll be up here to make sure every one of these Senators does just that.

Stand with Loretta in holding the Senate accountable on health insurance reform. Get started by adopting one of our health care "swing states" (CT, NE, LA, AR), to make sure that after months of hard work, Congress finally gets to vote on health insurance reform.

Watch Loretta speak here:

You can also see Loretta Johnson at SeniorstoSeniors.org

There's a lot of talk today about what the Senate health care bill will do in the immediate future. Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein provides a list of reforms that go into affect immediately after the bill becomes law. Here's a few off that list:

º Eliminating lifetime limits, and cap annual limits, on health-care benefits. In other words, if you get an aggressive cancer and your treatment costs an extraordinary amount, your insurer can't suddenly remind you that subparagraph 15 limited your yearly expenses to $30,000, and they're not responsible for anything above that.

º No more rescissions.

º Requiring insurers to cover preventive care and immunizations.

º Allowing young adults to stay on their parent's insurance plan until age 26.

º Forcing insurers to spend 80 percent of all premium dollars on medical care (75 percent in the individual market), thus capping the money that can go toward administration, profits, etc.

º Creating an appeals process and consumer advocate for insurance customers.

º Banning discrimination based on salary (i.e., where a company that's not self-insured makes only some full-time workers eligible for coverage.)

Read the full list at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/.

There's a lot of talk today about what the Senate health care bill will do in the immediate future. Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein provides a list of reforms that go into affect immediately after the bill becomes law. Here's a few off that list:

º Eliminating lifetime limits, and cap annual limits, on health-care benefits. In other words, if you get an aggressive cancer and your treatment costs an extraordinary amount, your insurer can't suddenly remind you that subparagraph 15 limited your yearly expenses to $30,000, and they're not responsible for anything above that.

º No more rescissions.

º Requiring insurers to cover preventive care and immunizations.

º Allowing young adults to stay on their parent's insurance plan until age 26.

º Forcing insurers to spend 80 percent of all premium dollars on medical care (75 percent in the individual market), thus capping the money that can go toward administration, profits, etc.

º Creating an appeals process and consumer advocate for insurance customers.

º Banning discrimination based on salary (i.e., where a company that's not self-insured makes only some full-time workers eligible for coverage.)

Read the full list at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/.

Today, at 12pm, Sen. Harry Reid will publicly unveil the Senate health care bill. Reid's announcement is preceded by promising news for Democrats and health care reform supporters. The first breakthrough came on Wednesday, when news leaked that the CBO had scored the Senate bill - and it kept costs down, covered 94% of Americans, and made health care more affordable.

The health care bill also reduces the federal deficit by $130 billion over the next ten years, which is unheard of in legislation of this kind.

Sen. Reid seemed downright jubilant, as he strode out in front of the press Wednesday evening. "Of all the bills we've seen, it'll be the best."

"Tonight begins the last leg of this journey," Sen. Reid beamed.

Meanwhile, key Senate Democrats have indicated a willingness to move forward on this legislation. Sen. Mary Landrieu, who is one our targets in the "adopt-a-state" campaign, said she'll decide today on how she'll vote on motion to proceed (the next step in moving this legislation forward.) Sen. Ben Nelson, another target, is also unclear on how he'll vote. Keep up the pressure on these key Democrats (as well as Sen. Joe Lieberman), by adopting a state.

SEIU President Andy Stern, acknowledging the months of hard work by Senators on key committees and by Majority Leader Reid, said that the Senate "has introduced their own legislation that gets us one step closer to health care that works for the American people's bottom line, instead of insurance company profits." Even more encouraging, "Senator Reid listened to the American people and made sure this bill keeps insurance companies from controlling our health care system by guaranteeing choice and accountability through a public health care option."

The vote for motion to proceed could come as early as this Friday or Saturday. As Stern said today, "The American people expect and deserve results. It's up to the Senate to deliver."

Read the full text of the bill here.

A Merck spokesperson comments on their 8.9% price increase since 2008: "Price adjustments for our products have no connection to health care reform." Riiiight.

The financial industry isn't the only industry engaged in a race to empty consumers' pockets as much as possible in advance of new laws that will rein in their abuses.

While credit card lenders have been increasing fees and interest rates, raising minimum payments and lowering credit limits, drug companies have been busy jacking up their prescription prices too. A recent New York Times investigation knocked the lid off of how drug makers are jacking up wholesale prices--even as inflation goes negative.

From the NY Times piece:

"Even as drug makers promise to support Washington's health care overhaul by shaving $8 billion a year off the nation's drug costs after the legislation takes effect, the industry has been raising its prices at the fastest rate in years.

"In the last year, the industry has raised the wholesale prices of brand-name prescription drugs by about 9 percent, according to industry analysts. That will add more than $10 billion to the nation's drug bill, which is on track to exceed $300 billion this year. By at least one analysis, it is the highest annual rate of inflation for drug prices since 1992."

The 2009 increases mean the average yearly cost for a brand-name prescription drug taken daily would be more than $2,000--a price that's $200 higher than last year. The House healthcare bill that passed on November 7 seeks to cut drug spending by around $14 billion a year over a decade, which would help.

It should register as no surprise that the drug industry is fighting many of the cost-cutting provisions in The Affordable Health Care for America Act, saying they have "valid business reasons for the price increases." We know they do---if you increase prices for consumers, it increases profits for drug companies!

Joe Lieberman is at it again. Jockeying for attention. Threatening to support a Republican filibuster. Overlooking popular support in his own state. But this time, he may not be alone.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have each been targeted by the opposition to join a Republican filibuster. If that happens, health insurance reform will not move forward.

We can't sit on the sidelines while this political drama unfolds. And right now, you can have no greater impact than adopting a health care "swing state" as your own. Adopt-a-state, and begin recruiting now:

Join Team Connecticut (Sen. Lieberman)

Join Team Louisiana (Sen. Landrieu)

Join Team Arkansas (Sen. Lincoln)

Join Team Nebraska (Sen. Nelson)

The AP reported today that opponents of reform, led by the U.S. Chamber, have poured $24 million into an advertising onslaught in the last month alone. The fact is, we will be outspent by corporate special interests. But we can do something corporate American can't - we can talk to fellow voters, and have personal conversations about health care.

We elected Barack Obama, in part, by calling tens of thousands of voters in key "swing states." This year is no different. Voters in Arkansas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Louisiana need to hear from us about what's happening on health insurance reform. So adopt-a-state, and start recruiting for your team today.

P.S. If you live in one of our health care "swing states," even better! Adopt your own state, and start recruiting friends and family to join. 

Joe Lieberman is at it again. Jockeying for attention. Threatening to support a Republican filibuster. Overlooking popular support in his own state. But this time, he may not be alone.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have each been targeted by the opposition to join a Republican filibuster. If that happens, health insurance reform will not move forward.

We can't sit on the sidelines while this political drama unfolds. And right now, you can have no greater impact than adopting a health care "swing state" as your own. Adopt-a-state, and begin recruiting now:

Join Team Connecticut (Sen. Lieberman)

Join Team Louisiana (Sen. Landrieu)

Join Team Arkansas (Sen. Lincoln)

Join Team Nebraska (Sen. Nelson)

The AP reported today that opponents of reform, led by the U.S. Chamber, have poured $24 million into an advertising onslaught in the last month alone. The fact is, we will be outspent by corporate special interests. But we can do something corporate American can't - we can talk to fellow voters, and have personal conversations about health care.

We elected Barack Obama, in part, by calling tens of thousands of voters in key "swing states." This year is no different. Voters in Arkansas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Louisiana need to hear from us about what's happening on health insurance reform. So adopt-a-state, and start recruiting for your team today.

P.S. If you live in one of our health care "swing states," even better! Adopt your own state, and start recruiting friends and family to join. 

Joe Lieberman is at it again. Jockeying for attention. Threatening to support a Republican filibuster. Overlooking popular support in his own state. But this time, he may not be alone.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have each been targeted by the opposition to join a Republican filibuster. If that happens, health insurance reform will not move forward.

We can't sit on the sidelines while this political drama unfolds. And right now, you can have no greater impact than adopting a health care "swing state" as your own. Adopt-a-state, and begin recruiting now:

Join Team Connecticut (Sen. Lieberman)

Join Team Louisiana (Sen. Landrieu)

Join Team Arkansas (Sen. Lincoln)

Join Team Nebraska (Sen. Nelson)

The AP reported today that opponents of reform, led by the U.S. Chamber, have poured $24 million into an advertising onslaught in the last month alone. The fact is, we will be outspent by corporate special interests. But we can do something corporate American can't - we can talk to fellow voters, and have personal conversations about health care.

We elected Barack Obama, in part, by calling tens of thousands of voters in key "swing states." This year is no different. Voters in Arkansas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Louisiana need to hear from us about what's happening on health insurance reform. So adopt-a-state, and start recruiting for your team today.

P.S. If you live in one of our health care "swing states," even better! Adopt your own state, and start recruiting friends and family to join. 

Joe Lieberman is at it again. Jockeying for attention. Threatening to support a Republican filibuster. Overlooking popular support in his own state. But this time, he may not be alone.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have each been targeted by the opposition to join a Republican filibuster. If that happens, health insurance reform will not move forward.

We can't sit on the sidelines while this political drama unfolds. And right now, you can have no greater impact than adopting a health care "swing state" as your own. Adopt-a-state, and begin recruiting now:

Join Team Connecticut (Sen. Lieberman)

Join Team Louisiana (Sen. Landrieu)

Join Team Arkansas (Sen. Lincoln)

Join Team Nebraska (Sen. Nelson)

The AP reported today that opponents of reform, led by the U.S. Chamber, have poured $24 million into an advertising onslaught in the last month alone. The fact is, we will be outspent by corporate special interests. But we can do something corporate American can't - we can talk to fellow voters, and have personal conversations about health care.

We elected Barack Obama, in part, by calling tens of thousands of voters in key "swing states." This year is no different. Voters in Arkansas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Louisiana need to hear from us about what's happening on health insurance reform. So adopt-a-state, and start recruiting for your team today.

P.S. If you live in one of our health care "swing states," even better! Adopt your own state, and start recruiting friends and family to join. 

Women in Colorado who purchase insurance on the individual market currently pay up to 59 percent more than men for coverage that doesn't even include maternity care. Now, a group of agents and insurance company representatives in their state are trying to keep it that way.

The Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters plans to lobby against efforts to include maternity care in individual plans, in addition their efforts to keep "gender rating" legal, and you won't believe why: insurers are actually telling legislators that they're concerned about how this all might affect men.

State Sen. Morgan Carroll, a Democrat from Aurora, gives us a peek at what they're telling state legislators. "The insurance industry lobbied against the bill prohibiting gender discrimination," says Carroll. "They met with lawmakers and were able to convince a handful that the rate discrimination was: a) justified; b) its removal would drive up men's rates."

Justifying their stance on "gender rating" and maternity care, CSAHU spokesperson and lobbyist Cindy Sovine-Miller accused the Colorado legislators of being "[...] more about fairness than math." Funny, that's not what others say. "At our hearings this summer, the insurance industry provided no justifiable data or reason for their charging women from 9 percent to 50 percent more for the same policy," wrote Democratic State Rep. Sue Schafer of Wheat Ridge. "Even men who smoke are charged less than women who do not smoke. Just being female is considered a pre-existing condition."

And speaking of health care "math," we simply can't ignore "math" like this:

• 64 million women in America do not have adequate health insurance coverage.
• Gender discrimination results in women routinely being charged up to 48% more in premiums than men for the same coverage through the individual market.
• A recent poll shows that 86% of those polled favor requiring insurance companies to provide maternity care as part of basic coverage.

Another Colorado group, the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Colorado (PIIAC), doesn't want to get all mucked up in the details. Instead, they're justifying their position on "gender rating" with a lesson on anatomy:

"The bottom line is this," said the group's executive VP Barbara Fidler. "As crude as it sounds, we women are more costly relative to our health care. Our plumbing -- I don't mean to sound crude -- the gender differences are clearly related to how we're different... I'm not saying that it's fair for women to be rated why they are. I think it's just important to understand."

If insurance lobbyists like CSAHU & PIIAC had their way, women Peggy Robertson would continue to be discriminated against for wanting to have more children. After deciding to stay home following the C-section birth of her second son, Peggy ventured to look for an independent health insurance plan. Instead of comprehensive coverage, Peggy's insurance company (a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group) offered her this little gem of advice: get sterilized--or you won't get coverage. Never mind the fact that over 30% of births in America are performed via C-section.

Once again, it's evident that when insurance companies win, women lose.

It's time to make sure our members of Congress hear their voices above those of the insurance lobbyists: http://action.seiu.org/page/speakout/peggy

News broke today that the U.S. Chamber has been fishing around for an economist willing to file a "report" on health care reform (translation: they're offering to pay $50,000 to someone willing to say health care reform is bad for the economy - which is exactly what they did against the Employee Free Choice Act earlier this year). Sadly, this latest gaffe is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Chamber's decades-long campaign against the American people, and in the last few months, they've gone into overdrive.

Roll Call reported last month that the Chamber is breaking its own records lobbying Congress, shilling out $52 million this year against legislation on climate change, financial regulation, and of course, health care reform. "While the chamber has historically outspent other companies and associations when it comes to federal lobbying," reports Roll Call, "the spike this time is substantially greater than in the past."

It bears repeating that the U.S. Chamber has a long, storied history of opposing critical programs for the American people:

• The U.S. Chamber opposed the creation of Social Security in 1935, then sought to delay it from going into effect as Americans were in the midst of the Great Depression.
• The U.S. Chamber opposed now-essential health and safety regulations for American workplaces.
• The U.S. Chamber opposed equal pay laws for American women.
• The U.S. Chamber opposed the establishment of a fair, minimum wage for American workers.
• The U.S. Chamber defended outsourcing jobs to foreign lands, on the backs of American workers and our nation's economy
• The U.S. Chamber opposed President Harry Truman's attempt to provide health insurance to all Americans in 1947.

In fact, the Chamber's reckless campaign against American consumers has begun driving some of its largest, most lucrative members out. Recently, Apple and Nike left the Chamber after objecting to their efforts to kill climate change legislation. And now, doctors are hoping the American Medical Association (AMA) does the same.

The Plum Line reports that more than 5,000 medical professionals have signed onto a letter requesting that the AMA - which endorsed H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" - resign from the U.S. Chamber for its smear campaign against reform (e.g. equating health care reform as a massive tax increase - which is just plain NOT TRUE for 99.9% of Americans).

Let's hope it doesn't take the AMA much longer to realize what Apple, Nike and others have already acknowledged - that the U.S. Chamber is just plain WRONG when it comes to solving America's problems.

Yesterday the Washington Post reported that UnitedHealth Group--the nation's biggest health insurance company--is urging its employees to lobby the Senate against health care reform proposals that would hurt the firm's bottom line: profits.

UnitedHealth Group reportedly sent 75,000 of its workers an email alleging that "government-run health care" will force "millions of Americans" to drop their current coverage--and asked recipients to take action to put a stop the public option.

Here's an excerpt from one of the form letters the insurance group 'suggests' its employees write and send to their senators:

Form Letter No. 2 to Senators (No public option, tougher consumer penalties)

[...] "I am concerned that the health care reform bills currently being considered by Congress will not effectively ensure affordable and sustainable health care options for all Americans. Government-run health care will result in millions of Americans not being able to keep their current coverage and will lead to unintended consequences of higher premiums and less choice.

"In addition, I am disturbed by proposed legislation that will lead to increased taxes, less affordable coverage, and reduced benefits. Recent analysis from economists and experts has shown that these bills will lead to increased health care costs and premiums for most Americans. When testifying before the Finance Committee on the impact of these increased taxes recently, the Director of the independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said, "Our judgment is that that piece of the legislation would raise insurance premiums by roughly the amount of the money collected."

"As many have said, now is the time for health care reform, and I believe that there is a way to effectively modernize the system. While I am writing to you as an individual, and the opinion I express is my own, I work at UnitedHealth Group...

AMERICAblog had only this to say of the emails leaked by Consumer Watchdog: "conflict of interest much?"

Yesterday the Washington Post reported that UnitedHealth Group--the nation's biggest health insurance company--is urging its employees to lobby the Senate against health care reform proposals that would hurt the firm's bottom line: profits.

UnitedHealth Group reportedly sent 75,000 of its workers an email alleging that "government-run health care" will force "millions of Americans" to drop their current coverage--and asked recipients to take action to put a stop the public option.

Here's an excerpt from one of the form letters the insurance group 'suggests' its employees write and send to their senators:

Form Letter No. 2 to Senators (No public option, tougher consumer penalties)

[...] "I am concerned that the health care reform bills currently being considered by Congress will not effectively ensure affordable and sustainable health care options for all Americans. Government-run health care will result in millions of Americans not being able to keep their current coverage and will lead to unintended consequences of higher premiums and less choice.

"In addition, I am disturbed by proposed legislation that will lead to increased taxes, less affordable coverage, and reduced benefits. Recent analysis from economists and experts has shown that these bills will lead to increased health care costs and premiums for most Americans. When testifying before the Finance Committee on the impact of these increased taxes recently, the Director of the independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said, "Our judgment is that that piece of the legislation would raise insurance premiums by roughly the amount of the money collected."

"As many have said, now is the time for health care reform, and I believe that there is a way to effectively modernize the system. While I am writing to you as an individual, and the opinion I express is my own, I work at UnitedHealth Group...

AMERICAblog had only this to say of the emails leaked by Consumer Watchdog: "conflict of interest much?"

After months of hearings, hundreds of town halls, and more than 60 years of debate, we're closer than ever before in our nation's history of making health care reform a reality. With a historic victory in the U.S. House at our backs, we head into the Senate--where we could face an uphill battle against insurance industry interests.

In a Washington Post op-ed today, SEIU President Andy Stern speaks on how far our Senate leaders should go to achieve their top health care priorities, and finding a balance between pragmatic compromise vs. selling out.

Just as when unions negotiate their contracts, there comes a time when members must make a choice and vote. It's game time, our Senators can no longer hide, threaten, or negotiate their own individual bill. No one gets a free pass for denying the American public a fair up-or-down vote on this bill. The American people have long memories, and come next November, no one will forget who attempted to derail reform. Our elected leaders will be held accountable for the choices that they make.

We stand at this historic moment because of decades of hard work. Unfortunately for the millions in this country suffering under an insurance system that costs too much and covers too few, politics and grandstanding are at risk of taking over. The American people elected a team of 60 Senators to push for bold solutions. They will be judged for what they deliver. If at the end of the day Americans can't afford health care or if the standard of care declines, every single Democratic Senator will pay the price.

Read the entire op-ed at the Washington Post. And while you're here...we'd love to know your thoughts on the subject. If it comes down to the wire, how much compromise do you think our Senate leaders should be willing to make to change the status quo and get health reform passed?

For more than a decade, SEIU members have been fighting for quality, affordable health care for all. In 2003, we launched the Americans for Health Care campaign and began educating, training and organizing around health care issues in battleground states. We identified more than 600,000 health care voters in key states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and Colorado.

In 2007 and 2008, our Healthcare United campaign mobilized more than one million health care professionals - doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and more - in support of health care reform. And throughout this period, SEIU members have led state and workplace efforts to improve access to and delivery of quality health care.

Last November, our members helped elect President Barack Obama on a pledge that health care reform would be a top priority for his administration. Soon afterward, we launched our Change that Works campaign - a multi-state campaign with targeted field, new media, communications and lobbying on key worker issues, including health care reform. After ten years of focused work on this issue, this weekend's passage of the House health care bill is a moment we should celebrate.

Take a look at some of the highlights in this historic legislation:

Coverage Expansion

• Requires most employers (employers with a payroll of more than $500,000) to provide employees with health insurance, or make an insurance contribution on their behalf, starting in 2013.
  
• Requires most people to obtain health care coverage beginning in 2013.
  
• Allows children up to 27 years of age to remain on their parents' health care policies.

More Choices in Health Care Coverage

• Creates a federal health insurance exchange in 2013. Individuals and employers can purchase insurance on the exchange.
  
• Establishes a public health insurance option within the insurance exchange by 2013.
  
• Breaks up the insurance company cabal by repealing the blanket antitrust exemption for health insurers. This is expected to lead to more competition.

Encouraging Small Businesses to Cover Employees

• Provides tax credits for certain small businesses that offer health insurance to their employees.

Ending Abuse by Insurers

• Bars insurance companies from denying, changing or reducing coverage based on "pre-existing conditions." This does not go into effect until 2013. In the meantime, it restricts how long insurers can continue to limit coverage for a "pre-existing condition" (only 30 days - in other words, if you have a "pre-existing condition" and wanted a new insurance policy, the insurance company can only look back 30 days into your medical history).
  
• Prohibits companies from considering domestic violence to be a "pre-existing condition."
  
• You'll no longer be told by a health care provider, "Sorry, but you've reached your annual cap. Your insurer will not pay for this procedure." This bill prohibits insurance companies from offering policies with annual or lifetime spending caps.
  
• Bans "gender rating" whereby insurers unfairly charge women up to 48% more than men for the same health insurance policies.
  
• Guarantees no out-of-pocket costs for preventive care, and limits annual expenses to $5,000 for individuals, $10,000 for a family.
  
• Requires all qualified health benefits plans to provide coverage that meets or exceeds an "essential benefits package," which includes maternity care, well-baby and well-child care, mental health and substance use disorder services, prescription drugs, and hospitalization.

Unfortunately, the bill also included an amendment offered by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) that, according to Huffington Post, "potentially goes farther than any other federal law to restrict women's access to abortion." Read more about this amendment, here.

SEIU is committed to women's reproductive health, and we'll be working to see that any harmful language on women's health issues does not appear in any final health care bill. That work begins with ensuring that the U.S. Senate doesn't take up a similar amendments that distract us from the real work of fixing health care.

---

Source: Congressional Quarterly, "Provisions of the House Health Care Bill," Nov. 8, 2009

The claim that health care reform would harm seniors isn't anything new. In recent months, Republicans have refused to back away from the cynical politics of scaring seniors and claiming reform will make premiums skyrocket for traditional Medicare recipients. A new coalition - Seniors to Seniors -- seeks to provide a clear and concise overview of health reform and what it means for you.

This coalition of senior citizen advocacy organizations (including AARP, Families USA and SEIU) is working to educate seniors about what the current health care reform legislation means for them. The coalition's goal is to help filter through the hype and all the clutter to inform seniors about how health insurance reform will help keep doctors in Medicare, stop physician payment cuts, improve long term care choices, keep Medicare affordable, and close the prescription drug "doughnut hole."

CIR/SEIU Healthcare President Dr. L Toni Lewis, MPO Loretta Johnson and Linda Bock, RN of 1199SEIU Maryland, all appear in the coalition's new video about health reform. Watch here:

The changes Congress is considering would protect Medicare for today's seniors and for future generations, so all Americans can have the health coverage they need when they retire. Learn more at www.seniorstoseniors.org.

More about the House's passage of H.R. 3962, "The Affordable Health Care for America" Act" on Nov. 7th here.

The claim that health care reform would harm seniors isn't anything new. In recent months, Republicans have refused to back away from the cynical politics of scaring seniors and claiming reform will make premiums skyrocket for traditional Medicare recipients. A new coalition - Seniors to Seniors -- seeks to provide a clear and concise overview of health reform and what it means for you.

This coalition of senior citizen advocacy organizations (including AARP, Families USA and SEIU) is working to educate seniors about what the current health care reform legislation means for them. The coalition's goal is to help filter through the hype and all the clutter to inform seniors about how health insurance reform will help keep doctors in Medicare, stop physician payment cuts, improve long term care choices, keep Medicare affordable, and close the prescription drug "doughnut hole."

CIR/SEIU Healthcare President Dr. L Toni Lewis, MPO Loretta Johnson and Linda Bock, RN of 1199SEIU Maryland, all appear in the coalition's new video about health reform. Watch here:

The changes Congress is considering would protect Medicare for today's seniors and for future generations, so all Americans can have the health coverage they need when they retire. Learn more at www.seniorstoseniors.org.

More about the House's passage of H.R. 3962, "The Affordable Health Care for America" Act" on Nov. 7th here.

Moments ago, the House gaveled in a vote on health care reform. The vote was 220 to 215, with only a single Republican brave enough to break with his party's blockade. Today, we conquered the special interests of "No We Can't," and won a victory for our country.

Click here to see how your Representative voted, and write them.

The day was not without drama, however. It began with a series of attempts by House Republicans to obstruct debate. Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) shouted, "I OBJECT, I OBJECT, I OBJECT" while Democratic Congresswomen attempted to speak on gender discrimination by insurers.

The day was also not without zany antics. Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) held up a baby, and pretended to speak as the baby on the House floor. (We're not kidding!) At many points during the debate, it seemed like we'd never reach a point where Congress would actually vote on health reform.

But we did it - you did it. You made thousands of phone calls to Congress, sent millions of emails and petition signatures, talked to neighbors, family members and friends about getting involved, and rallied in your communities. We couldn't have come this far without everyday Americans stepping forward, speaking out, and refusing to let the status quo remain in Washington.

Celebrate tonight the passage of H.R. 3962, "The Affordable Health Care for America Act," by thanking (or admonishing) your Representative for their vote on health insurance reform. We've come this far - and we're going the whole way.

For those of you who made whip calls this week - we are especially grateful. Our legislative team used your reporting to guide their strategy on calling various Congressional offices. Read a selection of great report-backs we used on Capitol Hill. There's no doubt that your calls helped convince key Democrats in Congress to vote for health care reform.

Stay with us in the weeks ahead, as we work to win votes in the U.S. Senate through our "adopt-a-state" campaign. Congratulations!

Thousands of activists have been whipping votes in Congress today in preparation for tomorrow's scheduled vote on health insurance reform. You've contacted 272 members of the U.S. House, but many still haven't gone on the record, and 163 members still need to be called. Have you whipped your Representative's vote yet? Whip your health care vote here: http://action.seiu.org/whip

Our legislative team is using your reports on the Hill, so keep them coming. Below are just a few of the helpful report-backs from callers:

Caller to Rep. Tim Ryan's office: At first he wouldn't tell me but once I pushed him a little he told me Congressman Ryan would vote "likely in favor of" the health care bill.

Caller to Rep. Jerry Moran's office: He does NOT support HR3962. I requested that the Congressman do some soul searching considering my insurance premiums increased by 20% last year and I can NO longer justify the extreme cost of health insurance.

Caller to Rep. Ben Chandler's office: She stated that the representative has not made a final decision however he is leaning towards no.

Caller to Rep. Betsy Markey's office: He said she had not made a decision at this time and as she was continuing to read the very long and important bill. I encouraged support several times. Sam says there have been many phone calls and that is why I got a busy signal on my earlier calls.

Caller to Rep. Kurt Schrader's office: The Congressman is still undecided until he reads through all of the legislation and looks over constituent feedback, including this call.

Caller to Rep. Tom Perriello's office: The Congressman is still undecided as he is still studying the changes from this past summer. I said I hoped he was not swayed by the Chamber of Commerce scare ads and reminded him it is his constituents who put him there.

Caller to Rep. John Boccieri's office: The Congressman is still reviewing information; told [the staff aide] that I work with many people who need a health care system without discrimination for pre-existing conditions or women's health care concerns.

Caller to Rep. Marcy Kaptur's office: He said Marcy was still reviewing the bill and that he would pass on any message. I asked him to please tell her to pass H.R. 3962 and that I hoped with all my heart that it has a strong public option.

Caller to Rep. Richard Neal's office: He actually said that Neal was leaning towards a yes vote. He said he wants to see what's in the bill.

Now it's your turn.