Over two years, 500 amendments and hours of deliberation later, the Senate Finance Committee has passed the fifth and last of the health care bills that will be brought to the House and Senate floors. The committee voted 14-9, with Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine joining the Democrats to pass the legislation.

The vote came shortly after the release of a report by America's Health Insurance Plans - which has been widely discredited (even the report's own researchers, PriceWaterhouseCooper, have backed away from it) as a flawed and deceptive attempt at blocking reform. Not surprisingly, AHIP's study was cheered on by several Republicans in today's hearing. At least it's more honest than touting the so-called "independent" and "non-partisan" findings of the Lewin Group, which is owned by an insurance company.

Sen. Olympia Snowe crossed the aisle for today's vote, joining Democratic colleagues in voting to pass the final bill out of committee. Sen. Snowe's vote is a clear victory for the Change That Works campaign in Maine, which spent nine months mobilizing Mainers in support of health care reform. While we still have a ways to go, it's a good time to thank the people in Maine who wrote letters, made calls and met with Sen. Snowe and her staff. Thanks to your efforts, she stood up to strong opposition within her party and represented the voters of her state.

Last week, Maine Change that Works came together along with our allies, Maine People's Alliance and the Sierra Club, to descend upon our congressional delegation and Maine's senators and lobby on behalf of the Employee Free Choice Act. During this difficult economic time, it is more important than ever that we remember who we're fighting for: the hard working families who keep our state running.

With the ability to unionize, more Mainers will be able to have the job security and benefits that come from being a part of an organized workforce. But most importantly, they will be able to choose whether or not they want to join a union without harassment or intimidation. The right to choose without fear: thanks to our allies across Maine, we are one step closer.

Check out some of our activists' pictures below:

Activists Anders Beal and Sam Rioux at the start of a long day of lobbying

Sam Rioux address 250 people at the Lobby day launch press event while Sandy Amborn of the Sierra Club holds the state flag of Maine.

Members of the Maine Delegation listen to Senator Tom Harkin speak about the Employee Free Choice Act

Mike Owen of the Maine People's Alliance and Sandy Amborn of the Sierra Club hold up our state flag outside of Senator Olympia Snowe's office.

The delegation from Maine pays Congresswoman Chellie Pingree's office a visit.

Activists Anders Beale, Rep. Adam Goode, Genevieve Lyson, and Jennifer Batchelor outside of Senator Collins' office.

For the complete set of pictures, click here. (Thanks Kate!)

Just days before Members of Congress return to Washington, DC to consider healthcare reform legislation, Mainers discussed the need for quick action with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in Orono. On the campus of The University of Maine, the Secretary took part in a panel discussion about the importance of passing health insurance reform that makes healthcare affordable for all Americans.

Read a firsthand account of the panel from Dirigo Blue here

This Wednesday, about 50 Mainers gathered outside of Senator Snowe's Bangor office to deliver the message: Maine can no longer wait for heath insurance reform. With them, our activists brought over 35,000 letters, postcards, emails, and online petitions from all over the state, urging Senator Snowe to pass health insurance legislation as soon as possible. By delivering these letters, our supporters and activists are sharing what many Mainers already know: delaying health insurance reform means higher costs and less coverage for our families. The crushing cost of our current health insurance system makes it impossible to strengthen our economy. With families and small businesses struggling to make ends meet because of the enormous burden of medical bills, we cannot afford to wait another day for the reform that we need.

What a Day! The August heat is turning up the pressure to pass healthcare reform and all across Maine people are ready for a change.

The Healthcare Reform '09 Tour continued today, beginning in Madawaska at the St. John Valley Times, where spoke about healthcare reform with several local activists. Northern Aroostook County has an aging population and higher proportion of uninsured people. Like many older Americans, the people of Northern Aroostook County are desperate for reform that takes into consideration their particular health care needs. The upcoming crisis in Medicare, and the importance of quality health care to older people, can be seen in AARP's support of health care reform. To learn more about what the AARP is doing to support health care reform, click here: http://www.healthactionnow.org/

As the event began, our Maine Change that Works communication director, Greg Howard, spoke to the Bangor Daily News about the forgotten stories of the uninsured who need reform. Said Howard:

" 'These are often the people that are not talked about,' he said. 'These are people who are working hard to pay for the coverage they have, but times have gotten tougher and other situations have occurred to make paying for that coverage even more difficult. Some people have given up and dropped the coverage, hoping that nothing will happen to their own health or to the health of their family members.' "

As we made our way, our friendly northern Maine neighbors sent several honks, waves and even a c'est bon to show their support.

"Let me be clear: if we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit. If we do not reform health care, your premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket. If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day. These are the consequences of inaction. These are the stakes of the debate we're having right now."

That was President Obama on Wednesday. Today, we got further proof of the cost of doing nothing. Just look at the table released this morning by the Center for American Progress.

Within ten years, if we fail to address the rising cost of health care in America, the average health insurance premiums paid by families will nearly double, from $13,500 today to $22,400 in 2019. Oh but it gets worse - because in addition to rising premiums, Americans lucky enough to have health insurance still face increasingly burdensome co-payments and out-of-pocket costs - the kinds of costs that you can't haggle away when you're in severe pain.

In Maine, our premiums will increase from $14,285 in 2009 to $24,376 in 2019. Given that Maine faces additional hurdles, such as 32,000 lost manufacturing jobs since 2000, 11.8% of people between the ages of 25 and 64 uninsured, and 60% of uninsured adults unable to pay their medical bills, inaction in the face of economic danger is something we can ill afford - and yet, that's exactly what happens every day that we fail to act on this.

Here's the thing: it doesn't have to be this way! The projections that CAP outlined don't have to come true. We can write a different story. We know how to "bend the curve" of increasing health costs. We can reform our health care system so that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.

One way we're keeping the focus on reform is by joining with our friends at Fire Dog Lake in asking Maine's Representatives in Congress to stay and work on passing health care legislation like HR 3200, "America's Affordable Health Choices Act," over the August recess. You can sign their petition here. Congress shouldn't take a three-week vacation when 14,000 Americans are losing their insurance coverage every day. That's the equivalent of 44% of the population of Bangor.

Let's make this happen. Maine can't afford the cost of doing nothing any longer.

Mainers from all walks of life, regions and ideology came together in Portland on Saturday morning to rally in support of health care reform. "Today is an historic day," former State Senate President Beth Edmonds told more than 600 who filled Monument Square. "We are part of the biggest rally for health care reform in Maine's history, and we have a once in a lifetime opportunity for real health care reform. Make no mistake -- health care reform is coming and Maine is leading the charge!"

The Monument Square event comes at the end of a monumental week for health care reform in Washington, DC. During the week, the House of Representatives Ways & Means and Education & Labor Committees concluded their markup of health care reform legislation, joining the Senate HELP Committee in proving that comprehensive reform is both fiscally responsible and legislatively achievable this year.

A historic day for the cause of reform, in addition to personal health care stories there were performances by Peter Alexander of Begging for Change, Maine's own campaign to show the amount of people forced to ask their neighbors for help due to the high cost of inadequate, overpriced coverage. Chris Mayo was another singer-songwriter to lend his support to the cause of reform.

The momentum in Washington was felt by many in the large crowd. Greg Douglas, of Harpswell, who was seriously injured in a car accident and, despite having insurance racked up over $165,000 in medical bills said now is the time for Congress to pass meaningful health care reform. "I'm here to help make sure every American has quality affordable health care and judging by the crowd here today, it's going to happen."

"Every day in Maine, families see their health plan benefits erode because they can't keep up with higher premiums, co-pays and deductibles. Every day in Maine, people decide to skip a doctor's visit and the medication and treatment that they know they need because they can't afford treatment. Today, we need to provide Mainers with affordable health care, including a public option, in order to get our economy on track and our people the treatment they deserve," said Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree (D-North Haven).

Read more about Senator Snowe's Support of a public plan option here

Nearly 46 million Americans are without health insurance, with numbers growing at a rate of 14,000 per day. In Maine, 288,000 residents will spend more than 10% of their pre-tax family income on health care costs in 2009. In a state where one provider controls 71 percent of the health insurance market, average family premiums in Maine increased 105 percent since 2000,while median earnings increased by just 17 percent between 2000-2007.

"Our society cannot remain competitive in the world's market place unless we bring health care costs under control. It is the single biggest threat to the security of our nation. When it comes to health costs, we all have common interests at stake. The stars are aligned. We cannot afford to fail," said State Senator Peter Mills, R-Cornville.

View more photos from the event on our Flickr page here

Video courtesy of Whitenoiseinsanity.com

Sponsored by: SEIU Change that Works - Health Care for America Now!
Maine People's Alliance - AFSCME -- MSEA / SEIU 1989 - The League of Young Voters - Organizing for America - MoveOn.org

New Report Shows That If the Extreme Right Had Its Way, Mainers Would Suffer

PORTLAND, ME - The Maine Change That Works campaign, along with small businesses owners, senior citizens and other healthcare reform advocates joined together in Portland today to stand up to extreme, out-of-state front groups that advocate for the status quo. The group also asked Congress to stand up for working families by passing comprehensive healthcare reform that focuses on affordability.

A new report released at the event illustrates the danger of the extreme right's agenda to workers, women and senior citizens in Maine. John Carr, President of the Maine Council of Senior Citizens stated that Social Security has helped hundreds of thousands of Mainers "from falling into abject poverty." But if extremists had their way and Social Security funds were allowed into the stock market, it would have forced "at least 33,000 Maine seniors into poverty, an astounding number considering Maine only has 1.2 million residents," Carr said.

Today, the same types of extreme right-wing groups that have stood in the way of progress are fighting efforts to reform healthcare and protect workers. These opponents include the Club for Growth, a right-wing organization that has spent millions of dollars to defeat moderate Republican members of Congress who don't agree with their extreme policies; the so-called Americans for Job Security, a front group for corporate interests that has run ads against the Employee Free Choice Act; the Heritage Foundation, a think tank that promotes ultra-conservative policies and commentators like Rush Limbaugh, who has not only opposed most efforts to assist Maine residents, but has made denigrating statements about Maine's Senate delegation.

The Club for Growth and Heritage Foundation opposed raising the minimum wage that not only benefited thousands of Mainers but also pump more than $8 million into the state economy. Some of the extremist voices have even opposed a children's health care bill that will not only cover 11,600 more children in Maine, but also will create nearly 2,000 jobs in the state.

The same extreme right-wing groups that are fighting efforts to reform health care and protect workers in 2009 have spent many years - and tens of millions of dollars - fighting legislation that helps working families in Maine every day. With 58,000 Mainers out of work, now is the time to do everything we can to stand up to these extremists - and stand up for working families.

These opponents include the Club for Growth, a right-wing organization that has spent millions of dollars to defeat moderate Republican members of Congress who don't agree with their extreme policies; the so-called Americans for Job Security, a front group for the insurance industry and other corporate interests that has run ads against the Employee Free Choice Act; and the Heritage Foundation, a think tank that promotes ultra-conservative policies.

These groups opposed raising the minimum wage, that not only benefited thousands of Mainers but also pump more than $8 million into the state economy. They even opposed a children's health care bill that will not only cover 11,600 more children in Maine, but also will create nearly 2,000 jobs in the state. Extreme front groups in Washington do not speak for working families in Maine.

What happens the next four weeks of July will determine whether we will bring the change that working families, small businesses and our economy needs, or whether we will let the insurance and pharmacuetical companies determine our destiny. Failure is not an option. The cost of doing nothing is a financial burden that no Maine business or family can afford. This year, let's make our voices heard.

What: HEALTH & JUSTICE - The largest March & Rally for health care reform in Maine history
When: July 18th, from 1:00 PM- 4:00 PM
Where: Monument Square

RSVP for your spot on a bus here: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/healthandjustice

Saturday, July 18th, join SEIU Change that Works, Health Care for America Now, AFSCME, Maine People's Alliance, the League of Young Voters, and MSEA-SEIU 1989 as we all come together for a historic state-wide rally in support of health care reform.

With the directive of the Obama Administration, America has a once in a lifetime opportunity to solve our health care crisis. Every day, we face a nightmare of bankruptcy, death, injustice and fear. Congress must act this year as we may not have a chance to bring true reform and change to Maine and America again.

RSVP For a Bus Spot Now

Buses will be picking activists up from the following locations:

Last week, a flurry of publicity heralded Maine as one of the leading health care reform campaigns in the country. From New York to Los Angeles, the stories and concerns of every day Mainers demanding health care reform are being heard.

Watch Video of New Coverage Here:

Stories like those of Greg Douglas, a carpenter from Harpswell who, after surviving a catastrophic car wreck that smashed his ribs and collarbone, was forced to pay over $165,000 in medical bills. The experience inspired Greg to fight for the quality, affordable health care that would have saved him from years of medical debt he has under our current system. From the LA times:

He said he was drawn into political advocacy after neighbors in Harpswell, Maine, raised $3,000 toward his hospital bills with a church dinner and collection cans in stores.

Douglas said he may not understand the intricacies of President Barack Obama's top domestic priority, but he knows he wants affordable health care for everyone, so nobody has to beg.

"People aren't standing up to be counted," Douglas said, explaining why he allowed his name to be used in a political YouTube video. "I just hope I can help somebody else.

Across the country the voices of our activists are also being heard. An article in the New York Times featured many of our activists speaking out their support for a strong public health plan option. Activists like Keith Brown and Lisa McSwain:

"So many people are being priced out of the private market," said Lisa McSwain, who runs a steeple restoration company in Edgecomb. "In my community, where so many people are self-employed, everyone wants a public option." ...

Keith Brown, who owns a small engineering firm in Washburn and attended the rally in Presque Isle, said he had written Ms. Snowe urging her not to allow a watered-down version of a public option.

"Typically I wouldn't bother to speak out on something like this," said Mr. Brown, who said he paid about $15,000 a year in premiums and deductibles. "My fear is that even if the public option passes, it will be altered to the point where it would leave out people like me that are trying to make a living."

From our ralliesagainst rising medical costs perpetuated by the profits of big business insurance, to our video featuring the hard working families forced to 'beg for change' because of a lack of affordable insurance, our activists are bringing to light what many of us have known all along: that our health care system is broken, and Maine's citizens are the ones that suffer for it. Pastor Bozeman of Augusta explained his support of health care reform that involves a strong public health plan option to the Maine Public Broadcasting Network:

Pastor Bozeman, of the South Parish Congregational Church in Augusta, says health insurance is beyond the reach of nearly 120,000 Mainers, largely because insurance company practices are fundamentally unfair. Bozeman says the scriptures demand more from a society that seems to recognize health care only for those lucky enough to be able to afford it.

"Whenever I personally am confronted with someone in our town who is going through a tough time and needs a hand, I often wonder as I look into their eyes and meet their gaze if it isn't Jesus himself looking back at me, testing me, to see how I treat the least of these who are members of his family," Bozeman said.

Coverage in the Portland Press Herald, the Morning Sentinel, the Kennebec Journal, and the Bangor Daily News emphasize both the enthusiasm of reform's supporters, as well as Maine's importance in the upcoming health care reform plan. With your help, we can continue to make a difference in historic fight for a health care plan that provides a quality, affordable option for all.

Are you a small business owner in Maine? Do your part by signing our health care pledge here: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/MESmBizPledge

View more pictures of our Anthem protests here: http://picasaweb.google.com/farkas424/MainersAreDyingForHealthCare#

Last week, over 80 activists from Change that Works Maine, Maine People's Alliance, and Health Care for America Now gathered in Bangor to protest the outrageous excess and profits of the insurance company Anthem.

With protesters gathered in Pickering Square around the prostrate figure of Uncle Sam, a dummy with dollar bills being drained from him intravenously, the message was clear: our current health care system is bleeding us dry. With only 60% of Mainers covered by insurance (including those under state programs like Medicare and the recently passed State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP), the need for quality, affordable health care coverage is greater than ever.

According to Richmond attorney Alice Knapp, according to coverage of the event in the Bangor Daily News:

Approximately 157,000 Mainers do not qualify for public coverage and can't afford private insurance, she said, yet pay taxes to support the public plans.

"It's like paying for public schools, but your kid can't go," Knapp said.

The lawyers and physicians in attendance lent their expertise to the issue of health care reform, stating their support for a quality, affordable public health insurance option to be included in the reform plan. But also present were everyday Mainers, with their own stories of health care hardship. Many spoke about the financial strain of health care costs, and the injustice of insurance companies like anthem profiting from their hardship. The Bangor Daily News highlighted one such story:

Don Todd of Etna said he recently discontinued the $15,000-deductible health care policy that covered him and his wife against catastrophic illness. The policy served to protect the couple from bankruptcy in the event of a health crisis, but didn't pay for any routine or preventive care, he said.

"I haven't been to a doctor in I don't know how long," the 57-year-old said. "I've never had a colonoscopy, even though my mother died of colon cancer."

Todd said the last straw in deciding to drop his Anthem policy was learning that the president of Wellpoint -- the parent corporation of Anthem, Maine's largest private health insurer -- had been awarded a multi-million-dollar bonus.

We cannot continue to let insurance companies make millions in profits while hardworking Mainers struggle to cover their basic health care needs. The time to reform our flawed system is now.

View more pictures from the Anthem Protest here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39879652@N02/

Last week, thousands of activists descended on Washington to attend rallies and support efforts to reform our health care system into one that provides quality, affordable health care for everyone. One of the week's highlights was a live performance by Peter Alexander of 'Begging for Change,' the original song about health care blues. Performed on the steps of the National Republican Senatorial Committee Building in Washington, the crowd clapped and sang along as Peter sang about the need for the public option because, "my baby's got the blues."

It's still not too late, to help ease our health care blues. Please contribute by sending in your pictures of people's signs and posters "begging for change" to help defray the enormous costs of our current system of health care. Together we can convince our congressional delegation that reform can not wait.

Send in your pictures to: healthcarecans@gmail.com

In response to recent attacks from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Maine small business owner Lisa McSwain advocated for healthcare reform to help other small businesses struggling with growing healthcare costs.

"At a time when small businesses are struggling, I can't imagine why the US Chamber is fighting healthcare reform that would ease the crushing burden of rising costs," said Lisa McSwain, owner of Mid Maine Restoration in Edgecomb, Maine.

McSwain continued:

"We started to offer healthcare to our employees 12 years ago when it was affordable. Back then, we had about 15 employees, but now we are down to five and just can't afford to pay the high premiums anymore. I would like to see healthcare reform so that I, as an employer, don't have to make life or death decisions for my employees."

McSwain's story is one repeated throughout the country. Small businesses are struggling to pay for skyrocketing costs, while big corporations represented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce fight to keep the status quo.

Here are some facts on how small businesses are affected by the need for healthcare. Click here for more.

Small Business Struggling Under Crumbling Healthcare System

Small Businesses And Employees Pay 18% More For Health Insurance Than Larger Companies. According to the Small Business Majority, "small businesses and their employees pay an average of 18 percent more for the same level of health insurance benefits as large businesses." [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

Over Five-Year Period, Small Businesses Saw Healthcare Costs Rise By 30 Percent. According to Rand, between 2000 and 2005, "small businesses (those with 25 or fewer employees) saw the expense of providing health insurance rise by nearly 30 percent..." [Rand, 4/4/2008]

Less Than Half Of Small Business Community Offered Employees Health Insurance In 2008. According to the Center for American Progress, "Only 49 percent of firms with fewer than 10 workers offered insurance in 2008." [Center for American Progress, 10/30/2008]

Small Business Owners And Employees Account For Over Half Of Uninsured Population. According to the Center for American Progress, "Small business owners and their employees account for the largest share of the uninsured population - an estimated 27 million of the 47 million Americans without health insurance." [Center for American Progress, 10/30/2008]

Failure To Act Could Cost Small Businesses Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jobs. According to the Small Business Majority, if healthcare reform is not passed, there will be 178,000 fewer small business jobs in 2018. [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

Healthcare Reform Will Help Struggling Small Businesses Offer Affordable Coverage To All Workers

Health Insurance Exchange Would Provide Affordable Options For Small Businesses. According to Sen. Max Baucus' healthcare plan, "the Baucus plan would establish the Health Insurance Exchange through which individuals and small businesses in the market for insurance could obtain affordable healthcare coverage." [Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, 11/12/2008]

Public Plan Option Would Help Small Businesses By Providing An Array of Health Insurance Options. According to a health reform plan put forth by the Commonwealth Fund, including a framework that includes a public plan option "would permit individuals to keep their current coverage if it works for them while providing new choices through the insurance exchange, including a range of private plans and the new public plan. Small employers in particular would be able to offer their employees a choice of multiple plans. Large employers would gain a nationwide plan plus employee choice of regional plans." [Commonwealth Fund, 2/19/2009]

Healthcare Reform Can Save Small Businesses 36% Of Their Healthcare Costs and Reduce Profit Losses By More Than 50%. With healthcare reform, "small businesses can save as much as $855 billion, a reduction of 36 percent." In addition, "over the next ten years...small businesses will lose $52.1 billion in profits to high healthcare costs. Healthcare reform can reduce these losses by more than 56 percent, saving $29.2 billion in small business profits..." [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

Here in Maine, we want to remind our Senators of the human cost of our health care system. According to the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, employers' health care costs will increase by 9 percent next year. That means more American businesses struggling to compete and stay viable. And it means even higher premiums, deductibles, and co-pays for working families.

At Change that Works, we're highlighting the stories of the men and women forced to reach out to their neighbors to cover the costs of expensive medical procedures that are either not covered, or are inadequately covered by their current insurance. And thanks to Maine Public Broadcasting Network, our message is being heard:

"Sometimes I think we forget the humanity behind the cans, that each one of those cans is a human being," says Greg Howard, Maine spokesman for the Change that Works campaign from the Service Employees International Union. The group set up a display of collection jars in Portland.

They'll be collecting more photographs of posters and collection jars to send to the state's Congressional delegation, and to help underscore the need for a public option. "We thought it was important to point these people out and to try to give them a voice that their cans scream every single day in convenience stores, but some don't seem to hear," Howard says.

The rising cost of health care is a crushing burden on the hardworking families of Maine, and all across America. Last year, more than half of Americans postponed medical care or skipped their medications because they couldn't afford it. But what if you are the parents of a sick child that needs medical care? Then, like her parents, you could be forced to ask for help to ease the enormous financial burden of her health care:

"She's been receiving chemo since she was three months old," says Sadie Bowden of Canaan, aunt to one-year-old Faylynn McEwen, who has a brain tumor.

Insurance is covering hospital stays and a nurse comes to the home once a week. But Bowden says the parents have been relying on fundraisers like the concert she organized to help pay for things like long drives to the hospital in Bangor.

But the $8,000-plus in donations does not make up for the fact that both parents had to leave their jobs to provide home care. "Honestly, with the fundraisers we've been doing, we're raising money but it's not a ton of money. It's helping them basically pay their bills while they're at home taking care of her," Bowden says.

Until we reform our broken system, stories like Faylynn's will continue to remind us of how far we have to go before our system provides quality, affordable coverage to everyone who deserves it.

An important part of reforming our heath care system so it works for everyone is providing a public health care plan option, for those who are unable to afford private insurance coverage. Although the MPBN story cites a report by the Lewin Group stating that a public plan option would siphon 119 million people off of private insurance, a FactCheck report by Newsweek refutes this claim as misleading and untrue:

That's misleading. The 119 million figure comes from an analysis of a plan that would mirror Medicare and be open to every individual and business that wanted it. But that's not the type of public plan President Obama has proposed. Nor is such a plan gaining acceptance on Capitol Hill.

The author of the study says that while some have backed the Medicare-like proposal, using the 119 million number "overstates the impact of what now is being considered."

A public plan would provide support for those people who are unable to afford private coverage. The people of Maine should not be forced to ask their neighbors for help in order to pay their health care bills. There are faces behind these cans: let's stop begging for change, and start focusing on real reform.

View more photos of Mainers 'Begging for Change' and send in your own pictures by emailing healthcarecans@gmail.com

Send in your pictures to: healthcarecans@gmail.com

The Maine Change That Works campaign today launched "Begging for Change," a multimedia effort to highlight Maine families' urgent need for comprehensive health care reform that includes an affordable public health insurance option.

Throughout Maine, cans or jars with messages asking for spare change to help a local family facing a health care catastrophe are commonplace at neighborhood convenience stores and gas stations. Mainers also regularly see fliers promoting yard sales, community suppers or other events to raise money for a Maine family that has been devastated by medical bills.

"Please support a health plan that is the equivalent of yours--it's only fair. It should allow me to choose my own doctor, it should emphasize preventative care and it should cover everyone," Roxanna of York Harbor wrote to one member of Maine's congressional delegation. "I urge you to support legislation to provide health coverage for all. Allow your constituents to choose from a menu of public or private coverage. Don't fail your fellow Mainers--imagine what it must be like for them," Dorothy, also from York Harbor wrote to another member of the state's delegation.

"Nothing could more vividly illustrate the need for health care reform than when members of our community face such staggering health care costs that they must ask their neighbors for financial assistance," said Dr. Wayne Myers, M.D., former Director of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and past President, National Rural Health Association. "It's difficult to overstate how urgent it is for Congress to act to pass legislation that will help Mainers avoid financial ruin when faced with a health care emergency. When you read the messages on these collection cans, you see that these families simply cannot wait."

The "Begging for Change" campaign will collect as many of these images as possible and present them to Maine's members of Congress to underscore the need for immediate action on health care legislation that will help Maine families who cannot pay the costs of a health care crisis on their own.

A public health insurance option would provide Mainers with a choice - keep the insurance they have if they like it or be guaranteed quality, affordable coverage through a public health insurance plan. Such an option is needed to bring down costs, make coverage affordable, encourage private health insurance companies to compete, and guarantee that quality, affordable coverage will be there for people no matter what happens.

"Maine people do not have time to wait for relief from the skyrocketing cost of health care. In this time of economic uncertainty, we need health care coverage to be a sure thing, and that is what the public option brings" said Nicole Witherbee of the Maine Center for Economic Policy. "Every day that we wait, families across our state and our country are forced to delay care and make life-or-death medical decisions, pushing the financial well being of families and the economic viability of our nation into further peril."

* View more photos of Mainers 'Begging for Change' and send in your own pictures by emailing healthcarecans@gmail.com

* You can listen to--and download--the mp3 of Portland musician Peter Alexander's original song, "Begging for Change--The Healthcare Blues."

Lyrics for 'Begging for Change' after the break.

Last week, the Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act billboard kicked off with style in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Covered in an article by Seacoast Online, the purpose of the tour is to urge Senators Snowe and Collins to support the Employee Free Choice Act by showing the real-life workers behind the movement against worker intimidation.

Some of those 'faces' present at the rally on Wednesday in support of the Employee Free Choice Act were Paul O'Connor, President of the Metal Trades Council, and Kirk Miller, President of IFPTE Local 4, the local union of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Said Miller, to Seacoast Online, on why he and his fellow workers support the act:

"At the Shipyard most workers are represented by a union because they not only see the importance of having a voice in the workplace, but because the Navy, to their credit, does not stand in the way of the will of a majority or workers to have a union, if they so choose," said Kirk Miller, President of IFPTE Local 4 at the shipyard. "Sadly, this is not the case in the private sector, where hard working people who want to improve their working conditions are threatened and intimidated by their employers when they show an interest in forming a union."

Just as Maine's Veterans stand in support of the Employee Free Choice Act for what it can do to improve Maine's private sector economy, so do the people who build the ships they fight on. They all understand that a stronger workforce means a stronger middle class, which means a better economy for everyone, and that the ability to organize without intimidation is the first step.

Also present at the rally were two of the campaign's featured 'faces,' E.J. Russell and Cecile Martin, two workers from Maine who have been victims of employee harassment and intimidation while trying to organize unions. Said Paul O'Connor, President of the Metal Trades Council, of the opposition both faced while attempting to form unions:

"Cecille,almost 20 years ago and E.J. just last year. Both of them faced employer opposition, in both cases their employer sought to stop their efforts to form a union and bargain. It is because of stories like these that we are calling on our Congressional Delegation to support the Employee Free Choice Act."

Across the state, hard working Mainers and their families are stepping forward to voice their support for what Maine AFL-CIO president Ed Gorman calls "common sense legislation": the Employee Free Choice Act. By putting reasonable time limits on contract negotiations, and strengthening penalties against employers who attempt to intimidate workers who desire a union, the Employee Free Choice Act will put the power back where it belongs: in the hands of the workers who make our state great.

In addition to the statistics that prove the positive impact increased unionization will have on Maine's economy, stories from workers like Martin and Russell prove the need for increased protection from harassment provided by the Employee Free Choice Act.

Do your part: sign our petition to support the Employee Free Choice Act in Maine today: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/millionforfreech

Meet Ben Wootten.

Mr. Wootten lives in Blue Hill, Maine. He's the President of Wind River Capital Management, chair of his School Board, and the Chair of the Maine Small Business Forum. He's even a former town chair of the Republican Party.

Today, Ben Wootten spoke out on the congressional lobbying organized by the Chamber of Commerce against the Employee Free Choice Act.

"The US Chamber of Commerce doesn't speak for small businesses any more than Burger King speaks for cows. While the Chamber works overtime to represent the narrow interests of bloated, wealthy corporations, our nation's small businesses are struggling simply to keep their doors open.

"We need common-sense measures like health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act to help small business owners control costs and ensure that their employees feel truly invested in the long-term future of their workplace."

There you have it, straight from a small business owner who speaks the truth about what our nation's small businesses need.

Union Members in Maine and Across the Country Earn Significantly More Than Non-Union Workers. Over the four-year period between 2004 and 2007, unionized workers' wages in Maine were on average 8.6 percent higher than non-union workers with similar characteristics. That means that, all else equal, Maine workers that join a union will earn 8.6 percent more--or $1.54 more per hour in 2008 dollars--than their otherwise identical non-union counterparts. [Unions are Good for Maine's Economy, 2/18/09]

• Higher Wages & Benefits Help U.S. Economy by Giving Workers the Ability to Purchase More Goods & Services: According to the Center for American Progress Action Fund report, unionization is good for the economy overall and "putting more money in workers' pockets would provide a needed boost for the U.S. economy." Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich stated that higher wages and higher benefits would give workers the purchasing power they need to buy more of the goods and services that this economy produces. [Center for American Progress Action Fund, "Unions Are Good for Workers and the Economy," 2/18/09]

Management at the Panolam plant intimidated workers in lead-up to election; Teamsters filed a complaint with the NLRB. In March 2008, the Sun Journal reported that Local 340 of the Teamsters filed an unfair labor practices charge with the National Labor Relations Board against the Panolam plant in Auburn. The vote to certify the union, originally scheduled for March 14, was postponed pending the NLRB investigation. The complaint "specifically states that since on or about Feb. 14 the employer has been engaging in unfair labor practices by: indicating that if the union were certified, the plant might close; spying on employees to determine their support of the union; and other allegations." [Lewiston Sun Journal, 3/5/08]

• Workers hoped to receive increases in wages and health benefits by joining the Teamsters Union. Workers at the Panolam plant wanted to join the union because "the manufacturing workers are hoping union affiliation will produce a wage hike of about $3 per hour and require the company to pay the full amount of medical insurance premiums, among other improvements." [Lewiston Sun Journal, 3/5/08]
• In August 2008, Workers at Panolam voted to join the Teamsters. In August 2008, the Sun Journal reported, "After a 10-month campaign, workers at the Panolam plant agreed to join Local 340 of the Teamsters union by a vote of 163- 109 on Friday, according to Local President Jim Carson... He said the vote was delayed when the union complained to the National Labor Relations Board in March about Panolam's tactics to dissuade workers from joining the union. Carson said the NLRB found in the Teamsters favor and reached a settlement with Panolam." [Lewiston Sun Journal, 8/3/08]

Knight-Celotex Challenged Workers' Vote to Unionize, But NLRB Ruled in Favor of the Workers. In April 2008, workers at Knight-Celotex in Lisbon voted to join the International Association of Machinists, but the company challenged a number of the votes on the basis of worker eligibility. The company "also filed an objection with the NLRB regarding union conduct in advance of the vote." The NLRB ruled in favor of the union and workers in June. [Sun Journal, 6/6/08, 8/2/08]

• Workers Were Inspired to Unionize After Seeing Better Wages, Health Care and Benefits at Bath Iron Works. A union spokesman "said workers at the Lisbon Falls plant were inspired by the contract that machinists negotiated at Bath Iron Works. Workers represented by S6 of the IAM's northeast district were able to get 3.5 to 4 percent wage increases yearly for four years and increased pension contributions without increasing employee percentages for medical insurance." [Sun Journal, 6/6/08]

NLRB Forced Retroactive Pay Raises After Red Cross Staff in Maine Went Over a Year Without a First Contract. In September 2000, the Bangor Daily News reported, "The American Red Cross has agreed to give employees who are members of the Teamsters union a pay increase retroactive to July 1, 2000, it was announced Tuesday. The action came after the National Labor Relations Board upheld charges filed by the Teamsters Local 340 on behalf of 43 people employed in Portland and Bangor facilities... The union charged that Red Cross nonunion workers were offered a
3.5 to 5 percent raise while Teamsters were offered a 2.5 percent wage increase earlier this year... Technicians, mobile unit assistants, nurses and support staff voted to join the union in June and have been trying for more than a year to get their first contract, according to James Carson, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local340." [Bangor Daily News, 9/27/00]

Bangor City Nursing Home Employees Waited Nearly Three Years for a First Contract. In 1996, the Bangor Daily News reported, "A nearly three-year effort to craft a first labor contract for 55 health professionals at the Bangor City Nursing Facility is expected to wrap up Monday evening when the contract finally comes before the City Council... The full- and part-time employees voted to unionize in December
1992, and negotiations with the city began in the spring of 1993. Writing the 39-page first contract involved more than 40 meetings and included outside assistance from a Maine Labor Relations Board mediator and a fact-finding panel... As negotiations dragged on, members of Local 5093 held two demonstrations last summer -- one in front of the nursing facility and one in front of City Hall. They protested the lack of a contract and spoke out about the lack of benefits for part-timers, some of whom work 32 or more hours a week." [Bangor Daily News, 2/24/96]

PORTLAND, ME - Doctors and advocates of healthcare reform from Maine today released a report outlining the benefits of proposed healthcare reforms. They also unveiled a new television advertisement promoting a public health insurance option in healthcare reform. Government, families, and businesses large and small stand to save trillions from healthcare reform. President Obama has spoken about the need for a uniquely American healthcare system that allows everyone who likes their current coverage to keep it. A public health insurance option is necessary to provide a meaningful choice for Maine residents, as one insurer (Wellpoint) controls seventy-eight percent of the state's health insurance market.

"The healthcare system is most definitely broken. Doctors and patients together should be making healthcare decisions, not the insurance companies. A public health insurance plan will give good benefits at an affordable price, and allow piece of mind that they will be covered, no matter what happens," said Dr. Bethany Picker, M.D., of Lewiston. Dr. Picker is one of two Maine physicians featured in a new advertisement being run by Health Care for America Now (HCAN).

In 2007, Maine's economy lost as much as $413 million because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of residents without health insurance. Further, insurance premiums I n Maine have risen by 89.7 percent from 2000 to 2007, while median earnings increased only 16.8 percent. Guaranteeing access to quality, affordable coverage for everyone in Maine can return that same amount to our struggling economy and alleviate the burden of soaring premiums on families and businesses.

"Mainers, like other Americans, are having trouble affording health insurance, and we need a national fix. It is important people have a choice between keeping the plan that they are happy with, or choosing a public insurance plan. Right now, we are in a situation where a lot of people can't afford any sort of healthcare. No health care is not an option. Americans are the smartest people in the world, we can solve this problem. We can create a healthcare system that works. We can't wait to fix our healthcare system because my patients can't wait," said Dr. Karen Hover, of Bangor. Dr. Hover is also featured in the HCAN television advertisement.

While there will be upfront costs to reforming healthcare, the long-term value of reform is undeniable. The costs of doing nothing are simply too high. Meaningful healthcare reform will decrease costs and increase choices available to our families and neighbors; expand access to and improve the quality of healthcare; and provide an economic boon to businesses and local governments by controlling costs and fostering a healthier workforce.

A recent report by HCAN found that the profits at ten of the country's largest publicly-traded health insurance companies in 2007 rose 428 percent from 200 to 2007, while the compensation of the chief executives at those companies averaged $11.9 million. That is more than 468 times the compensation of the average American worker.

A public health option is critical.

You can download the report at: http://action.seiu.org/MaineReport