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?"

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.

Remember when the HHS ordered Humana and other private insurance companies to stop sending customers mailers with deceptive information to scare them into joining the opposition's fight against reform? We're experiencing a very strong sense of deja vu with insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

BCBS sent out a mass mailing asking recipients to send a pre-paid postcard to Democratic Senator Kay Hagan to pressure her into opposing health care reform, which includes a public option to make insurance companies compete. Ironically, Blue Cross sent out the mailings denouncing health reform - while at the same time notifying its customers of double-digit rate increases.

The cover of the mailing sent by BCBS reads:

BCBS calls health care reform that includes a public option "unfair competition." You know what the irate recipients of the Blue Cross mailer think is unfair? That the insurance company spent thousands of their insurance premium dollars to fund such a counterproductive campaign. "People want affordability and choice in their health insurance; Blue Cross wants to keep their monopoly," said SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope. (Currently, Blue Cross controls over 70 percent of the market share in North Carolina).

The State Employees Association of North Carolina has launched a new website to fight back against the "non-profit" insurer's efforts to maintain their monopoly and put a lid on their corporate profits at the expense of ordinary working people and businesses: www.stopbcbs.com. SEANC is calling on Blue Cross to stop using health care dollars to fund their political machine and protect their bottom line. "North Carolina already has a single-payer system...We all pay Blue Cross and Blue Shield and they'll stop at nothing to protect their monopoly" reads the tagline above the petition.

A recent Elon University poll shows that a majority of North Carolinians support a public health care option. Help send a message loud and clear that it's time to deliver on health care - sign the petition and urge Senator Kay Hagan to back a public health insurance option.

Check out the mailing SEANC sent out in response to BCBS's anti-reform mailing after the break.

Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that he will include a public option in the health reform bill to be voted on in the Senate (as opposed to breaking it off in a separate amendment). Sen. Reid also confirmed that the Senate version will give states the authority to deny their residents the choice of a public option. Following Reid's announcement, the bill now heads to the Congressional Budget Office for scoring.

The outlook for health care reform is getting brighter. Today's announcement represents a big step towards driving costs down and guaranteeing people have a choice. But, our job is by no means done. Big questions still remain: Will the Senate make sure the middle class can afford their premiums and out-of-pocket costs? Will conservative Democrats try and hold the legislation hostage?

As the legislation moves to the floor, we must make sure the legislation makes health care affordable and that conservative Democrats won't filibuster, preventing health care reform from receiving a fair "up or down" vote on the Senate floor.

In yesterday's Huffington Post, SEIU President Andy Stern said "there is no such thing as a Republican filibuster." The truth is, it will not be Republican opponents like Sen. Jim Demint who stand between America and a new beginning for our health care system, but Democratic Senators caving to attacks by the right-wing and special interests. Now, the race to get to 60 begins. We'll be leading the fight - marshaling the voices of our members and health care voters to hold elected leaders accountable to their constituents.

Today, members of SEIU District 1199 visited the West Chester, Ohio district office of Rep. John Boehner to let him know loud and clear that they support a public health insurance option. Frazzled under the pressure, a staffer tried to back off Boehner's earlier public comments claiming that "the citizens of the 8th district are overwhelmingly opposed to a public option."

Rep. Boehner had also previously claimed that he had never met an American who supported the public health insurance option. With the visit by SEIU members in West Chester, it should be clear that he can't make this claim any more -- it's good that his staff recognizes this.

The House won't pass a bill without a public option, and the Senate won't pass one with it. That statement, which has almost become a truism on Capitol Hill, was splashed with a healthy dose of reality by 30 Senators today, including Sen. Specter, who laid out their strong support for a public option.

Their letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid stating:

"We have spent the better part of this year fighting for health reform that would provide insurance access and continuity to every American in a fiscally responsible manner. We are concerned that -- absent a competitive and continuous public insurance option -- health reform legislation will not produce nationwide access and ongoing cost containment. For that reason, we are asking for your leadership on ensuring that the merged health reform bill contains a public insurance option."

The letter was signed by: Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Roland Burris (D-Ill.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Paul Kirk (D-Mass.).

Last week, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger wrote an op-ed in the Huffington Post demanding the Democrats cease hiding behind Republicans and stand up for a strong public option. Looks like at least 30 Senators took her advice.

Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee voted down the public option amendments introduced by Senators Rockefeller and Schumer. Sen. Schumer's public option amendment picked up moderate Democratic votes by Sen. Carper (D-DE) and Sen. Nelson (D-FL) - both of whom received hundreds of phone calls from people across the country in support of a public option.

The media is desperate for a story here - they're sniffing around for a new angle. Back in August, Republican opponents were declaring the public option dead. Health care reform, itself, seemed increasingly unlikely of passage. Well, no more. The public option has momentum, and despite dire predictions from the right, it's on the move. Thanks to your phone calls yesterday, we picked up two additional votes in the Senate's most conservative committee.

Sen. Schumer appeared on MSNBC's Hardball yesterday to discuss the vote:

Sen. Schumer is clear: if we keep this up, we are going to see a public option.Your phone calls gave voice to the two-thirds of Americans who support the public option. And because of your calls, we're winning.

Unfortunately, some Senators didn't listen. While we expected this move from the Republican faction, we are disappointed by some of the Democratic votes. Statements in support of increased competition and choice for American consumers directly conflict with votes against the Schumer amendment. Still, the majority of Democrats voted in support of giving consumers the choice of a public plan. Thanks to Senators Rockefeller, Bingaman, Kerry, Wyden, Schumer, Stabenow, Cantwell, Nelson, Menendez and Carper, all of whom represented their constituents yesterday - not insurance company interests.

In the next couple months, each member of Congress will have the opportunity to vote for the public option. While the various health care bills make their way through Congress, we must continue relating our personal stories to Senate and Congressional staff, writing letters to our local newspapers, talking to our neighbors and demonstrating why Americans need an affordable, competitive choice when buying health insurance.

Today, some time after 12pm ET, the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on an amendment to include a public option in their health care bill. Guess what - one of your Senators sits on the committee.

We can't lose this debate. Will you call your Senator? Dial 1-866-311-3405 and you'll be given talking points before being connected to your Senator's office. After you make the call, use this form to report-back.

The public health insurance option is a key component to meaningful reform. It will lower costs, introduce real competition, and serve as a check on insurance company greed. Without a public option, we'll be required to purchase health coverage from the same companies who brought us pre-existing conditions, unlawful rescission and denial of coverage.

Dial 1-866-311-3405 and urge your Senator to support a public option.

I know it's not the first time you've been asked to make a call, and it certainly won't be the last. But we can't grow bored of this fight. We can't lose sight of the goal - that every American has quality, affordable health care coverage.

The weeks ahead will be critical for winning provisions like a public health insurance option. Thank you for continuing to keep the pressure on - we can't afford to let up now.

How do you make the insurance companies sit up and take notice? They've shown that they clearly have no qualms ignoring outcries over their practice of raising premiums to levels few can afford, or denying coverage for a wide variety of "pre-existing conditions." But, members of SEIU Healthcare 775NW may have found the one way to make them pay attention--by bringing 500 members to deliver our message of health care reform to CIGNA's front door.

The message of the day was clear: CIGNA must stop it's abusive insurance practices and withdraw it's opposition to the public option. Stories shared by several of CIGNA's victims underlined this point. Jo Godfrey, a lung cancer survivor and CIGNA policyholder, told the gathered SEIU members about how her doctor refused to diagnose her lung cancer at CIGNA's behest. At the end of her story, Jo said she thinks a strong public option is the best solution to our current, broken system: "I really believe that having an option to get a plan that's not controlled by the insurance companies, that doesn't make a profit, is the fair thing to do, and it will save lives."

Before the rally began, SEIU Healthcare 775NW members were invited to the SeaTac Doubletree to watch the premier of Sick for Profit, a new movie by Brave New Films, which featured Jo's story, and that of several other CIGNA customers. The movie presents a stark contrast between the lavish lifestyles of CIGNA executives and the hundreds of patients that they deny coverage. Take a moment to watch the video below:

MoveOn along with co-sponsors DFA, TrueMajority, Center for Community Change, Doctors for America, HCAN and the SEIU hosted over 350 candle light vigils last night to remind legislators that the country cannot wait for reform. Overwhelming the nation is in favor of reform and the local vigil I attended in Los Angeles provided further evidence to support the campaign.

Arriving at the corner of Sepulveda and Santa Monica Boulevard, hundreds of pro-health insurance reform gathered outside Senator Dianne Feinstein's LA office. Attendees held home-made signs supporting the public option and sang folk mash-ups to support health reform. As the sun set, community members lit small candles. Speakers like Dr. Alice Chen, vice president of Doctors for America explained why physicians are in favor of fixing the system so as to better provide for their patients.

Across the street about 16 anti-reform protesters staged a counter demonstration. Their signs and chants belied an alternate agenda to say the least.

Before the evening concluded, several hundred people delivered a strong positive message to members of Congress, to make sure that they know an overwhelming majority of voters are counting on them to act quickly to pass heath insurance reform.

Iowa's senior senator Charles Grassley is rapidly becoming the Republican Party's chief obstructionist in the health care debate. The ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee is going on the offensive against President Obama and members of Congress who support comprehensive reform. In a conference call Tuesday, Senator Grassley told Iowa reporters, "I don't think it's going to be possible to work it out with the administration because they're all over the field - all over the ball park."

This latest statement demonstrates the level of partisanship our senior senator has brought to the current health care debate. If anyone is "all over the field"- it's Senator Grassley. Here are just a few examples:

In a statement last week, Senator Grassley's spokesperson accused Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley of putting his "party duties as Vice Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ahead of Iowans." In fact, Congressman Braley fought his political party's leadership to secure more equitable reimbursement rates for Iowa regarding public health insurance plans. Due to Congressman Braley's work, Iowa health care providers will finally be compensated fairly for their work.

Senator Grassley, on the other hand, admitted to putting his party duties ahead of Iowans. Days before his attack on Congressman Braley he told reporter Chuck Todd (NBC), "I'm negotiating for Republicans." Todd asked the Senator if he gets what he wants from negotiations, if he'd be willing to be one of 3 or 4 Republicans who vote yes for reform. Senator Grassley said, "Absolutely not. And I told the President that a week ago Thursday and I told [committee chairman] Max Baucus that over a period of three or four months....In fact, let me build on what you said, and why I say that I wouldn't be. I'm negotiating for Republicans."

Lies on healthcare for seniors: At an August town hall meeting in Winterset, Senator Grassley told constituents, "you have every right to fear," when asked about the end-of-life planning provisions in House Resolution 3200. He later added that, "we should not have a government program that determines you're going to pull the plug on grandma."

And on August 23rd when Senator Grassley was asked by reporter Bob Schieffer (CBS 'Face the Nation'), "you're not saying that this legislation (H.R. 3200) would pull the plug on grandma?" Senator Grassley admitted, "I know the Pelosi bill doesn't intend to do that," adding later, "It won't do that."

Senator Grassley can't even agree with...himself: The clearest indication that Senator Grassley is "all over the field" is the manner in which he closed his Tuesday conference call with Iowa reporters. Not 30 seconds after saying, "I don't think it's going to be possible to work it out with the administration," Grassley stepped back to say, "But, yes, I do believe it's possible to reach an agreement."

"The whole nation is holding their breath, waiting to see what proposals Senator Grassley's committee will produce. Yet his recent comments make it unclear whether the Senator truly plans to be a part of these negotiations. There is just no telling what he'll say next," SEIU Local 199 President Cathy Glasson said. "Senator Grassley could be a champion for the majority of Iowans and Americans - those who want to see a comprehensive health insurance reform bill passed. Right now, it seems he's more interested in being the champion of Republicans in Washington looking to play politics with our health care."

Last night, Workers United President Bruce Raynor appeared on CNN to debate the healthcare public option. "If we don't have a government option in the program, then we are not going to have an affordable program that will cover every man, woman, and child in this country," said Raynor.

Even the opposition agreed that healthcare coverage is something all Americans need to have. Watch the interview here:

Transcript here.

Deep in the heart of south Los Angeles, Rep. Maxine Waters hosted a health care town hall at Southwest College. The well-attended August 22 town hall was packed to the gills well before its scheduled start time of 1:00 p.m. and the primarily pro-health care reform crowd consisted of SEIU members, Organizing for America activists and other concerned citizens and organizers. A festive atmosphere met the town hall attendees as they gathered and signed pledge forms to support health care reform. Two orderly lines were formed by Rep. Waters Congressional staffers, and each person signed in before they entered the Southwest College Town Center for the meeting.

Congresswoman Waters invited a distinguished panel of health care professionals that included Dr. Yasser Aman, founder of the much lauded Uma Clinic in south LA. Rep. Waters went on to praise the Uma Clinic, calling it a "melting pot of health professionals" and making special recognition of Dr. Aman's quest to find podiatrists to tend to the needs of a community that is rampant with cases of Type 2 Diabetes.

The Congresswoman pointed out select folks in the audience who work in the medical field to make the quality of life better for residents in Congressional District 35--people like Dr. Releford, who started the Barbershop Network to facilitate the treating of African American men who are reluctant to go to the doctor by enabling them to be tested for diabetes and hypertension right from their barber's chair. Dr. Releford is also revered for saving patients suffering from diabetes the pain and suffering of having limbs amputated.

Rep. Waters expressed strong feelings in support of health reform during the town hall, saying:

"Health is not simply a privilege, it is a right."

And on single payer:

"We gave up on single payer but we're not giving up on public option."

Congresswoman Waters also had a special message for President Obama:

"We know that President Obama is a nice man, but there comes a time where you have to drop that and move forward. Mr. President: be tough, do everything that you have to do, and know that we have your back."

You can read more about the town hall in the LA Times here.

President Obama has said that in order to keep insurance companies "honest" and reduce costs, we must provide Americans with the option of a public health insurance plan. On Thursday, he reaffirmed his support for offering a public insurance option.

"I continue to support a public option; I think it is important," said President Obama during last week's national healthcare forum, which was viewed online by thousands of SEIU members and millions of concerned Americans from across the country.

Standing in front of a banner that read "Health Insurance Reform Now," President Obama asked supporters of reform to help "cut through the noise and misinformation." He described the public option as setting a benchmark for private insurers, who would then respond by shaping their own plans to be competitive.

Check out the full video here:

Today on MSNBC, reporter Andrea Mitchell spoke with SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger about health care reform--and why successful reform to contain health costs needs to include a public option.

Hear what Anna has to say about moving reform forward in this country, and why co-ops are not a viable substitute for a public health plan option.

Although many right-wingers will tell you that the current health care system works fine, the majority of Americans are happy with the plan they already have, and only a small number of uninsured people would benefit from reform....we know that's just not true.

With health spending projected to double if we don't enact real reform, middle and lower income families are at high risk of losing their health coverage--or facing an impending future of stagnant incomes.

Premiums are eating up middle-class incomes: Over the past decade, insurance premiums have been rising in cost at a much greater rate than income in the U.S...and not by a small amount. A recent report by the non-profit, non-partisan Commonwealth Fund found that premiums have been ballooned so much that employer-sponsored health coverage for families has increased by 119 percent between 1999 and 2008.

What's even scarier: The report determined that rates could jump by 94 percent in the coming decade if cost growth continues on its current course--to $23,842 per family.

According to the report's state-by-state analysis, the five-year increase (2003 to 2008) in employer-based premiums for family coverage averaged 33 percent. In 2008, total premiums equaled or exceeded 18 percent of the average household income for the under-65 population in 18 states. The states with the highest premium costs for families in 2008--just over $13,500--included Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Hampshire.

The report also estimates what would happen if payment and health system reforms were implemented--including the choice of a public plan option--and able to slow cost increases by 1 to 1.5 percent per year. The goal of reducing spending growth by 1.5% for the next 10 years, which could lead to more than $3,700 in premium savings compared to current trends, was first pledged by President Obama in coordination with SEIU, AHIP, AMA, AHA, PhRMA, and AdvaMed in early May.

Download the Commonwealth Fund's new report on health insurance.

Still looking for more reasons why you should tell your representative we need to pass health reform now? We've got some for you right here.

The health care reform bill being voted on in the House is headed for a vote in the next 48 hours, so there's really no time to waste. Click here to tell Congress it's time everyone - even millionaires - did their part to fix health care.

On Wednesday as Senator Jeff Bingaman joined his colleagues on the Senate HELP Committee to vote for sending a comprehensive health care bill to the Senate Floor, he was joined by dozens of New Mexico doctors, nurses, and health care providers assembled to show support for a robust public health insurance option in 2009. Seventy-two percent of Americans say they want a public option that competes with private insurance companies and keeps them honest--and that number includes 50 percent of registered Republicans.

"One thing we've learned from our patients is that they don't want the government doing everything when it comes to health care," said Dr. John Winters, an Internal Medicine physician and CIR member. "But they do think government should advocate for them, and that it should set and enforce the rules so that private insurance companies can't put profits before our health."

Senator passes check-up with flying colors! Outside of his Albuquerque district office, the doctors and activists presented the Senator with a "Health Care Reform Check-up," an examination of Sen. Bingaman's progress to date. Based on the positions the Senator has taken in the Senate, the healthcare providers awarded him with a 'clean bill of health.'

"In New Mexico, two insurance companies hold 54% of the market," said Dr. Shadi Battah, an Internal Medicine physician and CIR member. "So it's no wonder that premiums have skyrocketed 92% over the past 7 years. No one's holding their feet to the fire. I want my patients to have a choice between public and private - and I'm glad to see Sen. Bingaman wants to give us the choice as well!"

President Barack Obama held a health care reform town hall at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale campus on July 1-- questions were submitted online and from the live audience. Change that Works Virginia team member Sheila Collier--who has been hard at work in the Fairfax area garnering support for the President's health care reform initiative--was granted the honor of asking the last question of the town hall. President Obama was pleased with her question and voiced his health care reform tenets, including his desire for a public option.

You can watch the entire town hall at the White House youtube channel here:

Congress can't seem to reach a consensus, but the American people have overwhelmingly made up their minds: we need a public health insurance option.

A new poll conducted by NBC and the Wall Street Journal [.pdf] is the latest in a series of polls to show convincing support for a choice between a private or public health insurance plan among the American people:

On the one hand, the American public overwhelmingly favors a choice between getting insurance coverage either through the private market or a government run option. Indeed, 76 percent of respondents said it was either "extremely" or "quite" important to "give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance." [From the Huffington Post]

The poll also showed clear majority support for key ingredients to fixing health care like shared responsibility among employers, government, and individuals to solve the health care crisis with strong protections for small businesses. In fact, every major proposal in President Obama's health care plan received strong support.

There's just one problem: many people didn't know it was the President's plan. Despite his aggressive push to pass health care reform, more than a third of all Americans still don't know enough about the President's plan for health care to know whether or not they support it. Once the pollsters described Obama's plan, people supported it overwhelmingly.

So that's where we come in. We've got to tell everyone we know that the President has proposed a strong plan to fix health care and it's moving through Congress as we speak. We're going to discuss the best way to do that tonight on a conference call with Senator Chris Dodd at 6pm EDT.

I hope you'll join us, and I hope you'll help us urge Congress to join the American people in supporting President Obama's plan to solve the health care crisis once and for all.