What a month.

We went into August excited to discuss health care reform at town halls across the country. Instead, we got a reminder that our opponents will say or do almost anything to shut down legitimate debate on this issue.

But, their scare tactics didn't work. In fact, they only energized us. And now, at hundreds of town halls across the country, supporters of health reform are outnumbering opponents by large margins; and we're helping to lead honest, civil conversations with members of Congress.

In just a few days, members of Congress will be headed back to Washington. Will you help send them off with one final, strong message? Tell Congress that fixing health care comes first: http://action.seiu.org/sendthemback

The teabag protesters make a lot of noise - but they don't speak for the majority of Americans. And they certainly don't speak for the 47 million Americans who can't afford health care; or the millions more who are one paycheck away from losing it.

Fixing health care is too important to let those Americans get lost in all this back-and-forth. Help us send congress back to Washington with a clear directive on health care reform. Join us at send-off rallies across the country: http://action.seiu.org/sendthemback

We proved in 2008 that when passionate, thoughtful people come together for something we believe in, we can do anything. That momentum from 2008 is back. You can feel it in communities across America. People are ready for change when it comes to health care.

Let's not waste the momentum. Let's keep the energy growing. And let's remind Congress why we sent them to Washington in the first place - to fix our broken health care system and create an America that works for everyone: http://action.seiu.org/sendthemback

Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office has put up an online ticker showing the amount paid by America's businesses and workers to subsidize the uncompensated healthcare costs of the uninsured--a hidden healthcare tax paid directly to the insurance companies.

So if you think health reform will cost you more to cover the uninsured, you're actually paying more now. Click here to see how much Americans have already paid this year.

The Center for American Progress released their report "Why Arkansas Needs Health Reform: By the Numbers," which details how our broken health care system affects the people of Arkansas. Here are just a few of the startling statistics:

• 80 residents of Arkansas are losing health insurance every day, and 14,000 Americans nationwide lose insurance daily.

• The average family premium in Arkansas costs $1,500 more because our system fails to cover everyone-- and $1,100 more nationally.

• Our broken health insurance system will cost the Arkansas economy as much as $2.4 billion this year in productivity losses due to the uninsured-- and up to $248 billion nationally.

• In Arkansas there has been a 6 percent increase in the uninsured rate since 2007.

• 500,000 are uninsured today in Arkansas.

Read the entire CAP report here:

Behind every sobering statistic and astronomical number is a story of our failed health care system. Kanisha from Little Rock, shared her story-- she is a recent college graduate who is unable to find a full-time job and has no health insurance. Kanisha's studies were in the health field and she is committed to health care reform with her activism and volunteer work at a local health clinic.

As the Congress embarks upon their August recess, we must continue to remind them that these staggering numbers and projections represent people. Join Change that Works Arkansas as we continue to press Congress for a health care reform bill that will provide quality, affordable health care with a public option for Arkansans like Kanisha.

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.

(Thanks to HCAN's Blog for these statistics)

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.

Update: new video added. Watch it here

Today's hip-hop "Healthcare Remix" panel discussion at SEIU's headquarters in Washington, DC shed a bright light on the need for healthcare reform that does more than just expand insurance coverage--and why it is imperative that every community has a voice at the decision-making table. The event was held in honor of J Dilla, an influential hip-hop MC and producer whose rising star was cut short by complications stemming from his battle with Lupus.

Panelists spoke on the tremendous need for the hip-hop and artist community to advocate publicly on the need for healthcare reform, both in their communities and on Capitol Hill. "Hip-hop understood the power of being organized and the power of collaboration and diversity in organizing before it became the [more mainstream] term it is today. Unions understand this too," said panel moderator CIR/SEIU Healthcare president Dr. L Toni Lewis. "What you have is your voice to let Congress know what needs to done for healthcare equality today."

"Our people--poor people--are dying in America today because they don't have a card<," said Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr., the president and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus of the millions of people whose suffering might have been prevented if they had been able to afford to receive the life-saving care they needed. Watch Rev. Yearwood speak about the biggest battle facing our generation in the 21st century:

Check out photos from the Healthcare Remix discussion here.

Our broken health care system touches every one, and J Dilla's story is no exception.

Who was J Dilla? James Yancey (aka J Dilla, aka Jay Dee) was an influential hip-hop MC and producer whose rising star was cut short by complications stemming from his battle with Lupus. Dilla emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan, and was widely respected throughout the hip-hop community as a "producer's producer." Artists took notice of his fearless crafting of hip-hop, soul and electronic music into his own unique embodiment of sound. He was a founding member of the rap group Slum Village and very highly regarded by mainstream artists and producers such as Common, De La Soul, Kanye West, A Tribe Called Quest, ?uestlove, Busta Rhymes and Pharrell Williams. Although Jay Dee chose to remain relatively underground and out of the limelight while he was alive, his many influences and distinct impact and many influences his music has had on the world of hip-hop and R&B will live on. As Busta Rhymes put it best in 2007: "[J Dilla] wasn't just a producer, he was the best producer."

In 2002, Dilla was diagnosed with Lupus, an often-debilitating autoimmune disease that afflicts 1.5 million Americans. After he lost his insurance coverage, the costs associated with his care and hospitalizations reached six-digit levels. In his last days, his mother and the rest of his family caring for him faced prescriptions with $4,000 co-pays. In the U.S., 60 percent of uninsured Americans are self-employed or employed by a small business that does not offer health benefits.

Today, hip-hop artists are joining workers and a major disease research foundation at the "Healthcare Remix" in DC today at SEIU's headquarters to discuss healthcare reform and why it is so important that Congress gets it done this year. More details on the roundtable here.

TONIGHT: J Dilla Tribute and Fundraiser
Three years after Dilla's death, DC is still rightfully paying homage to the accomplished beatmaker who brought us everything from Pharcyde's "Runnin'?" to Janet Jackson's "Got 'Til It's Gone." SEIU is co-sponsoring the 4th Annual J Dilla Tribute & Fundraiser show at Liv Niteclub in Washington, DC. Doors open at 9pm. This is a free event, but donations are encouraged. A portion of the proceeds to benefit the Maureen Yancey Fund and the Lupus Foundation GWDC. To RSVP, visit http://dilladc09.eventbrite.com/

The show at Liv will be hosted by Phife (A Tribe Called Quest) & Grap Luva, and includes special guests Dilla's mother "Ma Dukes" Yancey and little brother Illa Jay. DJs will celebrate Dilla's life by spinning some of his finest compositions and there will be live performances by an impressive line-up to include Phife, Wayna, Kev Brown, Oddisee + Diamond District and Alison Carney.

In 2005, J Dilla was an influential hip-hop producer and rising artist whose promising life was cut short by complications stemming from his battle with Lupus. Without health insurance, the costs associated with his care reached triple digits. In the United States, 60% of uninsured Americans are self-employed or employed by a small business that does not offer health benefits.

This Wednesday, SEIU is hosting a discussion at our headquarters on how health care reform can prevent the kind of financial stress and hardship J Dilla's loved ones--the Yancey family--has endured due to the high cost of medical treatment.

WHO: Mr. Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor, member of A Tribe Called Quest & Diabetes patient; Ms. Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey, J Dilla's mother; Dr. L Toni Lewis, President of Committee of Interns & Residents/SEIU; Reverend Lennox Yearwood, Hip Hop Caucus; Casey-Rae Hunter, Future of Music Coalition

WHAT: Roundtable discussion about health care reform and its implications for individuals in the arts and beyond.

WHERE: SEIU International Headquarters
1800 Massachusetts Ave
Washington, DC 20036

WHEN: Wednesday, July 8th 1 - 2 PM

If you're interested in attending, please contact healthcareremix@gmail.com

Presented by SEIU, LFAGW & Hedrush Entertainment, the 4th Annual J Dilla Tribute & Fundraiser will take place that same night at Liv Niteclub in Washington, DC at 9pm. This is a free event, but donations are encouraged. To RSVP, visit http://dilladc09.eventbrite.com/.

There's a simple standard that SEIU uses to measure the success of the health care system: how does it work for our members--like for Pat DeJong and her family? By that standard, without a doubt, our current system is failing. Fortunately, we have a president who agrees that healthcare reform is critical for this country and says he is confident of passing healthcare reform.

Tonight, Obama will continue his health care push with a primetime nationally televised event in the White House called "Questions for the President: Prescription for America," which will be moderated with ABC's Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer. Home care aide and SEIU Healthcare 775NWmember Pat DeJong has been invited to participate in the ABC News special event, to discuss health care reform with President Obama. The president will answer questions offered by audience members from all walks of life "selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions in this historic debate," and Pat will most likely be the only home care worker present.

Here is just a small excerpt of Pat's story. This is why ABC News asked her to participate in the event:

Pat and her husband Dan were ranchers in Montana, but had a hard time finding affordable coverage, and were uninsured when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2000. The medical bills piled up for Pat and Dan, eventually forcing them to sell the land they loved and that had been in Dan's family for generations. Dan succumbed to cancer, and two years later, Pat still does not have health insurance.

Reflecting on what it has been like to live without health insurance - and keeping in mind what she and her husband went through - she said, "I have been without [health insurance] for so long, I have just put it out of my head."

One thing is clear: families like Pat's pay the ultimate price for our broken healthcare system. Her story--like so many other Americans without adequate coverage--stands as one more reason we cannot accept the obstructionist politics of those who wish to file hundreds of amendments to "just say no" to healthcare reform, and purposely distort the reality of what fixing healthcare means to millions of American families.

Watch the ABC News special "Questions for the President: Prescription for America" tonight, June 24, at 10:00 p.m. (EST). The healthcare conversation will be continued at 11:35 p.m. on Nightline.

Read Pat's story--told in her own words--after the break.

In his 50 minute address to the American Medical Association today at the group's annual convention in Chicago, President Obama reiterated his strong support for a truly national public health insurance plan, calling the current state of the nation's health care system a "ticking time bomb." Obama declared health care reform an urgent priority, saying "If we fail to act, premiums will climb higher, benefits will erode further, and the rolls of uninsured will swell to include millions more Americans."

As President Obama made his case for a health care system overhaul, he touched on several ways to cut costs we had yet to hear him address within a single public speech: he promoted preventative care instead of disease management and advocated for health IT (specifically, switching from paper to electronic health records). He urged examining inefficiencies in the Medicare program and introducing competitive bidding into the Medicare Advantage program, as well as exchanging doctors' current fee-for-service based pay system for a more outcomes-based system.

Prior to President Obama's AMA address today, doctors and physicians-in-training put out a statement in support of the creation of a public health insurance option signed by eight organizations: CIR/SEIU Healthcare, the Doctors Council, AAFP, AMSA, Doctors for America, NPA and SNMA. The groups--whose members combined represent 215,000 physicians and physicians-in-training--also hosted a conference call with key reporters to express their support for President Obama's goals for healthcare reform. "We believe we need a truly robust, quality public health insurance option," said Dr. L. Toni Lewis, President of CIR/SEIU Healthcare (CIR). "Quality is something I really want to stress here, meaning: our patients would have a public option that provides them with the care they need."

"The thousands of devastating stories of Americans unable to get care can make it feel impossible to practice medicine some days," says NPA President Dr. Valerie Arkoosh. "But these stories also serve to remind us every day of our ethical duties to put our patients' care ahead of insurance companies. Competition provides us with choice and makes our market better--and a strong, national health insurance option would do the same."

"I need your help, doctors"
President Obama told attendees of the AMA conference today that no reform effort could be successful without the buy-in of the nation's doctors, declaring at one point, "The public option is not your enemy, it is your friend." The President also labeled those who call his plan "socialized medicine" naysayers and fear mongers, reassuring his audience that those who claim he is trying to bring about government-run health care are "not telling the truth."

Dr. Nikhil Wagle, cofounder of Doctors of America, says the number one priority for doctors in fixing our broken healthcare system is doing what's best for patients--and this includes the choice to keep the insurance they have or sign up for a robust, public healthcare option. "As doctors, we see the effect of our broken healthcare system and what happens when our patients are denied the care they need," said Dr. Wagle. "It's the real experience with doctors and patients that must be what guides us in this effort towards healthcare reform."

"To say it as plainly as I can, health care reform is the single most important thing we can do for America's long-term fiscal health. That is a fact," said President Obama. Read the transcript of his entire speech here.

Other notable parts of Obama's June 15 speech to the AMA after the break.

CVS: Big on Overcharging, Small on Customer Service

CVS is a retail-healthcare colossus that's growing bigger every year, with a new store popping up on every other city corner these days. This perception isn't too far off, because with over 6,900 stores in the U.S., CVS is the largest drugstore chain in the country. The company fills or manages over a billion prescriptions a year--30 percent of prescriptions written in the United States--and is also the country's biggest purchaser of prescription drugs. The plentiful number of CVS store locations is a high convenience factor most consumers appreciate--but the more you learn about the way the company is run, the less welcoming that development may seem.

CVS's slogan is "for all the ways you care." But recent studies have uncovered corporate practices that are anything but caring--and the evidence just keeps piling up.

The first step is making sure the President's budget gets the support it needs from leaders in Congress. His budget makes a huge down-payment on reforming healthcare this year, and toward erasing the disparities that have resulted in unequal care. We need to show our strong and unequivocal support for the Presidents budget. Already, Obama has done more to reform health care than George Bush did in eight years including:

· Covering More Children: Reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program to cover an additional 4 million children

· Preventing Cuts in Medicaid: $87 Billion to prevent Medicaid cuts

· Real Money for Disease Prevention in Underserved Communities: $1 billion for prevention & wellness--much of which will be focused on underserved communities & advocates need to weigh in with HHS to shape this spending

· Research Into Which Treatments Work Best for Minority Communities: $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness--research into what treatments & procedures work best for which patient groups--this research will be conducted with sensitivity to gender, ethnicity, and minority populations.

· Technology To Collect Health Data For Communities of Color: $20 billion in Health Information Technology investments--Health Information Technoloy should enable the improved collection of patient demographic data to better measure patient outcomes by subpopulations

· Investing in the Healthcare Workforce for Communities of Color: $500 million for health care workforce--much of this investment will go to promote National Health Service Corps, whose physicians, dentists, and nurses serve underserved communities

Obama's proposed budget will go even further to promote equality by:

· Investing $640 Billion In Expanded Coverage To Improve The Delivery System and Contain Costs. It's the first step in vastly reducing the number of uninsured and leveling the health care playing field.

· A New Nurse Home Visitation Program That Targets Families At Risk for Chronic Disease With Early Intervention Programs for New Moms.

· Additional $330 Million in Health Care Workforce - Something Communities Of Color Need, So That We Have The Workforce and Delivery System To Level The Playing Field.

Click here to join the Healthcare Equality Project and show your support for President Obama's budget.

We cannot get our economy back on track without repairing the American health care system. Health care reform is not just a moral imperative, but also an economic necessity. In 2007, the U.S. economy lost as much as $207 billion as a result of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured.

Skyrocketing health care costs add to families' already overwhelming burden, threatening their health and financial security. We can do better. Solving America's health care crisis will improve quality of care, reduce costs and make businesses more competitive.

The urgent need for reform is more apparent now in Tennessee than ever. In the past eight years, health care premiums for family coverage have risen more than 5 times faster than wages. With 7.9% unemployed, many families are at risk of losing their health coverage. The message is clear: Tennessee's families urgently need Congress to take direct action on health care reform.

Supporting Facts

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• Health Insurance premiums in Tennessee increased by 61.9% from 2000 to 2007, while median earnings only increased a mere 12.1%. The median yearly wage in 2007 for Tennessee was only $25,639, but the average health care premium for a family was $10,606. This means that premiums grew 5.1 times faster than wages.


• In Tennessee, approximately 1,301,000 non-elderly people spent more than 10% of their pre-tax family income on health care costs in 2008. 87% of those people have insurance, but are underinsured. 1,133,000 Tennessee residents with insurance spent more than 10% of their pre-tax income on health care costs, and 333,000 spend more than 25% of their income.


• By 2016, projections show that Tennessee families will have to pay close to $19,400 for health care or over 44 percent of median household income. This would represent a 70 percent increase over 2008 levels.


• In addition, more and more Tennessee residents have been forced into the exorbitantly expensive individual market, as unemployment reaches massive heights. As of December 2008, 241,183 Tennessee residents were unemployed. That reflects a loss of almost 90,000 jobs statewide last year alone, increasing the state unemployment rate by over 2.9 percentage points.


• If the state keeps losing jobs at the rate it did last year, 384,425 people in Tennessee will be unemployed by 2010. 48.35% of insured Tennessee residents depend on their employers for their health insurance. If nothing is done to stem the economic downturn and reform our health care system, 69,259 Tennessee workers will lose their current health coverage, meaning that 28,684 more people will likely enroll in COBRA. That leaves 40,611 people who will have to enroll in Medicaid, fend for themselves on the private market, or become uninsured.


• This year Tennessee faces a $1.4 billion budget shortfall. As of 2007, 29% of all state spending has gone to Medicaid and SCHIP. $7.5 billion went to spending on Medicaid alone.


• As of 2007 there were already 126,186 uninsured children in Tennessee, and more than 714,361 uninsured adults. 276,378 of uninsured adults in Tennessee also live below the Federal Poverty Line. Tennessee's economy lost as much as $3.57 billion because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured in 2007. That equates to $4,000 per uninsured Tennessee resident.


• Of the top 10 employers in the state of Tennessee, 3 of them are Healthcare Providers. According to the US Census, 209,949 individuals work in the Heath Care Sector in the state & make an average of $3,886 per month, which accounts for $1.0 billion in wages per month.

The health of the American economy cannot improve without addressing the healthcare crisis. Building on the existing healthcare system, quality, affordable healthcare can be guaranteed to every American. It's the reform truly needed to rebuild Tennessee's economy.

We cannot get our economy back on track without repairing the American health care system. Health care reform is not just a moral imperative, but also an economic necessity. In 2007, the U.S. economy lost as much as $207 billion as a result of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured. Skyrocketing health care costs add to families' already overwhelming burden, threatening their health and financial security. We can do better. Solving America's health care crisis will improve quality of care, reduce costs and make businesses more competitive. The urgent need for reform is more apparent now in North Dakota than ever. In the past eight years, health care premiums for family coverage have risen more than twice as fast as wages. With 3.5% unemployed, many families are at risk of losing their health coverage. The message is clear: North Dakota's families urgently need Congress to take direct action on health care reform.

Supporting Facts

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• Health Insurance premiums in North Dakota increased by 74.3% from 2000 to 2007, while median earnings only increased a mere 26.4%. The median yearly wage in 2007 for North Dakota was only $24,255, but the average health care premium for a family was $10,674. This means that premiums grew 2.8 times faster than wages.


• In North Dakota, approximately 155,000 non-elderly people spent more than 10% of their pre-tax family income on health care costs in 2008. 89% of those people have insurance, but are underinsured. 138,000 North Dakotans with insurance spent more than 10% of their pre-tax income on health care costs, and 48,000 spent more than 25% of their income.


• By 2016, projections show that North Dakota families will have to pay around $20,000 for health care or over 41 percent of median household income. This would represent an 76 percent increase over 2008 levels.


• In addition, more and more North Dakotans have been forced into the exorbitantly expensive individual market, as unemployment reaches massive heights. As of December 2008, 12,848 North Dakota residents were unemployed. That reflects a loss of over 1,078 jobs statewide last year alone, increasing the state unemployment rate by over .3 percentage points.


• If the state keeps losing jobs at the rate it did last year, 14,025 people in North Dakota will be unemployed by 2010. 66% of insured North Dakotans depend on their employers for their health insurance. If nothing is done to stem the economic downturn and reform our health care system, 630 North Dakota workers will lose their current health coverage, meaning that 235 more people will likely enroll in COBRA. That leaves 395 people who will have to enroll in Medicaid, fend for themselves on the private market, or become uninsured.


• As of 2007, 14% of all state spending has gone to Medicaid and SCHIP. $513 million of North Dakota's budget went to spending on Medicaid alone.


• As of 2007 there were already 14,305 uninsured children in North Dakota, and more than 53,677 uninsured adults. 16,927 of uninsured adults in North Dakota also live below the Federal Poverty Line. North Dakota's economy lost as much as $269 million because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured in 2007. That equates $4,400 per uninsured North Dakota resident.


• Of the top 10 employers in the state of North Dakota, 8 of them are Healthcare Providers. According to the US Census, almost 42,000 individuals work in the Heath Care Sector in the state & make an average of $3,264 per month, which accounts for $137 million in wages per month.

The health of the American economy cannot improve without addressing the healthcare crisis. Building on the existing healthcare system, quality, affordable healthcare can be guaranteed to every American. It's the reform truly needed to rebuild North Dakota's economy.

We cannot get our economy back on track without repairing the American health care system. Health care reform is not just a moral imperative, but also an economic necessity. In 2007, the U.S. economy lost as much as $207 billion as a result of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured.

Skyrocketing health care costs add to families' already overwhelming burden, threatening their health and financial security. We can do better. Solving America's health care crisis will improve quality of care, reduce costs and make businesses more competitive.

The urgent need for reform is more apparent now in Iowa than ever. In the past eight years, health care premiums for family coverage have risen almost 4 times faster than wages. With 4.6% unemployed, many families are at risk of losing their health coverage. The message is clear: Iowa's families urgently need Congress to take direct action on health care reform.

Supporting Facts

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• Health Insurance premiums in Iowa increased by 72.6% from 2000 to 2007, while median earnings only increased a mere 18.5%. The median yearly wage in 2007 for Iowa was only $26,247, but the average health care premium for a family was $11,194. This means that premiums grew 3.9 times faster than wages.


• In Iowa, approximately 701,000 non-elderly people spent more than 10% of their pre- tax family income on health care costs in 2008. 91% of those people have insurance, but are underinsured. 638,000 Iowans with insurance spent more than 10% of their pre-tax income on health care costs, and 172,000 spend more than 25% of their income.


• By 2016, projections show that Iowa families will have to pay over $21,000 for health care or over 39 percent of median household income. This would represent a 76 percent increase over 2008 levels.


• In addition, more and more Iowans have been forced into the exorbitantly expensive ndividual market, as unemployment reaches massive heights. As of December 2008, 77,080 Iowa residents were unemployed. That reflects a loss of over 13,100 jobs statewide last year alone, increasing the state unemployment rate by 0.8 percentage points.


• If the state keeps losing jobs at the rate it did last year, 92,989 people in Iowa will be unemployed by 2010. 59% of Iowans depend on their employers for their health insurance. If nothing is done to stem the economic downturn and reform our health care system, 9,126 Iowa workers will lose their current health coverage, meaning that 3,182 more people will likely enroll in COBRA. That leaves 5,944 people who will have to enroll in Medicaid, fend for themselves on the private market, or become uninsured.


• This year Iowa faces a $134 million budget shortfall, and has already depleted its budget stabilization rainy day fund. As a result, the state has instituted a hiring freeze on public employees. As of 2007, 17% of all state spending has gone to Medicaid and SCHIP. $2.6 billion went to spending on Medicaid alone.


• As of 2007 there were already 41,361 uninsured children in Iowa, and 248,817 uninsured adults. 89,178 of uninsured adults in Iowa also live below the Federal Poverty Line. Iowa's economy lost as much as $1.2 billion because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured in 2007. That equates $4,335 per uninsured Iowa resident.


• Of the top 10 employers in the state of Iowa, 4 are Healthcare Providers. According to the US Census, 142,870 individuals work in the Heath Care Sector in the state & make an average of $3,256 per month, which accounts for $466 million in wages per month.

The health of the American economy cannot improve without addressing the healthcare crisis. Building on the existing healthcare system, quality, affordable healthcare can be guaranteed to every American. It's the reform truly needed to rebuild Iowa's economy.

We cannot get our economy back on track without repairing the American health care system. Health care reform is not just a moral imperative, but also an economic necessity. In 2007, the U.S. economy lost as much as $207 billion as a result of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured.

Skyrocketing health care costs add to families' already overwhelming burden, threatening their health and financial security. We can do better. Solving America's health care crisis will improve quality of care, reduce costs and make businesses more competitive.

The urgent need for reform is more apparent now in Florida than ever. In the past eight years, health care premiums for family coverage have risen more than three times faster than wages. With 8.1% unemployed, many families are at risk of losing their health coverage. The message is clear: Florida's families urgently need Congress to take direct action on health care reform.

Supporting Facts

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• Health Insurance premiums in Florida increased by 72.0% from 2000 to 2007, while median earnings only increased a mere 20.2%. The median yearly wage in 2007 for Florida was only $27,353, but the average health care premium for a family was $11,720. This means that premiums grew 3.6 times faster than wages.


• In Florida, approximately 3,873,000 non-elderly people spent more than 10% of their pre-tax family income on health care costs in 2008. 79.7% of those people have insurance, but are underinsured. 3,087,000 Florida residents with insurance spent more than 10% of their pre-tax income on health care costs, and 883,000 spend more than 25% of their income.


• By 2016, projections show that Florida families will have to pay close to $22,400 for health care or over 43 percent of median household income. This would represent a 76 percent increase over 2008 levels.


• In addition, more and more Florida residents have been forced into the exorbitantly expensive individual market, as unemployment reaches massive heights. As of December 2008, 751.753 Florida residents were unemployed. That reflects a loss of over 336,000 jobs statewide last year alone, increasing the state unemployment rate by over 1 percentage point.


• If the state keeps losing jobs at the rate it did last year, 1,360,143 people in Florida will be unemployed by 2010. 46.38% of insured Florida residents depend on their employers for their health insurance. If nothing is done to stem the economic downturn and reform our health care system, 282,168 Florida workers will lose their current health coverage, meaning that 121,678 more people will likely enroll in COBRA. That leaves 160,490 people who will have to enroll in Medicaid, fend for themselves on the private market, or become uninsured.


• This year Florida faces a $5.7 billion budget shortfall, and as a result, the state government has implemented a hiring freeze on state employees. As of 2007, 20% of all state spending has gone to Medicaid and SCHIP. $14.6 billion went to spending on Medicaid alone.


• As of 2007 there were already 843,006 uninsured children in Florida, and more than 2,840,918 uninsured adults. 1,190,935 of uninsured adults in Florida also live below the Federal Poverty Line. Florida's economy lost as much as $14.55 billion because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured in 2007. That equates $4,000 per uninsured Florida resident.


• Of the top 10 employers in the state of Florida, 4 of them are Healthcare Providers. According to the US Census, 814,904 individuals work in the Heath Care Sector in the state & make an average of $3,876 per month, which accounts for about $3.2 billion in wages per month.

The health of the American economy cannot improve without addressing the healthcare crisis. Building on the existing healthcare system, quality, affordable healthcare can be guaranteed to every American. It's the reform truly needed to rebuild Florida's economy.

We cannot get our economy back on track without repairing the American health care system. Health care reform is not just a moral imperative, but also an economic necessity. In 2007, the U.S. economy lost as much as $207 billion as a result of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured.

Skyrocketing health care costs add to families' already overwhelming burden, threatening their health and financial security. We can do better. Solving America's health care crisis will improve quality of care, reduce costs and make businesses more competitive.

The urgent need for reform is more apparent now in California than ever. In the past eight years, health care premiums for family coverage have risen 5 times faster than wages. 9.3% unemployed, many families are at risk of losing their health coverage. The message is clear: California's families urgently need Congress to take direct action on health care reform.

Supporting Facts

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• Health Insurance premiums in California increased by 95.8% from 2000 to 2007, while median earnings only increased a mere 19.3%. The median yearly wage in 2007 for California was only $30,702, but the average health care premium for a family was $12,194. This means that premiums grew 5.0 times faster than wages.


• In California, approximately 6,555,000 non-elderly people spent more than 10% of their pre-tax family income on health care costs in 2008. 77.25% of those people have insurance, but are underinsured. 5,064,000 Californians with insurance spent more than 10% of their pre-tax income on health care costs, and 1,321,000 spend more than 25% of their income.


• By 2016, projections show that California families will have to pay close to $25,500 for health care or over 41 percent of median household income. This would represent a 90.3 percent increase over 2008 levels.


• In addition, more and more Californians have been forced into the exorbitantly expensive individual market, as unemployment reaches massive heights. As of December 2008, 1,731,800 California residents were unemployed. That reflects a loss of over 652,000 jobs statewide last year alone, increasing the state unemployment rate by over 3 percentage points.


• If the state keeps losing jobs at the rate it did last year, 2,778,504 people in California will be unemployed by 2010. 48.35% of insured Californians depend on their employers for their health insurance. If nothing is done to stem the economic downturn and reform our health care system, 506,110 California workers will lose their current health coverage.


• While 209,349 people will likely enroll in COBRA, which lets workers who lose their jobs continue their health benefits at their own expense, the high cost of COBRA will force an estimated 296,761 people to enroll in Medicaid, fend for themselves on the private market, or become uninsured.


• This year California faces a $35.9 billion budget shortfall. As a result, the state has already proposed cuts that will cause more than 429,000 adults to lose health coverage. As of 2007, 19% of all state spending has gone to Medicaid and SCHIP. $35.4 billion went to spending on Medicaid alone.


• As of 2007 there were already 1,232,218 uninsured children in California, and more than 5,360,938 uninsured adults. 1,780,823 of uninsured adults in California also live below the Federal Poverty Line. California's economy lost as much as $32 billion because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured in 2007. That equates $4,900 per uninsured California resident.


• Of the top 10 employers in the state of California, 1 of them is a Healthcare Provider. According to the US Census, 1,172,614 individuals work in the Heath Care Sector in the state & make an average of $4,320.26 per month, which accounts for $5.06 billion in wages per month.

The health of the American economy cannot improve without addressing the healthcare crisis. Building on the existing healthcare system, quality, affordable healthcare can be guaranteed to every American. It's the reform truly needed to rebuild California's economy.

Last week, the National Journal invited health care advocates and industry experts to weigh in on whether health care reform was still possible in 2009. They also asked, "Does health care reform have to be bipartisan in order to move forward?" and, finally, "Does it still make sense for the next nominee for HHS secretary to also head the White House Office on Health Reform?" SEIU President Andy Stern's response is below:

"Fixing health care isn't just possible this year - it's absolutely necessary. Every day, people are losing their jobs and their health care. The swelling ranks of uninsured threaten to put more strain on state programs and push the entire system to the breaking point. If health care isn't fixed, the risk is a growing catastrophe on top of the ones we already face. The unemployment rate is now 7.6% --- up from 4.9% a year ago. For every 1 percentage point rise in unemployment, another 1.1 million people lose their health coverage. Clearly, the time to act is now. As President Obama put it: "In order to fix our economic crisis, and rebuild our middle class, we need to fix our health care system, too."

"Health care reform can happen this year if lawmakers, business, labor, health care providers and activists come together to advance a common goal: quality, affordable health care where everyone pays their fair share. It can happen if we agree to build on existing coverage arrangements instead of disrupting them - the current system of employer-sponsored coverage and public programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP. Reform should also include ending discrimination by insurance companies, offering financial assistance, and rewarding providers and insurers for quality instead of quantity of services provided. We know that when everyone participates, shared accountability works.

"The future Health and Human Services Secretary will no doubt be a partner in the movement to fix health care. But, real change comes from the ground up. It comes from workers saying enough to surging health care costs and shrinking benefits. It comes from doctors and nurses saying enough to a system that puts profits ahead of patients. The reauthorization of SCHIP and inclusion of health information technology in the recovery act are already significant downpayments on broader health care reform. Let's not stop now. All across the country, voters sent a clear mandate this fall to make the American Dream affordable again - and put an end to Washington's bickering-as-usual. A health care system that works for everyone is essential to building an economy with lasting strength."

WASHINGTON, DC - "Today, Congress took a first and important step to rebuilding the American Dream," said SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger as Senators from both parties worked together to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). "Leaders of both parties worked hard to craft this bipartisan bill. It delivers peace of mind for more hard-working parents that the health of their kids will not keep them from affording to put a roof over their family's head.

"We applaud the Senate for strengthening the children's health insurance program and ensuring no child must wait for care. Congress' job is just beginning. We urge Congress to include key health care provisions in its economic recovery package. Let these measures be the start of a broader effort to finally fix our broken health care system."

SEIU, the nation's largest union of health care workers, is helping its 2 million members and community leaders contact their members of Congress. In addition to comprehensive health care reform, members are continuing to talk to their elected officials about the need to pass a large economic recovery package that invests in state and local government to preserve essential services and invests in infrastructure and human services to save and create jobs.

"Our economy is in serious trouble and if we wait to pass health care reform or President Obama's 'American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan' things will only get worse. Congress cannot stop now, they must move forward on delivering help and hope to working Americans and local communities. Only by building a new economy and health care system can we build a new American Dream."

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

Tonight, after three days of debate on a series of amendments to the bill, the Senate passed the bipartisan Children's Health Insurance Program.

When President Obama signs this bill into law, it will mark day one of changing America's broken health care system. Day one of working together, across the aisle, to implement changes that will have long-lasting effects on the health and well-being of our nation. Day one of shifting focus toward solving the health care crisis--once and for all.

This program will ensure that millions of children, many of whose parents have lost their employer-provided health care coverage through layoffs and cutbacks, will be able to receive doctor check-ups, dentist visits, and preventive care.

But it's also an important day for all of us who've joined together in support of fixing health care. It's evident today that we're building a real, grassroots movement. SEIU's online activists alone banked more than 1,000 calls to Congress in support of the reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program. We called 87 senators - many of them multiple times. Reports even came back from our callers that receptionists seemed "flustered," and "puzzled" by the number of calls they were receiving.

We also learned a lot about what to expect as we continue our movement. Activists like Rose in Indiana discovered that senate offices who opposed us were reluctant to be forthcoming about it on the phone. Rather than discuss the issue directly, they claimed to have no knowledge of the bill.

That didn't stop us, though; and we sent a signal loud and clear: we're paying attention, and we expect results.

We don't have time to waste. It's clear that if we don't find solutions to our ailing health care system, the financial burden placed on Americans will continue to grow.

You can tell President Obama that children's health is just the first step in our movement to fix health care - click here to send him a letter.

Just as we didn't let our setbacks stop us from improving access to health care for kids, we can't let our early victories stop us from winning health care for everyone. Senator Olympia Snowe called this bill "a critical first step towards greater health reform." More than ever, we're ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work - and we expect Congress to do the same.

Cross-posted from the National Journal's health care blog. The Journal posed this question:

Would it really do much good to extend the length of COBRA health insurance coverage as part of an economic stimulus package? Would people really sign up? Does COBRA ever really work well?

Yes, make COBRA easier to get and easier to use. People are losing their jobs and losing their coverage, so there's no time to waste. With unemployment at a 16-year high, expect the ranks of the uninsured to swell, putting more strain on state programs that help those in need. COBRA - if made to work - can literally be a lifeline.

Part of the problem with COBRA is that many workers don't qualify as it is - if their employers don't offer coverage in the first place or if their employers go out of business.

What's more, COBRA is unaffordable even to those who are eligible, as the Families USA report makes clear. People who are unemployed are often barely able to pay their mortgages, much less the full cost of a health care premium. Even 20% of the premium would be a financial strain on most unemployed workers, given that the cost of an individual premium is more than $4,000 and family coverage exceeds $12,000.

The solution:

- Allow workers who don't have access to COBRA the opportunity to enroll in Medicaid with a small premium contribution - no more than 5% of their income.

- Provide COBRA-eligible workers with a subsidy or tax credit that covers 80% of the premium.

- Expand the time period for COBRA eligibility - currently 18 months in most cases - to 36 months, given the severe economic downturn. Older workers in particular may have the hardest time finding another job.

Rising unemployment is making our health care crisis even worse, highlighting the need for comprehensive reform. We can't get the economy back on track without fixing health care, and workers can't get back to work if they're sick or have lost their homes due to medical debt. Let's fix COBRA now, so the downturn doesn't push more families into financial ruin.