Here is another email that I recieved before the new year, and it reads.

Dear Supporter,

By now you’ve heard that the Senate voted to pass the Reid health care bill in the
wee hours of Christmas Eve. The vote was a major step as Democrats blindly push for
government-run health care–but our fight is not over.

As Democratic leaders in Congress and the White House declare victory, it’s worth
comparing the President’s rhetoric to the realities of the legislation being rammed
through Congress. (Review citations for these facts on our blog.)

President’s Rhetoric: The health care reform plan, “I’m announcing tonight would …
slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our
government.” -President Obama, September 9, 2009

Reality: Under both the House and Senate bills insurance premiums will continue to
go up at their current rate and possibly even faster. Additionally, edical
malpractice has been completely ignored despite being touted by President Obama as
an important issue.

President’s Rhetoric: “What this plan will do is to make the insurance you have work
better for you. … My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do
better when there is choice and competition.” -President Obama, September 9, 2009

Reality: By forcing individuals and businesses to purchase insurance or face a stiff
penalty, the Reid bill is a major bailout of health insurance companies. Both bills
limit choice and competition by regulating all aspects of what insurance plans can
cover, where they can compete and what they can charge, leaving the consumer with an
onerous mandate to purchase expensive, one-size-fits-all health insurance. The
health insurance industry is a major winner at the expense of the consumer and
patient.

President’s Rhetoric: “When health care costs grow at the rate they have, it puts
greater pressure on programs like Medicare and Medicaid. If we do nothing to slow
these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on Medicare and
Medicaid than every other government program combined.” -President Obama, September
9, 2009

Reality: Neither the House nor the Senate bills address the “doc fix” issue (where
doctor reimbursements consistently face annual cuts to offset the tremendous
inflation of the Medicare program) and both bills cut well over $400 billion from
Medicare to fund new government entitlement programs. Claims that this diversion of
funds to a new entitlement program will somehow strengthen Medicare are not
credible, a fact supported by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. The CBO
also estimates that the Reid bill’s expansion of Medicaid will place roughly $25
billion in unfunded mandates on the states at a time when state budgets are already
facing major budget challenges.

President’s Rhetoric: “If you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans who don’t
currently have health insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you
quality, affordable choices.” -President Obama, September 9, 2009

Reality: Both the Reid and the Pelosi bill leave approximately 24 million
individuals uninsured after the first 10 years. As for the underinsured, expanding
Medicaid by 33% and cutting $483 billion from an already-insolvent Medicare will
only increase the chances of patients facing less access to lower quality care.

President’s Rhetoric: “The health care reform bill now in the Senate would be the
largest deficit-reduction measure in a decade.” -President Obama, September 9, 2009

Reality: While CBO estimates show a net decrease in the deficit by 2019, history
shows this to be highly unlikely. Spending on entitlement programs has traditionally
been much higher than originally projected by the CBO and even with the current
proposals, when looking at the first ten years of actual spending (2014-2023),
health care reform is likely cost well over $2.5 trillion! To claim that the
government will pay for 31 million people to get health insurance and that it will
be deficit-reducing is hardly believable.

Both the Pelosi and Reid bills completely miss the lofty mark the President set in
September for health care reform. Perhaps it is time for the President to show some
real leadership on this issue and direct the Congress to start over. The legislation
currently before Congress was crafted out of political desperation and not the needs
and the desires of the American people.

This battle for control of our health care is not over. Congress will soon begin the
process of merging the House and Senate bills which will then need to be voted on by
each body. There is still time for you to make a difference in this fight.

Please help us keep up the fight by donating today. Congressional Democrats are
intent on walking off a cliff to pass a health bill no matter what the costs. We
must keep up the fight!

Sincerely,

Patients First Team