Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Fear and negativity are contagious, but so is courage!

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

A tremendous foreign policy asset… to all of our adversaries.

When we show up, we win.

They don’t have outfits that big. nor codpieces that small.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

The National Guard is not Batman.

Too little, too late, ftfnyt. fuck all the way off.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

You are here: Home / Anderson On Health Insurance / To the phones

To the phones

by | 48 Comments

This post is in: ,

One last push, two more weeks, thirteen more calls to make to protect that ACA and our vision of a just society.

Right now Cassidy-Graham is chugging along with the hope that the need to do SOMETHING means that the last bill standing is SOMETHING.

We can do something about it.

Call your Senators today. If you are from North Carolina, Florida or the Upper Midwest, tell your Senators that you don’t want your state to get whacked to reward Texas’ intransigence. If you are not from those states, ask your Senators to vote for Alexander-Murray as the only health care bill.

Call your Governors as they would be handed an incredible mess.

Call…

Reader Interactions

48Comments

  1. 1.

    ThresherK

    OT: Anyone know the work of editorial cartoonist Jeff Stahler, previously in the Columbus Dispatch?

    This recent one is awful, having been obsoleted to any sentient being almost a quarter century ago:

    DJ3000: Looks like those clowns in Congress have done it again. What. A. Bunch. Of. Clowns.

    Bill: How does he keep up with the news like that?

    Marty: Don’t praise the machine!

  3. 3.

    Another Scott

    TheHill this morning:

    The leaders of the Senate Health Committee expressed optimism Thursday that a bipartisan deal to stabilize the insurance markets was within reach.

    The goal, according to Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), is to put the final touches on a bipartisan package the week of Sept. 18 with the hope the Senate will pass it by the end of the month.

    The panel held four hearings on the topic over the last two weeks, bringing in governors, insurance commissioners and experts as Alexander and the committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), attempt to craft a deal to help the insurance markets.

    At the final hearing on Thursday, Alexander laid out the main themes that emerged throughout the hours of discussion, and it’s expected this could serve as the framework for a deal.

    One, funding cost-sharing reduction payments, which insurers receive from the federal government as payment for lowering the out-of-pocket costs of some ObamaCare enrollees.

    Second, letting people of all ages buy “copper plans,” which are essentially catastrophic coverage with lower premiums and higher deductibles.

    Third, giving states more flexibility to approve health insurance plans and rates.

    Meanwhile, four GOP senators are pushing a last-ditch effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

    Time isn’t on their side, as the fast-track vehicle Republicans were using to gut ObamaCare expires at the end of the month Republicans are using a budget maneuver, called reconciliation, because it avoids a Democratic filibuster.

    On Wednesday, GOP Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Ron Johnson (Wis.) and Dean Heller (Nev.) released the newest ObamaCare repeal bill. The measure seeks to give control to the states.

    Specifically, the bill moves money for ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion, tax credits and cost-sharing reduction subsidies, and block grants those funds to states. It also repeals the individual and employer mandates and the medical device tax.

    Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has told Graham and Cassidy they need to find the votes themselves. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) is measuring support for the bill and GOP leadership has asked the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to prioritize an analysis of the legislation.

    But Cassidy has expressed optimism he is close to getting the votes needed.

    “I am pretty confident we’ll get there on the Republican side,” Cassidy told reporters in his office on Friday. “We’re probably at 48-49 [votes] and talking to two or three more.”

    So far, no other measure — even a scaled down version of a repeal bill — has been able to garner the votes needed to pass the Senate. There’s little room for error, as Republicans control 52 seats.

    On Friday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) came out in opposition to the measure, calling it “Obamacare Lite” in a tweet.

    But there’s more going on in the health world than just ObamaCare repeal.

    The Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as funding for community health centers and Medicare extenders, is set to lapse on Sept. 30th if Congress doesn’t reauthorize the programs.

    The Senate Finance Committee announced a deal on a five-year reauthorization of CHIP. As of early Friday afternoon, the House hasn’t yet announced any such package.

    There also isn’t much time, as the House is out all this week and the Senate is only in for half of the week.

    […]

    Keep fighting…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  6. 6.

    MomSense

    Going to call at lunch today. I’m just about to send another fax, too.

    Text “resist” to 504-09 and in about a minute you will be able to fax your Rep, Senators, and Governor. There is an option to send a letter and I read on twitter that @resistbot is amassing a huge team of volunteers to deliver the letters.

  7. 7.

    Ohio Mom

    The usual: full mailboxes at Portman’s Cincinnati and Columbus offices, voice mail in DC, hapless intern answered the phone in Toledo.

    I wrote Portman an email over the weekend, and will continue to call after I get back from this morning’s eye doc appointment.

    @Another Scott: I often hear your voice in my mind’s ear, “We have to fight them everyday.” Thanks for the encouragement.

  9. 9.

    MomSense

    @Ohio Mom:

    Try resist bot. It’s a bit slow today because of the high volume but it is a great way to get through to them when they won’t answer their phones.

  11. 11.

    daveNYC

    One, funding cost-sharing reduction payments, which insurers receive from the federal government as payment for lowering the out-of-pocket costs of some ObamaCare enrollees.

    Second, letting people of all ages buy “copper plans,” which are essentially catastrophic coverage with lower premiums and higher deductibles.

    Third, giving states more flexibility to approve health insurance plans and rates.

    Points two and three sound bad. I know that coppers have some valid role, but copper plans (especially for ‘all ages’) combined with additional regulatory flexibility for the states seems like a match made in hell.

  13. 13.

    Major Major Major Major

    Right now Cassidy-Graham is chugging along with the hope that the need to do SOMETHING means that the last bill standing is SOMETHING.

    Yep, a classic case of the politician’s syllogism, although this time they’re doing it intentionally.

    1. Something must be done about Obamacare!
    2. Graham-Cassidy is something
    3. Therefore, Graham-Cassidy must be done

  16. 16.

    Betsy

    I’m sorry. I don’t understand the post or the comments. What is happening, which is the bad bill, what does the bad bill contain that makes it bad? Is there a different bill that should be supported? I don’t read between the lines and have been working on other things, so if someone would be very kind and spell it out as if to a fifth-grader wanting to help, I’d really appreciate it. Also I would like to pass the basics along to other people who will call, so a very basic explanation would help me reach out to others as well. THANKS

  19. 19.

    MomSense

    I call every day and also send a fax every day. I try to keep them conversational and fairly jingo free. Because I fax so often I limit each one to one or two things. Here is the one I sent today via text using resist bot. It took 2 minutes to fax it to Collins and King. Collins may run for Governor. If so, this will be a yuuge problem for her.

    I am so upset that Graham Cassidy is even under consideration again. This bill is as bad as all the others because it will destroy Medicaid. Maine has an aging population. Our seniors rely on Medicaid for their nursing home care. Block grants will mean a shrinking pool of funds to pay for an increasing Medicaid eligible population. This will be dire for rural hospitals and nursing homes. Graham Cassidy also ends funding for Medicaid in 2026 and I don’t trust Congress to reauthorize given the worsening dysfunction in D.C.
    I am also upset about the loss of patient protections. I have a pre-existing condition. I have a son with a pre-existing condition. This bill does not protect us. It even allows insurance companies to raise rates after enrollment if the insured is diagnosed with an illness or condition. This is completely unworkable given so many of us in Maine are counting every penny and cannot absorb unexpected expenses.
    There are things we can do to make the ACA stronger. This isn’t it. Please engage in a transparent process. Senators Alexander and Murray are doing this patient, correct work and I hope you will join their efforts and scrap Graham Cassidy.

  20. 20.

    Miss Bianca

    I’m sorry, but would it be gauche and divisive of me to suggest that maybe Wilmer could have fucking waited till after September 30th to have started brandishing his “Medicare for All” bill? Or would we still be facing zombie ACA repeal attempts regardless?

  21. 21.

    MomSense

    @Miss Bianca:

    No especially since Graham mentioned that if they didn’t do something now they might end up with single payer as one of the reasons to do this terrible thing now.

    Also too I think Wilmer is having a single payer rally. Do we think he will ask all the attendees to call their Senators? I have little to no confidence he will because I honestly think he may want to kill the ACA.

  28. 28.

    Percysowner

    @Ohio Mom: Portman’s Cleveland office was answering this morning, so I made my plea. I’ll call again tomorrow, for all the good it will do.

    On a less noticed note Daily Kos reports Wave good-bye to your pre-existing condition protections under new Trumpcare bill

    Specifically, a little-noticed provision of the block grant funding states would receive under the plan would let them obtain waivers of ACA pre-existing conditions protections and benefit standards for any insurance plan subsidized by block grant funding. For example, a state that used a small portion of its block grant funding to provide even tiny subsidies to all individual market plans could then waive these protections for its entire individual market. Likewise, states that used block grant funding to offer or subsidize coverage for low-income people could offer plans with large gaps in benefits. States seeking waivers would have to explain how they “intend” to maintain access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, but they wouldn’t have to prove that their waivers would actually do so.

    They are SUCH bastards.

  32. 32.

    MomSense

    @Major Major Major Major:

    It’s not the same thing. The stupid Single payer bill he admits has no chance of passing and is so incomplete it doesn’t even contain any funding mechanism is now being used by the Republicans as a reason/excuse to pass a deathcare bill right before the reconciliation deadline runs out. Sanders could have waited two fucking weeks to submit his fantasy plan. C’mon.

  33. 33.

    Major Major Major Major

    @MomSense: and if he’d waited they totally wouldn’t be trying to pass this bill that started making the rounds before he released his, right before the reconciliation deadline that will stop something they’ve been wanting to do for seven years. This is totally about the timing of his BS bill.

    ETA they would’ve just found a different thing to lie about as their reasoning. This is the same as second guessing everything Hillary did “because it would give republicans ammunition”

  34. 34.

    MomSense

    @Major Major Major Major:

    It’s not the same as second guessing Clinton as much of that is rooted almost entirely in sexism.

    Sanders building support for his fantasy plan and gaining co-sponsors (I’m pissed at them, too) gave Graham a huge assist to rally support for their plan. Health care was dead. Slavitt and others have said publicly that this bill joined up really fast. McConnell went from never again to fully on board.

    When I approached Olympia Snowe to talk about the ACA, her first response was to defensively ask me if I wanted to talk about single payer. When I said no, her demeanor changed completely. They are terribly averse to single payer. It moves them. That’s just the way it is.

  36. 36.

    rikyrah

    From Krugman’s piece on Cassidy-Graham

    From Krugman’s piece:

    In reality, Graham-Cassidy is the opposite of moderate. It contains, in exaggerated and almost caricature form, all the elements that made previous Republican proposals so cruel and destructive. It would eliminate the individual mandate, undermine if not effectively eliminate protection for people with pre-existing conditions, and slash funding for subsidies and Medicaid. There are a few additional twists, but they’re all bad — notably, a funding formula that would penalize states that are actually successful in reducing the number of uninsured.

    Did this bill’s sponsors — Lindsey Graham, Bill Cassidy, Ron Johnson and Dean Heller — manage to get through months of health care debate without learning anything about the issue? Maybe. But surely the rest of the Senate, not to mention much of the public, has wised up about false Republican promises. A huge majority of voters, almost two to one, consider it a good thing that previous attempts at repealing and replacing Obamacare failed.

    Yet there is a real chance that Graham-Cassidy, which is similar to but even worse than previous Republican proposals, will nonetheless become law, because not enough people are taking it seriously.

  39. 39.

    rikyrah

    They only need to flip 1 vote by end of September to ruin your healthcare. Light up the phones, please. This really is their last chance.
    — Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 17, 2017

  40. 40.

    catclub

    Because the plan keeps most of Obamacare’s taxes, the conservative group Heritage Action is urging Republicans to block it.

    Important if true.

  41. 41.

    catclub

    @rikyrah:

    Yet there is a real chance that Graham-Cassidy, which is similar to but even worse than previous Republican proposals, will nonetheless become law, because not enough people are taking it seriously.

    Another possibility is that it passes the Senate but is not agreed to by the House – for not cutting enough taxes – and so it ping pongs back and forth between them. But if so, the reconciliation rules no longer apply.

    I think if it does pass the Senate, there is a non-zero chance that the House will pass it just to have a win. Not large, but non-zero.

  43. 43.

    TenguPhule

    @Betsy:

    I’m sorry. I don’t understand the post or the comments. What is happening, which is the bad bill, what does the bad bill contain that makes it bad? Is there a different bill that should be supported? I don’t read between the lines and have been working on other things, so if someone would be very kind and spell it out as if to a fifth-grader wanting to help, I’d really appreciate it. Also I would like to pass the basics along to other people who will call, so a very basic explanation would help me reach out to others as well. THANKS

    Republicans want to punish states that adopted the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. And wreck all the rules that the ACA set up.

  44. 44.

    Ohio Mom

    @TenguPhule: And cut Medicaid to shreds.

    Have I complained lately how much I dislike talking to those swarmy interns? Makes me feel like I need a shower. It’s a good thing I’ve made my calls for the day because I’m at the point I’d tell the next intern that they are the banality of evil my undergrad philosophy prof warned me about.

    Really, what is wrong with people that they are Republicans?

  46. 46.

    daveNYC

    And McCain is indicating support for this. Not shocking, as I thought there had to be something that made McConnell think he had a shot with this.

  47. 47.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Ohio Mom: if they’re Republican interns, odds are their parents, who pay their rent and probably an allowance and themselves (probably) inherited or stand to inherit significant amounts of money, told them that all this “inequality” stuff is just about people who want a hand-out

    AZ gov calls for Senate to pass Graham-Cassidy, MSNBC framing this as giving McCain permission to abandon all his “regular order” rhetoric and hold hands with Lindsay once again

Comments are closed.