An idea to get the facts out

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

I was so made after the Health Care Forum in Harrison on Monday I stewed for two days. The amount of ignorance over the bill was stunning. I was trying to figure out how to get through to well-meaning conservative folks--the ones who are mildly interested in politics, who always vote in elections, but aren't Dittoheads or Faux viewers. This is what I came up with.

I wrote an email which I sent out to both liberals and conservatives that said, "FIND OUT THE FACTS FOR YOURSELF"

Here are the points I made:

1. There are a lot of angry words and accusations going around--and it is hard to know who to trust

2. The only way to find out the truth is to go to the source and read the health care bill for yourself--and then I provided the url to the bill from a government source.

3. I explained how a bill is written out--it is a large outline, and if you read the first four pages of this bill, you know, in general, what it is about. You can then go to the particular sections you are interested in and read the details.

4. I gave them my summary of the bill as an attachment. I followed the outline form of the bill so that each item could be referenced, and highlighted what I felt was most important.

I encouraged them to make their own summaries and send them back to me, or at least to read mine and pass it on.

[cdsilv]

1. Not to seem too lazy (okay, maybe TO do so.....)

got this?


"url to the bill from a government source."

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Here 'tis

http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf

Note it is in pdf format, so you need Adobe Acrobat to open. But it is the one from the House of Representatives, so the best one to use, I think.

Here's part of the notes I took so you can get an idea of how I used the document's format to make them:

Title I
Subtitle C- Standards Guaranteeing Access to Essential Benefits
Section 121- Essential Benefits Package Defined.
A. Essential Benefits Package = health benefits coverage that follows the guidelines of this law to ensure quality, affordable health care
1. Provides payment for items & services meeting generally accepted medical standards
2. Limits cost sharing for such covered health care items
3. Does not impose an annual or lifetime limit on coverage
4. Complies with 115a (network adequacy)
5. Is equivalent to the average employer sponsored coverage

B. Minimum Services to be Covered
1. Hospitalization
2. Outpatient hospital & outpatient clinic services, including ER
3. Professional services of physicians & other health professionals
4. Such services, equipment, and supplies incident to the services of a physicians or health care professional’s delivery of care in institutional settings, physician’s offices, patient’s homes, etc.
5. Prescription drugs
6. Mental health & substance use disorder
7. Preventative services & vaccines
8. Maternity care
9. Well baby & well child care & oral health , vision, & hearing services, equipment & supplies at least for children under 21.

[JimWis]

3. Good for you. Maybe it will help with the undecided folks. As far

as what I have seen in town halls - the folks who have decided against health reform - no one is going to change their ignorant minds. But there are many confused people who I hope will follow your advice.