Stop the Republican's Promised Hatchet Job on Health Care---Vote for Democrats for Congress

Approximately six weeks remain before the mid term elections. This election may be a decisive turning point for health care reform in the USA if Republicans take over Congress. The Republican party under the leadership of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and their congressional Republican advocates have pledged that they will repeal the new health care law, many items of which kick in today, September 23, 2010. Here are the major items that the Republicans pledge they will repeal (eliminate from present law by repealing the entire health care legislation) if they take control of Congress this November.

1)Allow coverage to kids with pre-existing conditions. Health plans cannot limit or deny benefits or deny coverage for a child younger than age 19 simply because the child has a pre-existing condition like asthma.

2)No lifetime limits on benefits. Health plans can no longer put a lifetime dollar limit on the benefits of people with costly conditions like cancer.

3)Cannot cancel your policy without proving fraud. Health plans can’t retroactively cancel insurance coverage – often at the time you need it most - solely because you or your employer made an honest mistake on your insurance application.

4)Cannot deny claims without a chance for appeal. In new health plans, you now have the right to demand that your health plan reconsider a decision to deny payment for a test or treatment. That also includes an external appeal to an independent reviewer.

5)All policies must offer cost-free preventive services. New health plans must give you access to recommended preventive services such as screenings, vaccinations and counseling without any out-of-pocket costs to you.

6)All policies must keep young adults on a parent’s plan until age 26. If your health plan covers children, you can now most likely add or keep your children on your health insurance policy until they turn 26 years old if they don’t have coverage on the job.

7)All policies must allow you to choose a primary care doctor, ob/gyn and pediatrician. New health plans must let you choose the primary care doctor or pediatrician you want from your health plan’s provider network and let you see an OB-GYN doctor without needing a referral from another doctor.

8)All policies must allow use of the nearest emergency room without penalty. New health plans can’t require you to get prior approval before seeking emergency room services from a provider or hospital outside your plan’s network – and they can’t require higher co-payments or co-insurance for out-of-network emergency room services.

All eight of these important health care benefits that were enacted by the new Democratic health care bill will be eliminated if the Republicans regain control of Congress. Although the recently passed Democratic (all but one Republican in Congress voted against the legislation) health care bill is not as beneficial as many hoped for, it does make substantial improvements that protect Americans from arbitrary denial and limitations of necessary health care services by insurance companies and HMO's.

The Republican Party has pledged to repeal all these consumer protections. If the Republicans take over control of Congress insurance companies and HMO's will again be able to resume their dirty tricks that Republicans vigorously support. Health care insurance companies, HMO's and their multi-millionaire executives who control them will fatten their already bulging bank accounts, and continue in-turn to finance the Republican Party of

NO

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Independents, Democrats, and empathetic Republicans must say NO to the Tea Party/Republican Party opposition. Vote Democratic on behalf and for the average citizen of the USA, and protect the American health care improvements that we now have from the promised Republican hatchet job. Vote to protect our new health care insurance rights. Vote Democratic for all candidates for members of the House of Representatives and Senate when you vote on November 2, 2010.