In this Washington CAN! e-newsletter, you will find:
- US House Votes to Lower Rx Costs! Reichert Bows to Drug Industry Influence
- Get Out Your Cables: Let’s Jump-Start Health Care Reform
- Washington CAN! in the News
1. US
House Votes to Lower Rx Costs!
Reichert
Bows to Drug Industry Influence
On Friday, the US House of Representatives passed (255-170) landmark legislation directing Medicare to use its buying power to negotiate the lowest drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries.
This is a tremendous victory for seniors, people with disabilities, and taxpayers. Thanks for all of your calls and emails to your legislators!
Here’s how the Washington Congressional Delegation voted on HR 4, “The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act:”
- Yes: Brian Baird, Norm Dicks, Jay Inslee, Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott, Adam Smith
- No: Doc Hastings, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Dave Reichert
Since he took office, Washington CAN! has been asking Rep. Dave Reichert (East King County) to stand up to the power of the pharmaceutical industry and vote to lower prescription drug costs. His anti-senior vote on Friday truly shows where his priorities lie.
The move to lower drug prices marks a positive momentum for the new Congress. We now face a critical opportunity to make our government work for the people – not just the rich and powerful.
As part of Change
America Now (CAN), a national campaign being mounted by nearly 40 groups,
Washington CAN! is working pass through Congress the start of a new agenda that
truly reflects America’s priorities:
- Make college affordable
- Lower the cost of prescription drugs
- Repeal tax breaks for oil companies and invest in alternative energy
- Raise
the minimum wage
Visit www.cancampaign.org for more information on our campaign. Together, we CAN Change America Now!
Let’s
Jump-Start Health Care Reform!
The first legislative week saw the state legislature get off to a fairly slow start on health care legislation. Aside from the early consideration of a bill expanding children’s health care (HB 1071), most of the anticipated health bills have not yet been introduced.
Visit http://action.washingtoncan.org
to jump-start health care reform by emailing your legislators and signing up
for a grassroots community lobby day!
Despite the slow start, there is intense backroom discussion of how the state should respond to the need for comprehensive coverage expansions and insurance reform. Still to be introduced are bills to provide employers a choice of providing health care or paying into a state program, and to reform the health insurance market.
Health care premium subsidies for low-income employees in small businesses are funded at $5 million in the Governor’s budget, but no expansion of the Basic Health Program is provided. More substantial investments are needed. As Seattle Times Columnist Nicole Brodeur writes, “Health Care Solution: It’s Basic.”
It’s time to jump-start this legislative session! Visit http://action.washingtoncan.org
to email your legislators and sign up for a grassroots community lobby
day!
Washington CAN! will continue to push for introduction of comprehensive reform legislation aimed at guaranteeing quality, affordable health care coverage for all Washington residents.
Join us! Email your legislators or register to attend one of the following lobby days in Olympia:
- Wednesday, February 21st
- Tuesday, February 27th
http://action.washingtoncan.org
3. Washington CAN! in the News
Check out the following recent articles featuring Washington
CAN! staff and members.
On December 31st, The Olympian covered
news of watery
recommendations emerging from the Governor’s Blue Ribbon
Health Care Commission. (It should
be noted that although the Commission’s final recommendations are certainly
disappointing, the process of working with the Commission has strengthened our
position to successfully advocate in the Legislature for secure health care for
all.)
Some
activists expected the commission to fall short of an aggressive plan for
covering all residents. "I think they'll be too timid to really tackle the
problem of the uninsured," said Joshua Welter, organizing director for
Washington CAN!, an advocacy group formerly known as Citizen Action.
"We're hopeful the legislative leadership will be willing to entertain
broader, comprehensive proposals that really get at the problem of the
uninsured and underinsured."
A January 7th Olympian article
featured the story of Washington CAN! member Heather Penny.
An
estimated 595,000 more have no health insurance. That includes people such as
Heather Penny.
Penny,
an Olympia mother of three, said she is going through a divorce. Her husband is
paying about $400 a month to provide insurance for the children, but Penny said
she has none after being occasionally covered.
On January 8th, The
Seattle Times previewed the health care policy debates expected in the
state Legislature this year. The article
profiled Stephenie Jekel, an Olympia business owner and member of the Small
Business for Secure Health Care Coalition, organized by Washington CAN!
The
irony isn't lost on Jekel that she became uninsured just as she got a foothold
in the middle class. That's partly why she stretches to pay half of the $175
monthly health premiums for her workers. Jekel knows it's difficult enough to
live on $8.50 an hour without worrying about insurance.
"It's a full-time job to be poor," she said.
With over 30,000 members across the state, Washington CAN! is the
state’s largest grassroots community organization. Washington
CAN! fights for
progressive social change at the local, state, and national levels, with a
focus on issues that most directly affect the lives of Washington residents.
Our mission is to achieve economic fairness in order to establish a democratic
society characterized by racial and social justice, with respect for diversity,
and a decent quality of life for those who reside in Washington State. www.WashingtonCAN.org