Consumer Watchdog – Protecting Patients - ProtPats - Action 7: Don't Let HMO $ Ruin Obama Care

Please don't let HMO and insurance company contributions to Congress dissuade you from giving any American the option of joining the low-cost Medicare program as an alternative to the private insurance market.

Tell Congress that $2.2 million in HMO campaign cash should not determine the outcome of the health care reform debate. The will of the American people should.

A national poll in January 2009 found that 64% of American voters support giving every American of any age the option of joining Medicare, and 60% are willing to pay more in payroll deductions for this option.

Americans support the public option because they are dissatisfied with the high-cost, low-quality private health care system. In fact, Medicare's overhead costs (2%) are far less than those of the for-profit health insurers (25-50%).

Premium costs for the "public option" through Medicare would be about three-quarters of those for private insurance, and would save the U.S. $1 trillion over 10 years.

Instead of the public option, HMOs are trying to convince Congressional leaders to require every American to buy a private insurance policy without any limit on what HMOs can charge. Such a requirement would undermine real reform and bankrupt our health care system.