CoPIRG Standing Up To Powerful Interests

Making Health Care Work

 

What's New

With passage of the Senate's version of health reform legislation, Congressional offices have already begun discussions on reconciling the House and Senate health care bills. The pressure is on to resolve differences between the two bills and deliver the strongest possible bill for President Obama's signature in early 2010.



How You Can Help

We Can't Wait For Affordable, Dependable Health Care

Call your Senator or Representative. Tell him or her that fixing health care costs and guaranteeing protections for consumers must be at the top of their agenda this year. Click here for how to call.



Find Out More

You might know people who are asking "What's in it for me?"

Well, for here are a few changes reform will bring:

1. No more denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.

2. Doctors will have access to the best information on what treatment is good for you.

3. More preventative health care that will save money and keep you healthier.

4. Less red tape and antiquated systems that cost extra.

5. More competition between insurers and more choice for you.

Click here to download a one-page fact sheet with the details.

You – the American people – now have a chance to make your voices heard and to demand a health care bill that reins in costs and offers better choices.

At this critical moment, it is vital that Congress hear from you and not just the industry lobbyists. Call your Senator or Representative today.  Tell him or her that you can’t afford to wait for health care reform.

Health Care Reform Makes Sense

Fixing the health care system makes good economic sense, too, according to two recent U.S. PIRG reports.

A new report from U.S. Public Interest Research Group shows that more effective and less expensive care would be one of many benefits of an improved health care system.

The report, which looks at what is called "comparative effectiveness research," finds that for the majority of medical conditions, no studies exist to help doctors – and their patients – determine the most effective course of treatment among all the available option.

Another recent report, entitled Putting America Back to Work, finds that proposals to tame health care costs could allow the creation of 2.5 million jobs over a five year period without inflationary effects, and yield stronger economic growth over the long term.

To download the brief, click here.



450,000 DOCTORS CAN'T BE WRONG—But the doctors, health care professionals and Congresspeople working for health care reform need your help. They are up against industry lobbyists spending millions.

Our Coalition

At the national level, U.S. PIRG participates in these coalitions:

Health Care for America NOW!, is a national grassroots coalition of unions, citizen groups, and advocacy organizations organizing millions of Americans to win a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all.

The National Coalition on Health Care, is comprised of more than 70 organizations, employing or representing about 150 million Americans. Members, including businesses, pension funds, unions, consumer groups, and health care provider groups are united in the belief that we need better, more affordable health care for all Americans.




Overview

Health care costs have doubled over the last decade. The average job-based family insurance plan costs more than $12,000 a year and is expected to double by 2016.
 
America’s health care system is structured to profit the drug industry, insurance companies, and medical specialty businesses. It is not structured to provide better health care for American families.
 
U.S. PIRG will be fighting for affordable health care that every family can depend on by:
 
  • Stopping insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions.
 
  • Trimming costly red tape and overhead through simplified insurance forms, information technology and insurer-efficiency standards.
 
  • Rewarding personalized care from your provider and prevention, not just endless tests, procedures and emergency room visits.
 
  • Giving every patient and doctor the most up-to-date information on which treatments and medicines work best.
 
  • Making insurance plans compete for your business, by letting Americans choose the care that’s right for them: keep the coverage they have, choose another private insurance plan, or select a quality public health insurance option.



 

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