An Update from the Executive Director

November 04, 2009

Dear VIA Leaders and Friends,

At this point, healthcare legislation is poised for a vote in the House (this may happen some day next week), and negotiations are still under way in the Senate between the Senate HELP Committee (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions), and the Senate Finance Committee.  All versions of the legislation include prohibitions against discrimination based on preexisting conditions, and include some form of public option, set up a health care exchange, and subsidize premiums and copayments for low income citizens. These regulations to guarantee quality of coverage and open up the numbers of people who are insured are very good news for reform! 
 
The big differences are with regard to just how affordable the policies will be for low- and moderate-income people. The Senate HELP bill and the House legislation are stronger than the Senate Finance bill, assisting those at or below 400% of poverty by subsidizing premiums and out of pocket expenses to a much greater degree than does the Senate Finance Bill. For example, in a state by state analysis, PICO projects that the average Vermont family of 3, earning about $51,000, would spend 20% of that income on health care premiums and out of pocket expenses under the Senate Finance legislation, as opposed to 9% of household income under the Senate HELP legislation, which is similar to the House legislation.

The Senate is working now to merge their two committee bills into one that would go before the entire Senate. We would certainly rather have the numbers from the HELP Committee than those from the Finance Committee! This is why VIA/PICO is sponsoring another Call-In Day, specifically targeting our Senators, for Monday, November 9.  Let our Senators know you want the most affordable plan possible for all income levels! The number to call is 866-279-5474.  You will be automatically connected to each Senator’s office in turn. 

Thank you for your help – as people of faith, we need to continue to make our voices heard on one of the most important moral issues of our lifetimes!

Debbie Ingram
Executive Director