New TV Ads Challenge McCain and Other Congressmen and Candidates on Health Care
10/08/08
Washington, DC - A new ad campaign released today targets Senator John McCain and seven Republican Congressional candidates and incumbents asking why they back health care plans and policies that would leave millions of Americans on their own to fight the insurance industry. The 30-second TV ads, released by Health Care for America Now, address Senator McCain as well as Senator John Sununu (R-NH), Congressman Ric Keller (FL-8), Congressman Randy Kuhl (NY-29), Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-7) and candidates Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9), Marty Ozinga (IL-11), and Erik Paulsen (MN-3).
"With less than thirty days to go before Election Day, it is urgent that voters know where the candidates stand on health care," said Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now. "For families struggling to make ends meet, the high cost of health care has been a leading economic indicator. Now is the time to convince every candidate and member of Congress to stand on the side of quality, affordable health care for all and not on the side of handing over more control to the private health insurance companies. Our goal is to get the next President and a majority of Congress committed to the principles of quality, affordable health care for all in 2009."
Health Care for America Now is a national grassroots campaign bringing together millions of individuals and more than 275 organizations with the clear goal of winning comprehensive health care reform in 2009. The broad-based coalition is made up of community-based organizations, unions, women's groups, doctors, nurses, patient advocates, small businesses, faith-based groups, think tanks, and leading netroots activists.
View the McCain ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhZOXrUOGF4
View the Sununu ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwK9bkkUOr0
View the Keller ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQZfXWv8Nc
View the Kuhl ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4D7KC36lTY
View the Walberg ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klr30lIT6Z4
View the Luetkemeyer ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpvwx45q-UE
View the Ozinga ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7SqYpOS4n4
View the Paulsen ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U45vO6IRtP4
Health Care for America Now will air "Fighter", the ad addressing Senator McCain, on national cable and on broadcast television in the battleground state of Ohio. The other seven "Fighter" ads will air in their respective districts on broadcast television and cable. Health Care for America Now will be spending a total of $4.3 million on television, cable, and radio advertising and an additional $500,000 on direct mail and phone over the next two weeks.
On July 8th, 2008, Health Care for America Now launched in Washington, DC and 52 cities (including 38 state capitals) across the country. Over the past couple of months, supporters in 40 states have been holding grassroots actions to expose the bad practices of an industry that makes money by putting profits over people's health. HCAN's ongoing outreach involves asking individuals, organizations, businesses, and members of Congress, "Which Side Are You On?"– the side of quality, affordable health care for all or the side of leaving us alone to fend for ourselves in the bureaucratic, unregulated insurance market. More than 75 members of Congress have signed on so far, including Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).
AD TEXT:
I've never faced an enemy like cancer.
But it's ok. I'm a fighter.
Under John McCain's health care plan, 20 million (people) could lose their insurance at work - I could be one of them.
And with a pre-existing condition like cancer, I couldn't get coverage on my own
He wants me to fight cancer and the insurance companies?
Fine. I'll take you both on.
VO: Ask Senator McCain which side he's on
TITLE:
Senator McCain
Which side are you on – ours or the insurance companies'?
www.whichsidearetheyon.com
VO:
Health Care for America Now is responsible for the content of this advertising
TITLE:
Paid for by Health Care for America Now, www.healthcareforamericanow.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. HCAN is responsible for the content of this advertising.
DOCUMENTATION:
We estimate that twenty million Americans--about one in every eight people with job-based coverage--would lose their current coverage as a result of the change in the tax treatment of coverage.
[Health Affairs, 9/16/08] http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.27.6.w472/DC1
See also: Research Bulletin #100 | McCain Plan Accelerates Loss in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance -- A state-by-state analysis [EPI Policy Center, 9/26/08] http://www.epipolicycenter.org/researchbulletin100.html
Insurance in the individual market is often impossible to obtain or unaffordable. Nearly nine of 10 people who explored obtaining coverage through the individual market never bought a plan, citing difficulties finding affordable coverage or being turned down […] Some states have required individual market insurance plans to accept all applicants. However, in most states, individuals with preexisting conditions are denied coverage, have conditions excluded, or face much higher and often unaffordable premiums. [The Commonwealth Fund, 9/14/06] http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=402531
Also: Consumers who are in less-than-perfect health clearly face barriers to obtaining health insurance coverage in the individual insurance market. Insurance carriers often decline to cover people who have pre-existing medical conditions, and even when they offer coverage, frequently impose severe limitations on the coverage for any expenses related to the pre-existing condition or charge more to cover these expenses. This can price insurance out of the reach of many consumers in poor health or create significant gaps in coverage that could result in being underinsured. [Kaiser Family Foundation, 6/01] http://www.kff.org/insurance/upload/How-Accessible-is-Individual-Health-Insurance-for-Consumers-in-Less-Than-Perfect-Health-Executive-Summary-June-2001.pdf
Health Care for America Now ("HCAN"), a section 501(c)(4) issue advocacy organization, is a broad coalition of nonprofit and political organizations that are working to promote quality, affordable health care for all Americans. HCAN and each of its members conducts and funds only activities appropriate to its tax and election law status. This statement was not funded or endorsed by HCAN's 501(c)(3) members.
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