The plain truth about health insurance reform

The Democratic push for health care reform has the extreme right running scared, and they've proven that they'll stop at nothing to keep health care reform from happening.  Over the past few weeks, Republican-incited mobs have hijacked thoughtful discussion about health care reform across the country, while their national spokesmen like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have taken to the airwaves to spread distortions and misinformation.

Find out how the Democratic health insurance reform plan will help families and businesses in your district here.

You can help stop the smears, the distortions, and the lies.  Here's what you need to know.

TRUE: The Democratic plan will expand your health care choices:

Under the Democratic plan, those who cannot afford private health insurance will have the ability to buy into a lower cost option similar to Medicare.  Those who like their current plan will be able to keep it without any penalties or costs.  Plus, your children will be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.

TRUE: The Democratic plan will reduce the rising cost of health insurance:

The Democratic plan puts an emphasis on preventative care by requiring insurance companies to fully cover—without care—regular checkups and tests to help prevent you from getting sick and discover illnesses early on when treatment is most effective and affordable.  The plan will limit how much insurance companies can increase your deductibles, co-payments, and out-of-pocket expenses each year.  It will also begin to shrink the hidden $1,000 tax Americans with health insurance pay to cover care for those who don’t have it.

TRUE: The Democratic plan will keep you from being forced out of your health plan:

Under the Democratic plan, insurance companies will no longer be able to place caps on the amount of care you can receive each year or over the life of the plan.  Insurance companies will not be able to block you from renewing your policy as long as you pay your premiums in full.  You will no longer have to worry about insurance companies refusing coverage for “pre-existing conditions” or denying you care when you are seriously ill.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan will create government control of health care in America:

The President's principles for health care reform builds on the current system and gives you more, not fewer, options, while lowering the costs of health care for everyone.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan will cost too much:

While making sure that everyone in America has affordable health care is not cheap, President Obama has repeatedly said that his reform proposals will not increase our national deficit, and will lower costs in the long term.  In fact, we can pay for most of the proposal by simply making the current system more efficient - a savings of hundreds of billions of dollars.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan will hurt small businesses:

Just the opposite.  Currently, small businesses pay up to 18% more on health insurance than large businesses.  Under the Democratic plan, small businesses will receive tax credits for providing their employees with health insurance, which will help lower their costs and help them compete.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan eliminates Medicare, or cuts Medicare benefits:

The current proposals identify many ways to cut out fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare, which will save billions, but does not cut benefits by one dime.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan cuts benefits in the Veterans Affairs hospital system:

The Democratic plan will not impact the VA system.  In fact, the President's budget expands veterans' medical benefits to 500,000 veterans that are not currently eligible for care.

FALSE:  Under the Democratic plan, medical care would be "rationed":

There is no provision in any version of the Democratic proposal that "rations" care for Americans.

FALSE:  Under the Democratic plan, abortions will be subsidized by taxpayers:

A key House committee added an amendment specifically prohibiting taxpayer-funded abortions.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan would create "death panels" to determine who can receive care or fund assisted suicide programs:

No provision of any of the bills allows for the funding of assisted suicide or a panel to deny care to anyone.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan will provide coverage to illegal immigrants:

The key bill explicitly prohibits any funding to cover illegal immigrants.

FALSE:  The Democratic plan will put the government in charge of your bank account:

The Democratic plan does absolutely nothing to alter the relationship between you and your bank.  The government will have no more power over your bank account than it does now.