FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2010                                       click here for PDF
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AFSCME APPLAUDS REPS. WALZ, McCOLLUM, ELLISON AND OBERSTAR FOR “SIDING WITH MN FAMILIES, SMALL BUSINESSES, DOCTORS AND SENIORS OVER INSURANCE COMPANIES”

-- With “yes” votes on landmark health reform,
Minnesotans will see huge benefits under historic law --

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 5 and Council 65 today applauded Reps. Tim Walz, Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison and James Oberstar for their historic YES votes on health reform legislation, which will make health care more affordable for middle class families, provide aid for small businesses and doctors, and improve care for seniors throughout Minnesota — all while reducing the federal deficit by $143 billion over the next decade.

“Minnesotans thank Reps. Walz, McCollum, Ellison and Oberstar for siding with Minnesota families, small businesses, doctors and seniors over the insurance companies,” said Eliot Seide, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 5. “Too many Americans have waited too long for quality, affordable health care– from seniors who can’t afford the prescriptions they need, to Americans of every age pushed aside for the sake of profits, to working families swallowed up by insurmountable health care bills– we are thrilled that these members of Congress stood up to the insurance companies and sided with us.”

“Meaningful health care reform has been a long time coming,” said Steve Preble, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 65. “It’s been a long process lengthened by obstructionism and fear-mongering from Republicans and the insurance companies. But with friends like these members of Congress, we knew we could stand up to them.”

According to an analysis by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, the health care reform bill approved by Congress over the weekend will have the following impact on the districts of Reps. Walz, McCollum, Ellison and Oberstar:

Affordability
• Provide credits to help pay for coverage for up to 160,000 households in Rep. Walz’s district; 141,000 households in Rep. McCollum’s district; 159,000 households in Rep. Ellison’s district; and 185,000 households in Rep. Oberstar’s district.

Medicare
• Improve Medicare by closing the prescription drug donut hole for 108,000 seniors in Rep. Walz’s district; 86,000 seniors in Rep. McCollum’s district; 76,000 seniors in Rep. Ellison’s district; and 125,000 seniors in Rep. Oberstar’s district.

Small Businesses
• Allow 15,300 small businesses to obtain affordable health care coverage in Rep. Walz’s district; 14,100 small businesses in Rep. McCollum’s district; 18,400 small businesses in Rep. Ellison’s district; and 16,600 small businesses in Rep. Oberstar’s district.

Provider Reimbursement
• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for doctors and hospitals by $103 million annually in Rep. Walz’s district; $36 million in Rep. McCollum’s district; $101 million in Rep. Ellison’s district; and $120 million in Rep. Oberstar’s district.

Medical-related Bankruptcies
• Protect up to 700 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs in Rep. Walz’s district, 900 families in Rep. McCollum’s district; 900 families in Rep. Ellison’s district; and 1,000 families in Rep. Oberstar’s district.

The health care reform legislation has broad support from groups as diverse as AFSCME, the AARP and the American Medical Association. Yet insurance companies have done everything in their power to kill the bill and protect their profits.

In support of the bill, AFSCME ran an unprecedented advertising and mobilization campaign that resulted in hundreds of thousands of contacts to targeted members of Congress.

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