Action alert from DFA

The public option is back!

That’s right. Today, Democracy for America is joining the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, several leading Senate Democrats, and a strong coalition of organizations to renew the push for a public option for health care — and we need your help right now to build momentum in Congress.

In 2009 and 2010, Democracy for America members like you led the fight to allow Americans to buy into a public, Medicare-like option in the health care reform bill that became Obamacare. DFA members mobilized hundreds of thousands of Americans to lobby Congress to demand it.

We nearly won. The House passed a public option. But after Joe Lieberman sided with the insurance industry and threatened to filibuster the Obamacare bill, the Senate shied away from it. Instead, they embraced state exchanges.

Unfortunately, despite all the good that Obamacare has done, it’s clear that we still need a public option. Greedy insurance companies that never supported health care reform in the first place are jacking up premiums and deductibles, while pulling out of many state exchanges.

It’s time to renew the fight for a public option. Democracy for America is joining Senators Bernie Sanders, Jeff Merkley, Chuck Schumer, Patty Murray, and Dick Durbin — along with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Presente, UltraViolet, MoveOn, Daily Kos, Working Families Party, and the AFL-CIO — to launch a Congressional resolution in support of a public option. We need your help right now to build strong momentum out of the gate.

Tell the health insurance companies you’ve had enough! Add your name now as a supporter of a public option.

Bernie Sanders supports a public option as a key step toward achieving a universal, single-payer system. Hillary Clinton announced in May that she supports a public option as well.

It’s clear that private health insurance companies aren’t going to get the job done. Just last month Aetna announced it was pulling out of the state exchanges. Many other insurance companies have followed suit. Those that remain have scaled back their coverage or have raised premiums and deductibles, making health care much more expensive.

If our leaders are serious about ensuring real competition in the health insurance market and driving down out-of-control healthcare costs, giving every American the option to buy into a public, Medicare-like health insurance program is a no-brainer that every single Democrat should support.

The movement is growing, and leading Senate Democrats are getting on board. Other original Senate co-sponsors include Debbie Stabenow, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Al Franken.

We can win this time — if you join the movement right now. Sign your name in support of the public option!

Thank you for fighting for truly universal health care for everyone.

– Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America