Progress Illinois

As the national battle over health care reform enters a crucial stage and lawmakers make their case to voters during the August recess, we're going to be regularly tracking the latest health care news across Illinois. Here's our first update:

Schock's Misleading Memo

While Illinois Democrats were busy advocating for comprehensive health care yesterday, Illinois Republicans kept up their effort to stand in the way of such reform. This morning over his Twitter feed, Rep. Aaron Schock sent along a memo, prepared by Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-WI), providing (PDF) "key facts about the House Democrat health care bill for the 18th District of Illinois." But as you'll see, Cantor and Schock use the term facts rather loosely. Here's the first of many distortions in the two-page sheet:

Independent analysis by the Lewin Group shows that 2 out of every 3 people would lose their current coverage, including up to 114 million people who receive health benefits through their employer or other current coverage if a government-run plan “competes” with private companies.

The Lewin Group is hardly "independent." In fact, it's "wholly owned" by UnitedHealth Group, one of the nation's largest insurers. And the Congressional Budget Office released a preliminary analysis (PDF) of the House Democrats' so-called "tri-committee" bill last week and found that a net 3 million people will gain employer-based insurance under the Democratic plan.

But Schock and Cantor aren't done:

Nearly 11 million seniors choose Medicare Advantage plans as the coverage that best meet their needs. Specifically, the Democrats have proposed cutting Medicare spending for the 14,002 seniors in the 18th District who are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

In fact, Medicare benefits will not be cut, nor will the Medicare Advantage plan be discontinued.  Instead, Obama has proposed ending the large public subsidies to the private insurance companies who participate in the program.  As budget director Peter Orszag explained this spring, the White House is proposing that these companies compete to offer their services, thereby saving taxpayers an estimated $150 billion over 10 years.  (Also, it's more than ironic that Schock, a congressman staunchly opposed to a public option, is so worried about protecting benefits provided through the nation's very popular single-payer program.)

The Schock memo also demagogues about health care reform's potential effect on small businesses, citing Heritage Foundation research claiming that 41,700 small businesses in Illinois will be required to pay higher taxes because of a proposed 2 percent surtax on individuals with more than $280,000 in income. But the Heritage figures are way overblown. Only "1.9 percent of filers with any small-business income are projected to face either of the top two income tax rates in 2009,” according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

Roskam Misreads Polling ON WLS

Rep. Peter Roskam added his voice to the health care debate this morning, telling WLS Radio’s Don Wade & Roma that support for Obama's health care approach is "just dropping like a stone." Listen (The entier interview is available here):

Internal mp3

People really understand health care. We’ve had a really robust national conversation and debate ever since the Clinton administration in 1993 did the big push on that plan. And we’ve been talking about it, all of us. And when you start to say that you’re going to be taking choices away, that wait times are going to go up, and ultimately this is going to be very costly, the public gets it. And the White House, with all due respect, I think they are really underestimating the public.

The polls tell a different story. The Center for American Progress' Ruy Teixiera points to Pew Research Center data proving Americans are still broadly supportive of the president's goals: 79 percent support "requiring insurance companies to sell health coverage to people, even if they have pre-existing medical condition;" 65 percent support "requiring that all Americans have health insurance, with the government providing financial help for those who can’t afford it;" 63 percent support "raising taxes on families with incomes of more than $350,000 and individuals earning more than $280,000;" and 52 percent support "a government health insurance plan to compete with private health insurance plans." "Don’t believe the hype," Teixiera concludes. "Health care reform is alive and kicking."

Bean, Foster Still Undecided

For the President's reform agenda to pass both chambers, conservative Democrats are going to need to come along for the ride. But two congressmen from Chicago's suburbs, Reps. Melissa Bean and Bill Foster, remain on the fence, according to the Daily Herald:

Bean's Schaumburg office has been protested by activists on both sides of the issue. Most recently, she said she was "unconvinced" the current plan will provide a net benefit to the middle class while reigning in costs.

Foster supports the plan "in theory," a spokeswoman has said, but neither lawmaker will likely face a vote until some version of the plan moves to the House floor this fall.

DCCC Blitzes Biggert

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is also targeting Rep. Judy Biggert with its "Health Care ER" campaign. The goal of the blitz, which will include volunteer calls, emails, and tele-town halls, is to "hold targeted Republicans accountable for protecting health insurance companies' profits ... at the expense of affordable health care."