You may be aware of the American Express ad slogan, “Don’t Leave Home Without It.” Well, now is the time to tell Congress: “Don’t Come Home Without It! Don’t come home for your five-week vacation without health-care reform.”

Many people are asking, “What’s the hurry?” Clearly they are not among the 14,000 persons losing their health-insurance coverage every day. So, for those who have a lackadaisical attitude about health-care reform, let’s put this in human terms: My trusty calculator tells me that over the 35 days of Congress’ upcoming vacation some 490,000 people will lose their health insurance.

The majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told me yesterday, 250 million Americans have health insurance and 47 million don’t. “The plight of the 47 million isn’t very compelling to the 250 million,” he said.

Hoyer quoted the dictum of former Senate finance chair, Russell Long, “Don’t tax me, don’t tax thee, tax the fellow behind the tree.” The problem with that approach, Hoyer pointed out, is that we’re not taxing the fellow behind the tree, we’re taxing our children if reform is not accomplished. He said the burden of ever-escalating costs will fall on them.

The leader of one of the major health-care reform organizations in the country told me yesterday that just before he came to Capitol Hill, his organization received notice that its health-insurance premiums would go up 35% for 2010. Why? Several of the women on the staff had babies over the past year. If you actually use your health insurance rather than just pay your premiums, then be prepared to pay more.

Across our denomination, we see huge hikes in expenses for insurance premiums. Many local churches are now being “direct billed” for these costs rather than having them shared by the entire conference. This affects our church, too.

This health-care crisis will not fix itself. Things will only get worse if we do nothing.

It’s interesting how many people have been sharing their personal horror stories with me over the past few days. Another one:

Our daughter-in-law was employed for several years as a medical sales rep for a major pharmaceutical company. She promoted several of the name-brand drugs advertised on television. Her garage was filled with all sorts of promotional freebies for doctor’s offices: pens, expensive coasters, note pads, etc. She often provided free lunches to staff at doctors’ offices, and arranged dinner parties for doctors at expensive restaurants.

She was paid well, received a company car, lavish bonuses and premium awards. Most shameful of all was an all-expense-paid trip for her and her husband to Los Angeles, complete with limo service and an Amex gift card for traveling to expensive restaurants each evening. Maybe this is why some of her products retail for such high prices, and drive up the cost of medical insurance.”

A doctor told me yesterday that much of the expense borne by physicians is in “back-office.” costs. That’s the room in their offices filled with staff people dealing with the complicated codes created by insurance companies, who make it as difficult as possible for actual health care to be carried out by doctors.

Yet another member of Congress, Lois Capps, D-Calif., said yesterday: “All of the changes for the better that have occurred in this country are the result of advocacy by people of faith. Please help us now. We’re closer than we’ve ever been to getting health-care reform.”

The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society will issue a challenge next week based on John 10:10, which declares that Jesus came so all could “have life, and have it abundantly.” The John 10:10 Challenge provides resources to help you mobilize to bring about reform. A new website, www.1010challenge.org, will help you undertake the advocacy by people of faith that Congresswoman Capps emphasized is so necessary to succeed in this endeavor.

Please call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to the offices of your members of Congress. Tell them to stay in Washington, D.C., and get the job done. Ask them to support health-care reform that includes a strong public option and that covers everyone. Tell them: “Don’t come home without it!”

Peace in Christ,

Jim Winkler
General Secretary