PRESIDENT'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TO PRESENT WRONG SOLUTIONS FOR AMERICA'S HEALTH CARE CRISIS

Proposals Will Only Help Wealthiest and Healthiest, Leaving Less Wealthy and Sickest Out In the Cold

The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, concerning the likely inclusion of a number of health care initiatives in the President's State of the Union message tonight:

"President Bush's health care initiatives will provide no real relief for Americans struggling with skyrocketing health costs, many of whom are losing their health insurance. Indeed, they will make the growing health care affordability crisis even worse:

• "The promotion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which can only be used with high-deductible policies, is part of an accelerating scheme to shift more health costs to America's working families.
  
• "HSAs are only affordable and attractive to the healthiest and wealthiest. Without their participation to help balance costs in traditional health insurance plans, the sickest and poorest will be left with skyrocketing premiums.
  
• "Small tax credits for individual purchases of health care coverage are far too little to make health insurance affordable. It's like throwing a 10-foot rope to a person in a 40-foot hole.
  
• "Finally, any federal funding cuts in the Medicaid program, as the President is likely to propose, will devastate seniors in nursing homes and children needing health care. In the process, the President's proposals will shift unaffordable health costs to the states."

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org