i'm on a conf call with Suzanne Kosmas (FL-Dem dist 24) right NOW -- she is ANTI-public option

[nashville_brook]

Just thought I'd put that out there.

All her mailings lately have been sponsored by Pharma. What a disappointment she is.

http://www.kosmas.house.gov/


here's the press release:
Kosmas to Host Tele-Town Hall on Health Insurance Reform
August 17, 2009

(Orlando, FL) - This Wednesday, August 19th, from 6:20 p.m. to 7:20 p.m., Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) will hold a telephone town hall to discuss health insurance reform. The tele-town hall will allow constituents that are interested in health insurance reform issues to ask questions of Congresswoman Kosmas and learn more about current reform proposals in Congress.

Constituents are encouraged to call Congresswoman Kosmas’ office at 407-208-1106 and register their phone number to ensure that they are contacted to participate on Wednesday evening.


WHO: Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas

WHAT: Tele-town hall on health insurance reform

WHEN: Wednesday, August 19th
6:20 p.m. – 7:20 p.m.


Additional Info about the Tele-Town Hall (TTH):

Q: Can anyone participate in the TTH?
A: We will only be calling people who live in the 24th Congressional District.

Q: Do you need our address to sign up for the TTH?

A: Yes, your name and address will be used to verify that you live in the 24th Congressional District.


Q: Once I sign up, what do I have to do the night of the call?

A: Nothing. We will automatically call you at the number you provided. When you pick up the phone, you will hear a recorded message from Congresswoman Kosmas. Just follow the simple instructions and you will be connected to the town hall.


Q: Will I be able to ask the Congresswoman a question or make a comment?

A: Once the call begins, the Congresswoman will let people know how to get “in line” to ask a question. Please understand that we may not be able to get to everyone.


Q: How will the callers be selected?

A: People wanting to ask a question will first speak with a member of the Congresswoman’s staff to verify their name, phone number, where they live, and the general subject of their question. They will then enter the “line” to speak. We will try to ensure that the questions or comments cover a large range of concerns and issues regarding health insurance reform.


Q: How long will the call last?

A: We expect the TTH to last about an hour.


Q: Do I have to stay on the call for the entire time?

A: No, you may hang up at any time. However, once you hang up, you cannot re-join the call.


Q: Does it cost anything to participate?

A: No, the call is free to people who sign up.

[rug]

Tell her I think she's a pig.

[nashville_brook]

2. we're in the queue.

[nashville_brook]

1. says she was active in putting the brakes on the legislation

[yourout]

3. Tell her is she is ANTI-public option then you are ANTI-Kosmas support..

Of any kind.

[nashville_brook]

yep -- we're waiting to be called.

[eleny]

6. Good luck!

[create.peace]

18. more power to ya! nt

[nashville_brook]

4. dupe

[nashville_brook]

5. responding to a Q about "rationing" she says there's rationing now... nt

[billyoc]

7. Tell her we all said "hi".

[nashville_brook]

9. she's taken like 10 calls from Mims already. sheesh.

[nashville_brook]

8. she CORRECTS a caller asking about "rationing" saying the Q is really about "death panels"

and is going about explaining the advance care directive proposal.

[nashville_brook]

10. call about the Public Option -- caller wants to know if it will RAISE insurance rates!!

she answers -- "I don't think the public option is the key part of reform. i will say this, the public option is to increase the choices for consumers."

[yourout]

12. "the public option " might be the only part of it that IS reform.

the rest will be a gift to big Pharma and the Insurance Sharks.

[nashville_brook]

11. federal employee/military caller asks how will legislation interact w/his existing insurance...

he's not eligible for medicare for 2 years...

"the proposal offers opportunities to mitigate the donut hole -- will cap deductibles, no copays for preventive care, no pre-existing conditions clauses. this will be to your benefit. we want to put you in a position where you can afford insurance."

[nashville_brook]

13. caller Q -- will this legislation force me out of my employer-based insurance -- he says

he doesn't know if this is a "myth" or not.

you can guess the answer: "there is nothing proposed that will force anyone into a public plan. she predicts that rather than drop people, this will encourage employers to offer better insurance."

[KamaAina]

14. This is the rep Lou Holtz was thinking of running against?

No wonder. :eyes:

[Cetacea]

15. Florida dems....n/t

[nashville_brook]

16. Q -- how will this help the doctor shortage..."scholarships...

and we must incentivize people to go into the field of healthcare. I have sponsored legislation to make that happen. We want to increase the pool of physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners."

[create.peace]

20. is she going to give up her public funded ins?

[nashville_brook]

22. when Cocoa Beach freezes over!

[create.peace]

24. what i thought! thanks for hanging in there! nt

[aquart]

17. So who's going to challenge her in the primary?

Now would be a good time to start interviewing candidates.

[nashville_brook]

19. Q -- 15 million don't have insurance and we're going to pay a trillion to give it to them... where

are we getting the money. You say we are going to tax the rich, but the numbers don't make sense."

SK -- "we are convinced there is a great deal of money in the system that we can squeeze out. Some of those people are choosing not to be insured. I emphasize "pay-go" if we can't pay for it, then we shouldn't have reform. I co-sponsored the "pay-go...most of the reform is going to be paid for with waste, fraud, etc..."

"Health information technology for all providers to create efficiency in administrative. ... Negotiate savings.... quality vs quantity."

[nashville_brook]

21. Q -- the govt has taken control of a lot of things... now they want to own the private healthcare

system. Why change? Why not have Tort reform. America is the land of the free, blah blah blah."

SK -- "The public option is not key to reform. So the idea that we're going to take over health care system is not true. This is to stop a major growing deficit. If we don't do this it's goint to be impossible for us and future gens to control health care costs. Costs are projected to rise to 25% of GDP by 2025 -- twice that of other nations. We are looking at a number of reform issues that allow people to be covered in a way that's affordable to them and their employers. ...Malpractice reform will not be a part of this legislation."

[nashville_brook]

23. Q -- my husband is retired military, 38-year employed, we don't want our benefits reduced to pay for

all those other people who want insurance."

ugh.


SK -- "There is nothing proposed in the legislation that would change your benefits. There will be no 'taking out of one pocket to put in another.'"

Waste fraud and abuse... blah blah blah.

[create.peace]

25. wow, what a generous soul! i got mine, you don't get yours....nt

[nashville_brook]

27. most seem to have medicare or military and are scared their benefits will be reduced.

[nashville_brook]

26. Q -- i'm 19 so i'm covered under my parents, then i'll be in the military...so why should I care...

UGH!

SK -- "That's a very good question (not). The current system is unsustainable. No matter who carries your insurance the rising costs will make your (socialized) care too expensive."

that's a big paraphrase.

[nashville_brook]

28. CALL ENDED -- didn't get to our call. Toll free number: 1-877-9-KOSMAS (1-877-956-7627)

Will call her office instead.


What a crock of shit. She started sending out mega-direct mail a month ago (we've had 4 pieces already) that was ALL paid for by Pharma, touting that she had all the right moves on health care reform. We looked at these glossy brochures in wonderment... really? ... you want to send out campaign literature with "paid for by pharmaceutical lobbyists" all over it. so, we wondered what the rub was -- it wasn't evident a month ago that the public option would go the way of the dinosaur -- but clearly, that's what she/they were working for.

[Metta]

29. I'd call her out for colluding with industry against our national well being.

Corporate control of goods and services is fascism, according to Benito Mussolini. She's also ignorant of the inheritance she creates for herself from the suffering her actions cause.