New Ads Target Blue Dogs Who Voted Against Against Health Care Reform

The three Blue Dog Democrats who voted against the health care reform bill last week in the Energy and Commerce Committee are the targets of ad campaigns in their home districts over recess. MoveOn.org Political Action will run radio ads in the districts of John Barrow (D-GA), Jim Matheson (D-UT) and Charlie Melancon (D-LA), all of whom voted against the bill in committee last Friday, July 31st.

The radio ads will air in their Congressional districts beginning Wednesday August 5th, and lay out the real cost to citizens in these districts when their leaders side with special interests and vote to stop health care reform.

Hear the ads below, and then see the facts.

Ad Script/Documentation with Member Specific Information

AD TEXT: Female VO Today in Georgia/Utah/Louisiana, a patient lost insurance coverage for medical care she needs... Male VO Hospital bills will eat up another families’ savings… Female VO and a small business owner is worried about affording health benefits for his employees. Male VO But when Congressman (John Barrow/ /Jim Matheson/ Charlie Melancon) recently had a chance to help fix our health care crisis, he voted no. Instead of helping Georgia/Utah/Louisiana families get more affordable, quality health care choices, Congressman (Barrow/Matheson/Melancon) sided with the special interests and insurance companies Female VO If you believe it’s time for quality health care every American can afford, call Congressman Barrow/Matheson/Melancon at 202-225-2823 – and ask him why he doesn’t. Tell him Georgia/Utah/Louisiana families can’t afford to wait for real health care reform any longer. Disclaimer: Paid for by moveon.org political action, political.moveon.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee, Moveon.org Political Action is responsible for the content of this advertising.

DOCUMENTATION: According to the Center for American Progress, in December and January, 430 Georgians a day lost their health insurance, 120 Utahans a day lost their health insurance, and 180 Louisianans a day lost their health insurance. (http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2009/03/pdf/health_losses.pdf ) And according to a recent study by Health Affairs, the number of people without health insurance is expected to rise by 6.7 million by 2010. (http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.28.4.w573 ) According to a recent study in the American Journal of Medicine, more than 60 percent of bankruptcies are caused by health care bills. According to the data, this means that over a three week period, 53,507 people will file bankruptcy because of medical bills. (6/5/09) http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/05/bankruptcy.medical.bills/ ) And according to a recent study in Health Affairs, Americans have spent about 40 percent more on their health care in the last decade. (http://www.healthaffairs.org/press/janfeb0901.htm ) According to a recent study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, more than one in three small business owners (36%) said that rising costs are likely to cause them to cut some portion of health insurance benefits for their employees. http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=36550 And according to CNN: “Of the 46 million uninsured in the U.S., 27 million are small business owners, their employees or their dependents.” (CNN, 1/26/09, http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/26/smallbusiness/health_cure.fsb/ ) On July 31st, Congressmen John Barrow, Charlie Melancon and Jim Matheson voted against H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, when the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee voted on the legislation. H.R. 3200 is the House of Representative’s version of health care reform legislation. (http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090731/hr3200_rc.pdf ) If passed, H.R. 3200 would expand health care coverage and make it more affordable: (http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-BILLSUMMARY-071409.pdf ) According to the Washington Post, the Blue Dog Democrats, a group that Congressmen John Barrow, Charlie Melancon and Jim Matheson are all members of raised: “more than $1.1 million through June. More than half the money came from the health-care, insurance and financial services industries, marking a notable surge in donations from those sectors compared with earlier years, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity.” (7/30/09, Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/30/AR2009073004267.html ) USA Today reported that: “The largest medical insurers and drug companies spent 41% more on lobbying this year as Congress began debate on an overhaul of health care, which may include a public insurance plan the industries oppose. Despite an overall decline in lobbyist spending this year, a USA TODAY review of disclosure reports found 20 of the largest health insurance and drug companies and their trade groups spent nearly $35 million in the first quarter of 2009, up more than $10 million from the same period last year.” USA Today, 6/18/09, (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2009-06-11-lobby_N.htm ) And according to the Politico: “…insurers have played the inside game, spending about $40 million on an army of lobbyists and lavishing campaign contributions on Democrats and Republicans to kill the public option. In all, the health industry spent $133 million in the second quarter alone, more than a million bucks a day.” (Politico, 7/25/09, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/25709.html According to the Center for Responsive Politics: John Barrow has received $239,975 from health professionals, and $76,450 from the insurance industry Jim Matheson received $405,535 from health professionals. $235,000 from the insurance industry and another $220,951 from pharmaceutical industry. Charlie Melancon received $129,000 from health professionals and another $164,000 from insurance industries (http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php)

"Today in Georgia

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"Today in Louisiana"

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"Today in Utah"

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