Governors Race: Health Care Comes to the Front Burner: Wis. Nurses Respond

Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO
9620 West Greenfield Avenue
West Allis, WI 53214
Phone: 414-475-6065
Fax: 414-475-5722
www.wfnhp.org

For Immediate Release Contact: Stephanie Bloomingdale
October 2, 2006 414-475-6065 Ext. 20
Cell: 414-899-7498

The Facts on Congressman Green’s Health Care Plan
No help for the people who need it most.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals today
released the following facts on Congressman Mark Green’s health care plan. It is clear that
Congressman Green is looking to bring his Washington ideals to Wisconsin – which means help
for people that can already afford their health care…and no help for those who need it most,
windfalls for the big drug companies…and sky-high prescription drug costs for Wisconsin
seniors.
“Congressman Green claims that his plan will make health care more affordable for Wisconsin’s
working families – when in reality – it does nothing to reduce costs for those who need it most,”
said Candice Owley, President of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals.

“Congressman Green’s idea of quality primary care is providing medical services over the
phone. We need to help Wisconsin families afford to see a doctor or nurse when they or their
loved one is sick...we need to help them afford their life-saving medicines…and we need to
expand access to preventive care. Congressman Green’s plan does nothing to help accomplish
these things,” said Owley.

The facts on Congressman Green’s Health Care Plan:
FACT: The signature element of Green’s plan, Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSAs), are
geared only toward higher income families. Only individuals or families with high
deductible health insurance are eligible for HSAs. [Source: US Office of Personnel Management]

FACT: The average adjusted gross income of people contributing to HSAs
was $133,000 in 2004. [Source: General Accounting Office]
FACT: Health Care Savings Accounts are used by only 820,000 people,
much less than 1% of the population. [Source: San Francisco Business Times,
“Most health savings accounts are staying empty”, 6/9/06, US Census Bureau]
FACT: Health Care Savings Accounts lead to health care rationing,
increase administrative costs, and leave patients dissatisfied with
them. [Source: Physicians for a National Health Program, PNHP Fact Sheet: Health Savings
Accounts – No Savings]
FACT: Congressman Green’s Health Opportunity Accounts have been called “a risky
approach” by the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. [Source: Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities, 11-1-05]
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Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals
Press Release--The Facts on Congressman Green’s Health Care Plan
Page 2
FACT: Congressman Green’s Health Opportunity Accounts will have
negative impacts on the health care of low-income individuals by
encouraging them to forgo medically necessary treatment:
• RAND Corporation, a non-profit think tank, found Health Opportunity
Account style incentives could increase the risk of death for lowincome
adults at risk of heart disease by 10 percent.
• A Minneapolis hospital found more than half of patients reported being
unable to obtain prescriptions because of co-payment charges.
• Similar incentives studied in the Journal of the American Medical
Association for low-income populations led to an 88% rise in
emergency room visits and a 78% increase in adverse events such as
death and hospitalization. [Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 11-1-05]
Fact: Congressman Green’s Health Opportunity Accounts will increase
Federal spending by over $260 million instead of saving money.
[Source: Congressional Budget Office, 10-31-05]
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The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals is a division of AFT Healthcare, which
represents more than 65,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals.
A Union of Professionals