Coalition To Launch Ad Campaign To Thank Lawmakers For Votes On CHIP Expansion Bill, Promote Efforts On Health Care Reform

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 16 Feb 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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A coalition of labor unions, pharmaceutical companies and health care advocacy groups this weekend plan to launch a $10 million television advertising campaign to thank lawmakers who earlier this month voted for legislation to reauthorize and expand CHIP, The Politico reports (O'Connor, The Politico, 2/13).

The ads -- which will air on cable outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and Comedy Central -- will appear in the home states of 34 senators and the congressional districts of 49 House members who voted for the legislation (Freking, AP/Kansas City Star, 2/13). The ads, which will air for three weeks, will ask those lawmakers to address broader health care reform legislation (The Politico, 2/13). In the ads, an announcer will state, "Now's the time to guarantee quality affordable health care for all Americans." The coalition includes the Service Employees International Union, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Families USA (AP/Kansas City Star, 2/13).

Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said that the ads will serve "as a reminder that this (the children's health care expansion) was a down payment on health care reform." PhRMA President Billy Tauzin said, "This Congress and this administration can't wait for another round of elections" to address health care reform, and "we need to help them" (The Politico, 2/13).

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