• Bush/Kerry Healthcare Proposals
• Unions Seek Right for Retirees to Challenge Employers Seeking Medicare Rx Coverage Subsidies
• AFT Retiree-to-Retiree Postcard Campaign Passes 25,000
• Hewitt Projects 11.3 Percent Rise in U.S. Healthcare Costs for 2005
• Georgia House Member Would Eliminate Union ‘Card Checks’
• Pfizer Goes after One of Its Own
• Reducing the Risk of Prostate Cancer
• Save Money with AFT Subscription Services Program
• Quote of Note: Tom DeLay’s Strong-arm Tactics
• Web Site of the Week: http://www.factcheck.org

BUSH/KERRY HEALTHCARE PROPOSALS
Both President Bush and Sen. Kerry focus on people who have lost employer-sponsored health coverage. But the differences in their healthcare proposals are enormous.
The White House estimates that Bush's plan would increase health insurance coverage for 11 million people, but an analysis by Emory University economist Kenneth Thorpe found that the Bush plan would extend coverage to little more than 2 million people. The president’s plan would provide tax credits to people who do not have employer-sponsored health coverage to help them obtain insurance individually and tax breaks to people who buy high-deductible health insurance plans and deposit money in health savings accounts to pay for healthcare not covered by their health plans. It ultimately has the potential to undermine group coverage, which has saved employers, workers and retirees billions of dollars in negotiated rates. The President’s proposals shift the cost of providing health care to the individual. The Kerry plan dwarfs the president’s in cost and coverage. As opposed to the Bush approach, it seeks to stabilize the private employer-based insurance market, largely by having the federal government pay 75 percent of costs more than $50,000 for all chronic illnesses. To qualify employers would have to cover all their employees. Kerry's campaign has said the plan would cost $653 billion over 10 years and expand coverage to an estimated 26.7 million people. The senator said that he would finance his healthcare proposal by repealing tax cuts for those with annual incomes over $200,000. Kerry's plan would also expand existing government health programs, including Medicaid, to cover the uninsured and would permit individuals and small businesses to buy into the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which also covers members of Congress. Voters favor his position by 12 points over the President’s.

UNIONS SEEK RIGHT FOR RETIREES TO CHALLENGE
EMPLOYERS SEEKING MEDICARE RX COVERAGE SUBSIDIES
Organized labor is urging federal regulators to provide in final Medicare rules a means for retirees to challenge their former employers when the employers state that their retiree drug plan is “actuarially equivalent” to the Medicare prescription drug benefit in order to claim federal subsidies. In an Oct. 4 official comment letter, the AFL-CIO, AFT and NEA said there was a potential for employers to shift drug costs to retirees and yet still meet the various proposed tests of “actuarial equivalence” outlined in proposed rules issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The unions also called for a process for retirees to challenge an employer's claim that its plan is actuarially equivalent and more required and timely reporting so that retirees and their representatives can monitor whether the subsidy meets the law’s requirements and is used to benefit retirees. Employer groups insist that the new Medicare law does not provide a basis for such challenges by retirees. Final regulations are due by mid-2005.

AFT RETIREE-TO-RETIREE POSTCARD CAMPAIGN PASSES 25,000
In a huge outpouring of support, retiree activists in 15 battleground states, with a major assist from retired members in Minnesota and New York, are now sending personal postcards to more than 25,000 AFT retirees in battleground states, encouraging them to support Sen. John Kerry for president. “In a campaign where the airwaves are flooded with political ads and mailboxes are overflowing with political brochures,” said AFT retiree director Frank Stella, “a handwritten note explaining how one retired member made a decision to support Sen. Kerry means a lot.” Retiree activists who want to participate in the postcard campaign should contact Renee Turner (rturner@aft.org ) no later than Oct. 22. Minimum order: 25 cards.

HEWITT PROJECTS 11.3 PERCENT RISE IN U.S. HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR 2005
Healthcare costs for U.S. employers are expected to increase 11.3 percent in 2005, according to the consulting firm Hewitt Associates as reported in research findings released Oct. 11. The firm projected that the average employee contribution for health insurance in 2005 will be $1,481, up from $1,288 in 2004. Projected healthcare cost increases are expected to be the lowest in 2005 for traditional indemnity plans (10.5 percent). For preferred-provider organizations, costs are expected to increase by 11 percent. For health maintenance organizations and point-of-service plans, costs are expected to increase by 11.5 percent. Hewitt anticipated employee contribution increases of 15 percent across all plan types. Emerging employer tactics to combat the cost increases include shifts from flat dollar co-payments to coinsurance percentages, tiered or narrow networks and significantly increasing the co-payments between primary doctor and specialist visits. More employers are considering consumer-driven health plans, contracting with plans that offer disease management and wellness programs, requiring more quality data and price transparency from plans and hospitals, and changing prescription drug coverage to pass more costs to patients.

GEORGIA HOUSE MEMBER WOULD ELIMINATE UNION ‘CARD CHECKS’
A House panel heard a partisan debate Sept. 30 on a bill proposed by U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.) to outlaw the "card checks" often used to win union representation in the private sector. The measure would require secret-ballot elections instead of a showing of authorization cards signed by a majority of employees to win union representation. Under a “card-check” system, workers would be able to authorize a union to represent them if enough signed a card or petition, even without an official vote. Under federal laws, which govern private-sector union elections, employers can and do hold captive-audience meetings with workers at any time and can use frivolous objections to delay a planned secret-ballot election for up to three or four years. About 25 percent of employers routinely fire union activists, and lax enforcement and understaffing at the National Labor Relations Board (whose members are political appointees) often result in three or more years for a case to be heard. Under current law, card checks can take the place of elections organized by the NLRB only if the company allows them.
More info: OpenDocument

PFIZER GOES AFTER ONE OF ITS OWN
Peter Rost, vice president of marketing for Pfizer Inc., the nation's largest drug manufacturer, recently became the first drug industry executive to speak out in favor of allowing Americans to buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada. Rost is now discovering first hand how the giant drug company deals with those who disagree with its position. In Rost's case, Pfizer hired a New York law firm to investigate his political activities and grilled him for hours to discover which elected officials and media organizations he spoke with.

REDUCING THE RISK OF PROSTATE CANCER
The average American man has a 30 percent risk of getting prostate cancer and a 3 percent chance of dying of it. Diet and exercise can help maximize the chances of avoiding prostate cancer. Here are a few hints from the National Institutes of Health on reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

• Taste the tomatoes—Raw or cooked, they are full of lycopenes, an antioxidant that may lower your risk of prostate cancer.
• Enjoy your soy—Soy products contain isoflavones that seem to keep testosterone in check--prostate cancer feeds off of testosterone.  Soy products come in many different forms: cereal, milk, tofu, chips and sprouts.  Explore your options and try to incorporate soy into your diet.
• Get keen on greens—Certain vegetables, such as arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and garlic, are thought to have cancer-fighting properties.
• Stay away from high-fat foods—High-fat diets have been linked to prostate cancer. In addition, they raise cholesterol, clog arteries and contribute to weight gain.

SAVE MONEY WITH AFT SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES PROGRAM
As an AFT member, you can save up to 50 percent on your favorite magazines and on gift subscriptions for family members and friends. Choose from more than 1,000 titles including Bon Appetit, Business Week, Discover, Good Housekeeping, Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated and many more. Getting a discount is simple. Call 800/877-7238 to check a rate or to obtain a current list of magazine offerings. Tell the customer service representatives that you're an AFT member and you'll be on your way to saving money. You can also visit www.buymags.com/aft to check rates and view a list of current offerings.

QUOTE OF NOTE: TOM DELAY’S STRONG-ARM TACTICS
"What seems to be lost in the debate over the prescription drug vote is the fact that many [House] members refused to vote for the Medicare bill despite enormous pressure. I can also say that the proudest moment for me in this entire affair was when [my son] Brad reinforced my convictions, told me to do the right thing and ignore offers that would have helped his campaign for Congress."

—U.S. Rep. Nick Smith (R-Mich.)

House Republican leader Tom DeLay allegedly offered Smith financial help for his son’s campaign if Smith voted for the Medicare bill and threatened to oppose his son if Smith voted against it. Smith opposed the bill. His son was defeated in the primary.

WEB SITE OF THE WEEK: www.factcheck.org
A nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, this site monitors the accuracy of major political TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.

Contributors and sources: Bill Cunningham, Tim Evanson,
Shantel Edmonds, Bernadette Bailey, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Memphis Commercial Appeal, AFT PSRP Electronic Newsletter, BNA Healthcare Report, Congress Daily, Medicare Rights Center, Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert, Kaiser Health Policy Report. Frank Stella, editor; Mary Boyd, copy editor; Renee Turner, design.