Sen. Brown, Hacker, to Release New Paper On How Public Plan in House and Senate Bills Measure Up

Sen. Sherrod Brown, Public Health Insurance Option Author Jacob Hacker To Brief Reporters On Where Key Elements of Reform Stand, Need To Hold Insurers Accountable

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, will join health care expert Jacob Hacker and Campaign for America''''s Future co-director Roger Hickey on a conference call Thursday morning to brief reporters on a new analysis that shows why the country needs a robust national public health insurance plan with the leverage to compete against private insurers, rein in costs and make health care affordable for all.

Hacker''''s paper argues that, during the crucial start-up period, the public health insurance plan should be able to piggyback on Medicare''''s provider network and payment methodology. Hacker says this link is essential to the public plan''''s ability to offer meaningful choice and promote competition among private insurers.

With lawmakers facing voters during the district work period this month and public passions about health care on the rise, speakers on the call will explain how the health insurance industry is standing in the way of critical reforms. They will also explain why the Senate Finance Committee's health insurance cooperative proposal has little value, except as a gift to the health insurance industry. Sen. Brown will outline major differences in the health insurance reform bills in Congress, and Hacker will discuss prospects for the public health insurance option model which he originally authored and introduced into the national debate.

HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM CONFERENCE CALL

DATE: Thursday, August 6, 2009

TIME: 11 a.m. ET

CALL-IN: 800-723-6498, code 3786240

PARTICIPANTS:

Roger Hickey, co-dir., Campaign for America''''s Future

Jacob Hacker, professor, Yale University

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio

**NOTE: Space is limited. Media representatives interested in participating should reserve a line by contacting Jennifer Ettinger at jettinger@ourfuture.org .**

SOURCE Campaign for America''''s Future