In life, Bill Pascrell Fiercely Bucked Health Insurance Giants During the ACA Debate. Today's Advocates Should See Him as Inspiration.
In life, Bill Pascrell Fiercely Bucked Health Insurance Giants During the ACA Debate. Today's Advocates Should See Him as Inspiration.
We learned yesterday that we had lost a giant in Congress. New Jersey Democrat Bill Pascrell Jr., who passed away at the age of 87, was a fierce advocate for his constituents and a relentless fighter for justice. He was more than a politician; he was a beacon of hope for those who believed in the power of government to do good.
My memories of Bill are deeply intertwined with one of the most critical periods in American health care history—the fight for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In my first book, Deadly Spin, I mentioned that I had been in the House gallery during a joint session of Congress in September 2009 when President Obama urged lawmakers to finish their work on what would become the Affordable Care Act. I was there as Bill’s guest as a kind of thank you for appearing with him at a raucous town hall earlier that month in his district.
Obama’s speech came at a time when the health care debate was at a fever pitch, and the forces arrayed against reform were formidable. Bill knew what was at stake, not just for the people who could vote for him but for millions of other Americans who were also at the mercy of a broken health care system.
One incident that stands out in that session was when another legislator, Republican Joe Wilson, infamously yelled, “You lie!” at Obama during his address to Congress. It was a shocking moment, one that revealed the deep divisions and the visceral opposition to health care reform.
In the years leading up to the ACA, Bill was a tireless advocate for reform. His work on the House Ways and Means Committee was instrumental in crafting legislation over the years to expand health care coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. Bill understood the human cost of a system that prioritized profits over people. He saw firsthand the struggles of his constituents, many of whom were firefighters and first responders, a group he fiercely defended throughout his career.
Bill was never one to shy away from a fight, whether it was against the insurance industry’s deceptive practices or the political forces trying to derail reform. Bill was a street-savvy Jersey tough guy from Paterson, as he liked to say, but he also had a deep compassion for the underdog. He believed health care was not a privilege but a right, and he fought to ensure that right was enshrined in law.
Bill’s legacy will forever be tied to the passage of the ACA. But his impact goes beyond it.
He will be remembered as a champion of those responders in his district and across the country, spearheading the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement Act of 2000, which provided critical funding to the nation’s fire departments. His work ensured that those who put their lives on the line to protect us were not forgotten.
After the tragic events of 9/11, and the hijacker’s connection to Paterson, Bill became a staunch advocate for the survivors and first responders who risked their lives during and after the attacks. Understanding the long-term health impacts on these heroes, he fought tirelessly to secure funding for their medical care and to ensure they received the recognition and support they deserved. He played a key role in the passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which provided critical health care and financial compensation to those affected by the toxic exposure at Ground Zero. His efforts were instrumental in acknowledging the sacrifices made by these individuals and ensuring they were not forgotten.
As we reflect on Bill’s life and legacy, we must remember the importance of the battles he fought. The fight for health care reform is far from over. The forces that opposed the ACA are still active, still trying to dismantle the progress we have made. But we can take heart from Bill’s example. He showed us that with courage, tenacity, and a deep commitment to justice, we can make a difference.
As we continue the fight for a more just and equitable health care system, we can honor Bill’s memory by staying true to the principles he fought for—a government that works for all of us, and a health care system that puts patients before profits.
P.S. After learning of Bill’s passing, I went back to read what I had written about that September 2009 town hall, which opened my eyes to how propaganda campaigns can get people to show up as foot soldiers for big corporations that spend billions to mislead people and intimidate lawmakers when their profits are being threatened. Here’s an excerpt of what I wrote:
Members of Congress scattered to their states and districts during the recess (that summer), and health insurance industry allies were waiting. Many legislators were confronted at town hall meetings by angry crowds – sometimes exhibiting mob behavior – who expressed an almost inchoate outrage over health care reform. Few seemed well informed about the policies they were protesting. At one event, several angry objectors carried signs demanding that the government keep its hands “off my Medicare,” apparently not realizing that they were enrolled in the country’s biggest government-run health care program.
I was a participant at one of those rowdy meetings and saw firsthand how angry and misinformed people were. Representative Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) invited me to speak at a town hall he held at Montclair State University on September 3. More than a thousand people crammed into the auditorium, not so much to hear the speakers as to express their opinions. Reform opponents were on one side of the auditorium, and reform advocates were on the other side. I had to shout my remarks to be heard above the nose and chaos. Each side was determined to be louder than the other, so no one could hear anything being said.
Pascrell was able to calm the crowd long enough to conduct what he hoped would be a Q&A session, but there were few questions. Most people just wanted to vent. One woman said she’d heard that some of the people working behind the scenes on the legislation had close ties to communists. Another woman said she’d heard that all the pizzeria owners in the area would be put out of business if health care reform legislation passed.
There was no doubt in my mind afterward that the insurance industry had played a role in what was clearly a well-orchestrated fear-mongering campaign – and a well-organized effort to get people out to disrupt the town halls.
Allies of the insurance industry had begun sending emails to millions of people with false claims about the contents of pending bills. One of the most insidious rumors was that the legislation would create government “death panels” to sort out which elderly people were too unhealthy or unworthy to get treatment through Medicare. Polls showed that millions of people, especially seniors, believed the rumors.
Folks, you can expect to see and hear about similarly chaotic town halls during the remainder of the current Congressional recess. Health insurers that sell highly-profitable Medicare Advantage plans are upset that the Biden administration did not give them as much of a rate increase as they had demanded for next year, so they are planning to do exactly the same thing they did in that summer of 2009. This is from an August 13 story in PoliticoPro:
The top trade group for health insurers is mounting a seven-figure lobbying blitz to ward off congressional scrutiny of Medicare Advantage and have the government pay higher rates to the privately run alternative to Medicare.
Beginning next month, AHIP — which represents the nation’s leading health insurers — plans to tout the benefits of Medicare Advantage over traditional fee-for-service Medicare through new digital advertising, a social media campaign, and encouraging older Americans to head to their district offices to buttonhole representatives.
The campaign will convey a simple message: Medicare Advantage gives seniors better health care at lower costs, and should be protected.
“We're going to be doing everything we can to make sure that policymakers across the political spectrum can be introduced to these seniors and hear their stories and learn firsthand how passionately Medicare Advantage beneficiaries feel about their coverage,” AHIP CEO Mike Tuffin said in an interview with POLITICO...
After Labor Day, AHIP will host virtual town halls for seniors to share their experiences with Medicare Advantage with their congressional representatives and launch digital advertising and social media campaigns pointing out the affordability and benefits of the program.
You left us too soon, Bill. Rest in peace.
The only solution is for the US to implement a Single Payer Healthcare System like many other countries have. There should be no role for the Private For Profit Health Insurance Companies in Healthcare. There should also be no role for Employers in Healthcare.
Thank you for that fine report and tribute.
It's nice to hear about someone with influence battling for the public.