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Harry and Louise Return

Posted by: Ron Pollack on Aug 19, 2008

Fifteenyears ago, two fictional characters, Harryand Louise, entered the lives of millions of Americans. From our livingrooms, we watched as the couple sat around their kitchen table, shufflingthrough layers of bills and talking frankly about their health care situation.Specifically, they were concerned that "government bureaucrats" wouldforce them into choosing a health care plan that wasn't right for them. "Having choices we don't like is no choice at all," they said."If they choose. We lose."  And lose we did....there are nowmillions of more uninsured Americans and health care premiums increases are faroutstripping stagnant wages.

Duein part to the Harry and Louise ads, the strong health insurance and smallbusiness lobby, and other economic and political factors, President Clinton's1993-1994 health care reform was derailed.  The opposition to Clinton's health care planwas led by the Coalition for Health Insurance Choice, funded by the HealthInsurance Association of America.

As the saying goes, they're baaaack. And this timeHarry and Louise are singing a different tune.

The camera has dropped in on this couple again, and the scene is similar to theoriginal - although they've aged a few years and have since renovated theirkitchen. This time, however, Harry and Louise are strongly encouraging healthcare reform:

The ad campaign, is sponsored by five prominent national organizations. Theorganizations - the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN),the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Catholic Health Association (CHA),Families USA, and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) -represent diverse constituencies with historically different views on healthcare reform, but we have come together to promote urgent action to resolve thegrowing health care crisis.

The weight of these diverse organizations coming together is significant, andshows our commitment to seeing meaningful health care reform in the nextAdministration and Congress. With 47 million uninsured Americans and 25 millionunderinsured Americans, reform must be a top priority in 2009.