Community Catalyst: Press Releases

Sign the "Health Care Reform Can't Wait" Petition Today!

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Community Catalyst is partnering with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, PICO National Network, Livestrong, Families USA, and other national groups to send everyone in Congress the message: “Move forward and pass health care reform. It's time to act.”

Please take just a brief moment to sign the petition and send this link: http://www.healthcarepetition.org/10707_communitycatalyst to your networks, neighbors, friends and family - across the street or across the country. The sign on deadline is tentatively set for March 16.

Together, we can make sure Members of Congress know their constituents want them to pass comprehensive reform to fix our broken health care system now.

Massachusetts Patients, Doctors, Small Businesses and Scott Brown Supporters Call for National Health Care Reform in New Video

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

BOSTON - Massachusetts patients, doctors, representatives of small business and labor, supporters of Senator Scott Brown, students and consumer advocates come together and talk about why Americans need national health reform in a new video being released today.

Their emotional and personal stories convey why Massachusetts residents, who pioneered state health care reform, believe so fervently in national health care reform. They have seen how well it works in their own state, and how national reform would further strengthen efforts at the state level while benefiting all Americans. They have seen how Massachusetts health care reform has opened access to affordable care for hundreds of thousands of residents. They see how national health reform will help small businesses cover the health care costs of their employees and control the costs of health care nationwide.

In this video a diverse group of individuals, with a myriad of interests and goals, have come together and coalesced around the one goal of urging Congress to pass national health reform. They believe, as most Americans do, that we've come too far to turn back now, and that all Americans deserve access to a health care system as good as theirs. According to the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll, 63% percent of Americans want Congress to pass national health reform.

The many people interviewed in this video provide testimony to the success of Massachusetts health reform and the importance of national reform for the entire country: Dr. Gary Gottlieb, President and CEO of Partners HealthCare system; Amy Whitcomb Slemmer, Executive Director of Health Care For All; Maria Velazquez, health care consumer; Jonah Pesner, Leader of Greater Boston Interfaith Organization; Lisa Renee Holderby, community health worker; Travis Howlette, student; Dr, Jack Evjy, Past President of Massachusetts Medical Society; Celia Wcislo, 1199SEIU Vice President; Dr. Rebecca Burch, Boston Medical Center; Dr. Bob Master, President and CEO of Commonwealth Care Alliance; Kristen McCosh, consumer and advocate for the Boston Center for Independent Living; and Maria Schiff, Director Commonwealth Care, Network Health.

With the country on the cusp of historical change, Congress needs to pass national health reform now. It doesn't have to be business as usual in Washington.

To view this video go to http://www.communitycatalyst.org/voteformyhealth/

About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all. Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system. With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone - especially vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

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Bipartisan Health Care Summit Shows the Choice is Clear: Real Reform or the Status Quo: Congress must move forward with the President's Plan for Comprehensive Health Reform

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Statement of Susan Sherry, Deputy Director of Community Catalyst, regarding the
Bipartisan Health Care Summit

(BOSTON, MA) - "We applaud President Obama's leadership in convening both parties for a dialogue on health care to move the process forward and bring the country closer to achieving comprehensive health reform.

"The Health Care Summit was an effort to have a meaningful, constructive discussion and find common ground among the two parties. While we heard some areas of agreement, one of the most useful aspects of the summit was the way in which it clarified differences. The two most important differences concern oversight of the insurance industry and securing affordable coverage for those who don't have it now. The President and Congressional Democrats remain committed to eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions, instituting tough new insurance regulation and providing coverage for the uninsured, while Republicans want to loosen restrictions on insurance companies and have no ideas that would make a significant dent in the number of uninsured.

"Now that both sides have had an opportunity to speak and air their differences, the choice is clear. Either we adopt a plan that reins in insurance excesses, expands coverage and makes it affordable for workers and businesses, and reduces costs. Or we keep the status quo.

"Today, we heard the politicians in Washington speak and they had a lot to say. Now it's time that they hear what the American people have been trying to tell them: the status quo is unacceptable. Speaker Pelosi said in her opening remarks that today's discussion wasn't about process or policymakers in Washington but rather real families sitting around the kitchen table who are worried about their health security. And those families are worried for a good reason: the current health care system isn't working for them.

"Words are great, but we need action. We need comprehensive health reform, and we need it now. It's time for Congress to finish the job and get a bill to the President."

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Community Catalyst President Kate Villers receives award for leading consumer health care advocates

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Kate Villers, president and founder of Community Catalyst, received a special Consumer Health Advocate award in Washington D.C. last week alongside her husband Philip Villers for their vision and leadership in building and nurturing a health care reform movement. Mr. Villers co-founded Families USA with her and now serves as its president.

In accepting the award at the Health Action conference sponsored by Families USA, Ms. Villers talked about the important network of state and local advocates Community Catalyst works with to shape both national policy and more “under-the-radar” reforms in their states—advocacy that Ms. Villers said may well be the future of federal reform.

“I’ve never lost the vision and the experience of working with these groups, and the sacrifices people made, the skills they developed in being direct advocates for changing systems that not only affected themselves but their peers,” she told the luncheon crowd, “and I feel that that sense of organizing a base, of representing a constituency every day, has imbued all the work of Families USA and Community Catalyst.”

“I see this as a symbolic award for the movement that we’ve all built together,” Mr. Villers said. “It is in no small measure because of the movement we’ve built together that we will get health reform this year,” he said.

“There may be two or three or people from a state here, but they in turn are connected with up to 300 organizations” in their states, Ms. Villers said. “It’s just the tip of the iceberg—us here—representing the movement that has been built,” she said, a movement that is “now a force in shaping federal policy.”

The full awards ceremony is available to watch here (Kate Viller's remarks begin at 27:08).

Community Catalyst's New Report focuses on the Next Phase of Advocacy

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

With the generous support of the Public Welfare Foundation, Community Catalyst is releasing a new report “Building on the Foundation: Consumer Advocacy’s Role in Successful Health Care Reform.” It outlines the substantial effort required to implement health care reform, the key role of consumer advocates, and the vital need for funder participation. We wrote the report from the viewpoint that national health care reform will be enacted soon, and we remain optimistic and committed to that outcome. But whatever course national health care reform takes, the report’s key takeaways will apply:

States will be a central focus of health care reform activity, including policymaking, program development, enrollment and monitoring
Advocates will need to build public support for reform
Insurance reform, affordability and cost containment will be critical issues
Delivery system reform will be essential to both improving quality and reducing the cost of care
New tools and greater community engagement are required to address health disparities
The advocacy infrastructure at the state and national levels need to be strengthened to ensure effective consumer participation

The message from the public during the past week appears to be that people want health care reform, but they are confused about the provisions, concerned about cost and unhappy with the legislative process. Consumer advocates have an important role to play in helping to educate consumers, promote consumer-friendly policies, and support consumer engagement to ensure transparency and accountability. The policy issues and associated advocacy work outlined in the report are areas we must focus on regardless of the outcome of the federal legislation. Indeed, much of this agenda exists independent of federal reform and must be pursued through state-level campaigns.

Many national and local funders have supported consumer advocates in their efforts to pass incremental state and local reforms, and to build on that experience. Achieving comprehensive and affordable health care reform is a monumental task. It requires a vision encompassing not just health care coverage and access, but also social justice, consumer empowerment and civic engagement. We hope that many funders will support this work since successful health care reform will have significant, positive effects throughout the economy and the country.
Effective health care reform will require close collaboration and coordination among state-based consumer advocates, national organizations and funders. We prepared this report to help advocates and funders establish their priorities and plan their work over the next few years.

Americans Still Need Health Care Reform: The work for quality, affordable health care must go on

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

(BOSTON, MA) - "The election of Scott Brown to fill the late Senator Kennedy's seat will not stop our work for guaranteed quality, affordable health care for all.

"The fact remains that our health care system is broken. 47 million people remain uninsured. Insurance companies continue to deny coverage to people who have pre-existing conditions. Millions of Americans are losing their homes and livelihoods to crushing medical debt. Parents of special needs children cannot access necessary services. Small business owners struggle to provide health insurance to their employees. These problems will only get worse if we don't address them now.

"The health reform proposals before Congress were modeled on the Massachusetts law, which enjoys overwhelming support and provides good, affordable coverage to 97% of the state's residents. Senator-Elect Scott Brown voted in favor of the law, and has stated repeatedly that he continues to support it. We need to extend similar help to people in other states.

"Indeed, many challenges lie ahead. But we started this debate without enough votes to pass reform in either the U.S. House or Senate. Today, majorities in both chambers support passage. We have worked hard to build that support, and the finish line is within reach. It's time to put the politics aside. Passing health care reform is a moral imperative, not a political one.

"Now is the time for Americans across the country to keep telling our Members of Congress that we need quality, affordable health care. Working together, we will make it happen."

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Community Catalyst joins hundreds in Washington for Affordability Summit

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

At the “National Affordability Summit” on Capitol Hill this morning, 200 clergy, grassroots leaders and families from across the country were joined by Members of Congress, including leaders from key House Health Committees, who committed to making affordability their priority in final health care bill negotiations. The Summit was sponsored by leading faith, labor and consumer organizations who are calling for legislation to include the House bill’s subsidies for low-income families to ensure that health care reform makes coverage affordable for all.

Members of Congress who spoke at the Summit were Reps. John Dingell (MI-15), Tom Perriello (VA-5), Jared Polis (CO-2), Allyson Schwartz (PA-13), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6), Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Chris Murphy (CT-5), Donna Edwards (MD-4), Lois Capps (CA-23) and Eliot Engel (NY-17).

“Health reform is an expression of our moral commitment to protect all families and affordability is the key to its success,” said Rev. Dr. George Cummings, Co-Chair of PICO National Network and pastor of Imani Community church in Oakland, CA, who chaired the event. “Everyone agrees that the House subsidies would do a much better job at putting affordable coverage within reach of people of limited means.”

“We need to focus on what this means for real people, what the differences are between the bill that passed the House and the bill that passed the Senate, and what the stakes are,” said Rep. Blumenauer. “We need you to help us make it real, to share with respect to some of these differences and what it means.”

At the Summit, people shared their difficulty affording health care and explained how they would fare under the House and Senate bills.

“We would pay about $2,100 more in premiums and co-pays each year under the Senate provisions than the House,” said Rev. Keith Mayes, of Allen Chapel AME Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His family-income is $50,000.

“We need to make sure this legislation delivers on affordability… failure is not an option!” said Rep. De Lauro.

“Affordability is access,” said Rep. Edwards. “There is not a single person in this county who deserves to wake up like I did, scared to get sick… That is not who we are as Americans.”

Numerous people stood up to speak during the event on behalf of the 90 million people in America who live in families earning below 200 percent of poverty, for whom the House bill would provide much greater financial protections.

"We have a moral obligation to make sure health reform works for hard working families and getting affordability right is the single most important thing we can do to build and sustain public support for reform," said Rev. Heyward Wiggins, pastor of Camden Bible Tabernacle Church in Camden, NJ.

Grassroots organizations across the country are also holding nearly fifty in-district rallies, press conferences and prayer vigils this week to urge Congress to make affordability a top priority in the final health care reform package. You can see a listing of events here: http://www.coverallfamilies.org/act?id=0007

Last week, 770 elected officials, clergy, small business owners, health practitioners, health care providers and heads of organizations sent a letter to Congress and President Obama, calling for strong affordability protections for low- and middle-income Americans in final legislation. The National Affordability Summit and letter were organized by PICO National Network, Families USA, SEIU, and Health Rights Organizing Project and Community Catalyst.

750+ national, state and local leaders ask President Obama, Congress to make affordability a priority in final health reform legislation

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Today, more than 750 elected officials, faith, labor, and nonprofit leaders across the country sent a letter to President Obama and Congress calling for stronger affordability protections for low- and moderate-income Americans in final health reform legislation.

Signers of the letter include: Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts; elected officials from Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Texas; Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association; Andy Stern, President, SEIU; John O'Brien, President & CEO, UMass Memorial Health Care; Rev. Dr. George Cummings, Co-Chair, PICO National Steering Committee; Rev. Thomas Smolich, S.J., President of Jesuit Conference USA; Ron Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA; Dr. Faisal Qazi, President of American Muslim Health Professionals; Ron Byler, Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA; Rob Restuccia, Executive Director, Community Catalyst; Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director, Center for Community Change. Organizations joining the letter included AARP, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the National Council of Churches.
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Together, they – and the hundreds of other elected officials, clergy, small business owners, health practitioners, health care providers and heads of organizations that signed the letter – represent more than 100 million people throughout the United States.

On January 13th, more than 200 of these leaders will gather in Washington, D.C. for an “Affordability Summit,” where they will meet with members of their congressional delegations and deliver the message that affordability of coverage for all families is paramount to health reform’s success. On the same day, local signers will hold public events in states across the nation and deliver Affordability KEYS to the district offices of Members of Congress.

The letter, which follows below, was spearheaded by Community Catalyst, Families USA, the Health Rights Organizing Project, PICO National Network and SEIU - national groups that have been at the forefront of efforts to ensure health reform is affordable for all Americans.

January 7, 2010

Dear President Obama and Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives:

The United States is closer than ever before to making quality affordable health care available to all families.

Yet, health care reform can only succeed if it makes coverage truly affordable for ordinary families who are finding it more and more difficult to get the care they need. Requiring people to purchase health insurance that costs too much and covers too little would frustrate the fundamental goals of health reform and undermine the public support needed to pass and sustain reform.

The House of Representatives has passed health reform legislation that would cover 36 million people, 96 percent of all legal residents. The House covers five million more people than the Senate. We urge you to support the coverage provisions in the House bill, so that millions of Americans are not left uninsured after the passage of comprehensive health reform.

On the critical question of making coverage affordable, the House legislation sets premiums and out-of-pocket costs at levels that are likely to be affordable to lower-income working families. The House does a much better job in protecting lower-income people. The Senate approach provides somewhat better protections for middle-income workers, but would require lower-wage workers to buy insurance that costs many thousands of dollars more than the House legislation. We urge you to take the best elements of both approaches to create legislation that would protect all families from costs they cannot afford.

The undersigned are not collectively endorsing or supporting every element of either the House or Senate legislation, but we are unified in believing that (1) the House does a far better job at extending coverage to many more people; (2) that the House sets premium and out-of-pocket costs for lower-income workers at levels that are essential to the success of health reform; and (3) the Senate protections for middle-income families should be included in the final bill.

Therefore, we strongly urge President Obama and Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to take the best elements of both bills in crafting final legislation that works for all families.

Go to http://www.coverallfamilies.org/admin/documents/files/Open-letter-on-affordability-with-signers.pdf to see the letter with signatures.

Community Catalyst Hails Passage of the Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Bill will make historic improvements in the lives of millions of Americans; passage is a tribute to Senator Ted Kennedy

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

(BOSTON, MA) -"Today's passage of the landmark Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will have a profound and positive impact on the lives of generations of Americans for years to come. We are tremendously grateful to our Senators who voted to make health security a reality for Americans. Failure to act would have put millions of families in harm's way.

"We especially commend Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for his leadership in shepherding this bill through a difficult and contentious process. As an organization that has worked to ensure consumers have a voice in health reform, we believe the Senate bill will benefit consumers in many ways. It will help provide quality affordable coverage by offering strong consumer protections, containing health care costs, improving choice and competition among health plans, lowering costs of insurance policies, and requiring greater accountability from health insurance companies.

"Having worked closely with our state partners to successfully implement state health reform, we have a deep understanding of the need to ensure the voices of consumers are heard. Therefore, we are particularly pleased the Senate bill funds the immediate startup of state-based consumer assistance offices dedicated to answering questions about insurance options, assisting with enrollment and helping consumers navigate the new system. We hope these important provisions are maintained and enhanced in conference.

"Under this bill, tens of millions low- and moderate-income Americans would see improvements in their ability to pay for the care they need but that many currently can't afford. Among the greatest beneficiaries would be middle-class Americans, many of whom have seen their financial security wiped out by steep premiums, unmanageable out-of-pocket costs and crushing medical debt. The bill also significantly expands Medicaid to include 15 million adults who are currently ineligible in most states.

"As the process moves forward, we also hope the House and Senate will continue to strengthen affordability protections for those on the lower end of the income scale, who are the majority of the uninsured. If we are going to require people to purchase health insurance, we have an obligation to make sure that premiums are affordable and that coverage offers true financial protection for people at both ends of the income scale.

"Finally, we cannot let this historic moment pass without acknowledging that this day would never have happened had it not been for the tireless work, unwavering support and hopeful vision of our own great Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Ted Kennedy. Senator Kennedy's passion for and dedication to the cause of his lifetime, health care for all Americans, is his greatest legacy, and it has helped us stay energized during this long and difficult process. He kept the dream alive, and we - and millions of Americans - are forever grateful."

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Community Catalyst Praises Senate For Vote to Move Health Reform Closer to Passage: Statement of Robert Restuccia, Executive Director of Community Catalyst regarding the Senate's cloture vote on the Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

(BOSTON, MA) - "Community Catalyst congratulates the 60 courageous Senators who today voted to bring the country one step closer to quality affordable health care for millions of Americans. As a national advocacy organization working in more than 40 states to ensure consumers have a strong voice in the health reform debate, we are deeply grateful to our elected officials who responded to American's call for change in our health care system. Our Senators who voted "yes" to advance health reform legislation recognize the moral and economic imperative of providing health security for the millions of Americans who lack it. We look forward to a final Senate vote, which will bring meaningful reform to our broken health care system and great relief to the millions of Americans who have suffered far too long with inadequate, costly health care."

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Community Catalyst Lauds Senate for Improving Consumer Protections in Health Reform Bill: Bill would improve the lives of millions of Americans

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

(BOSTON, MA) - "Today, the U.S. Senate has brought us even closer to the finish line of passing landmark health reform legislation that will improve access to quality affordable health care for millions of Americans.

“As a national advocacy organization actively working in more than 40 states to ensure consumers have a strong voice in improving America’s health care system, we are very pleased 60 Senators from states where we have focused our efforts have pledged their support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. We thank these Senators for hearing the concerns of consumers across the country and allowing this important process to move forward.

“The Manager’s amendment released today builds on the strengths of the bill through critical consumer protections such as programs to contain health costs and make insurance policies more affordable, greater accountability from health insurance companies, improved choice and competition, and better access to quality affordable health care for vulnerable populations.

“We strongly encourage passage of the bill because we believe it will positively impact the lives of millions of Americans.

"As the only national consumer organization that has on-the-ground experience implementing comprehensive health reform at the state level, Community Catalyst understands the benefits of this bill and the important ongoing role consumer advocates will need to play to ensure its success. We encourage the Senate to pass this critical legislation, and to continue to work with the House to ensure that all Americans have access to quality health-care they can afford."

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Community Catalyst Endorses the Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Bill would make historic improvements in the lives of millions of Americans

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

(BOSTON, MA) - "Today, millions of Americans do not have access to health care. Many more have inadequate coverage and end up in debt or forgoing needed treatments. Health costs continue their meteoric rise. We can no longer stand by and do nothing.

"The Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would make great strides in fixing these problems while reducing the federal deficit. The bill will help tens of millions of Americans through insurance reforms that would prevent companies from denying coverage to sick people, subsidies to help families afford health plans, federal funds for states to expand care for low-wage workers, and support for consumer helplines and assistance programs. We applaud the Senate for fostering health equity, transparency and better care coordination. While there are many provisions we would have liked to see in the bill, we are endorsing it because we believe it will positively impact the lives of millions of Americans.

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New England Alliance for Children's Health honored for Transformational Policy Leadership

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

BOSTON, MA - New England Alliance for Children's Health (NEACH), a Community Catalyst initiative, has worked to ensure quality health care for Children since its 2006 inception. On December 3, Connecticut Voices for Children honored NEACH at its First for Kids 2009 Celebration with the Transformational Policy Leadership Award.

"The Alliance's collaborative efforts have helped state advocates achieve results that they would not be able to achieve on their own," said Connecticut Voices for Children, citing NEACH's efforts to protect the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid. The organization especially thanked Amy Rosenthal, Community Catalyst's director of external affairs and the director of NEACH. "She is both a great communicator and a thoughtful listener, ...bringing together a wide range of stakeholders to improve children's health."

NEACH continues its tireless efforts to promote high-quality, accessible health care coverage for children on both the state and national level.

U.S. Senate Health Reform Bill Makes Great Strides in Improving the Coverage, Quality and Affordability of Health Care for Americans

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

(BOSTON, MA) - "We applaud Senator Reid for his leadership in moving Congress another step closer to passing legislation that provides Americans with access to affordable quality health care.

"As a national organization that works in more than 40 states to ensure consumers have a voice in the health reform debate, we believe there is much to praise in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

"This bill would immediately begin to repair our broken health care system by eliminating arbitrary caps on coverage, expanding coverage to young adults and creating a life-line for people denied coverage due to pre-existing condition exclusions.

"Far too many families lack access to health care or cannot sustain the cost of maintaining care for their families. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would go a long way toward expanding health care coverage for millions of Americans who are currently shut out of the system. When fully implemented, the bill is projected to cover 31 million uninsured people. It would reduce the rate of growth of health care spending and help to make health care more affordable for everyone. The bill also proposes important steps to improve the quality of care and invests in prevention and public health.

"We are pleased that the bill's affordability protections for low- and moderate-income families are stronger than the provisions in the Senate Finance bill. We are eager to continue working with the Senate leadership to make coverage and care more affordable for all families as the bill enters this next phase of the process."

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About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all. Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system. With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone-especially vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

New Health Care Poll: Voters 2-1 more concerned about affordability for families than overall cost of health reform legislation; say premium levels being considered in the Senate are too high

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

WASHINGTON, DC - By a 2-1 margin, voters put a higher priority on making coverage more affordable to families, ahead of making sure health reform doesn't cost the country too much, according to new survey results released today by Georgetown University Center for Children and Families and Lake Research Partners. Likely voters say health costs are squeezing their families, forcing them to choose between health care and basic necessities, according to the survey, conducted November 3-10, with 1,034 registered voters. What families consider affordable is lower than what many are forced to pay each month. A majority say that the premium levels being considered in the Senate are too high, compared to the House levels.

These findings reinforce what could be a crucial determinant of voter support for health reform: whether or not reform makes coverage more affordable for families, especially low-wage workers who form the majority of the country's uninsured and underinsured population. Throughout this year's debate, PICO National Network and Community Catalyst, together with other faith-based, labor, consumer and civil rights organizations, have been urging Members of Congress to get the details right on affordability for families.

The survey shows that the lower amounts in the House bill ($69 a month for a family of three earning $27,000 and $305 a month for a family of three earning $45,000) are more likely to be rated as "about right" than the higher amounts in the Senate bill ($103/$362 a month).

"These new poll results should add to the growing momentum in the Senate to make coverage more affordable to working families by reducing premiums and out-of-pocket costs in line with the House legislation," said Rev. Heyward Wiggins, Co-Chair of PICO National Network.

"For health reform to succeed we need to make sure that people are not being required to buy coverage that costs too much and covers too little," said Rob Restuccia, Executive Director of Community Catalyst. "These findings point to the House legislation as a model for getting affordability right for families."

Key findings

Almost half (44%) said they cut back on household spending as a result of paying for health care costs; more than 1 in 5 said they went without health insurance.
More than half (54%) said they could no longer afford coverage if it cost their family more than $300 a month.
Two-thirds (66%) said that making coverage more affordable to families was more important than making sure health reform does not cost the country too much money (33%).
Voters highest priority (31%) is "bringing down the cost of premiums and co-payments so more people can find affordable coverage"; compared to 25% "controlling costs of our health care system" (also closely related to affordability); 21% "giving people a public option they can afford"; and 13% "ending insurance company discrimination based on factors such as pre-existing conditions and gender."
Voters are more likely to prefer House bill affordability provisions over the Senate. Nearly 70% say the Senate proposal costs "too much" for a family of 3 making $45,000.

Click here for the full results

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About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all. Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system. With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone-especially vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

Clinical rigor and bending the cost curve: Policies and process in the MassHealth Pharmacy Program

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Today, healthcare policy experts at the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum (MHPF) presented findings from a new report on the development and impact of the MassHealth pharmacy program's drug list.

The MHPF study, supported by Community Catalyst and the Pew Prescription Project, concludes that the Massachusetts model is a successful and clinically rigorous approach to bending the pharmaceutical cost curve. The authors noted that MassHealth saved at least $99 million in the MassHealth drug list's first year, and the list, because of the process and involvement of stakeholders, was accepted by most providers with considerable success and faced limited resistance by advocates.

For more on the forum, visit the MHPF website.

House Passage of Health Reform Answers the Call of History

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

(BOSTON) - “Today, Congress took a giant step toward providing health security for millions of Americans. The Affordable Health Care for America Act ensures Americans access to quality, stable, affordable health care while promoting competition, slowing the growth in health care costs and improving the quality of care.

“Every day thousands of lives and livelihoods are placed in jeopardy because people can’t access the health care they need. Many are uninsured because their employers don’t provide insurance and they can’t afford to buy it on their own. Others have insurance, but can’t keep up with expensive premiums and co-payments. Lack of health security forces them to make horrible choices when they get sick: forgo care and risk getting sicker, or cut back on basic necessities such as heat, food or childcare to pay for care that may still burden them with medical debt. Those are choices no one should have to make.

“Today, the House of Representatives agreed by embracing a new health care system that will work for people, not against them.

“Community Catalyst and the many state consumer advocacy groups we work with are particularly grateful that the House supported strong affordability protections for those who need them most: low- and moderate-income families. The inclusion of a public insurance option and vigorous oversight of the insurance industry will promote much-needed competition and lower the cost of care. Creating a system of shared responsibility among employers, individuals and government will equitably distribute the cost of coverage.

“We thank our U.S. House members who today stood up to the special interests working hard to thwart the passage of comprehensive health reform. With this historic and unprecedented vote, you have stood up for the interests of the American people.”

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About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all. Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system. With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone—especially vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

National and State Consumer Groups Endorse the House Health Reform Bill and Urge Swift Passage

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Boston, MA – Community Catalyst, AIDS Action Council, Center for Rural Affairs, Family Voices, Medicare Rights Center, National Research Center for Women & Families, U.S. PIRG and 73 state consumer advocacy organizations today strongly endorsed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) and began a strong push to urge House members to pass the landmark legislation.

In a letter to the House leadership, the groups laud the inclusion of strong affordability protections, a public insurance option, vigorous oversight of the private insurance industry, and a requirement that employers contribute to health insurance costs.

“The House bill ensures Americans access to quality, stable, affordable health care while promoting competition, slowing the growth in health care costs and improving the quality of care,” said Robert Restuccia, Executive Director of Community Catalyst, a national health care advocacy organization. “We applaud the House leadership for taking this historic step toward ensuring health care for millions of Americans.”

About Community Catalyst

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Now is the Time - Show your support for HR3962

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Last Thursday, the House Leadership released their health reform package, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962). The bill ensures access to quality, stable, affordable health care; promotes competition; slows the growth in health care costs; and improves the quality of care. While this bill is not perfect, it is an historic step forward that we believe needs to be supported. For more information about the bill, see Community Catalyst’s summary of the bill.

The House will vote on this bill as early as this Friday. This is the moment we have been working toward for months. Every Member of the House needs to hear from their constituents in the next 24 hours. Members need to know that people from their home state will support them when they cast a vote in favor of the bill.

Community Catalyst is asking our partners to contact their Representatives today and forward this message to your networks asking them to make calls, too. The message is simple:

“Please vote in favor of H.R. 3962 when the bill comes to the floor this week. This is an historic opportunity to ensure health care for millions of Americans. As a constituent, I will support you when you cast this important vote.”

Affordable Coverage for Low-Income Americans at Stake as Senate Merges Two Starkly Different Health Reform Bills

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

(Boston, MA and Washington, DC) - The Senate Finance Committee health care reform legislation approved last week does not go far enough to make health care affordable for low-income families and should be changed to reflect what they can truly afford, according to a report released today by Community Catalyst and the PICO National Network.

According to estimates provided by MIT economist Jonathan Gruber, it would cost $142.5 billion over 10 years to improve the affordability of coverage for low-income Americans in the Senate Finance bill. Community Catalyst and PICO propose five measures that would reduce costs and raise revenue that would more than cover that price tag.

“Common Sense Affordability Protections: How the Senate Can Deliver Health Reform that Works for Low-Income Families and the Country” examines economic data to determine what low-income families, defined as those earning below 200 percent of the federal poverty level (or $36,620 for a family of three), can truly afford to pay for coverage and what they would be expected to pay for coverage under bills approved by the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and the three House Committees.

The report concludes that while all three bills would expand access to health insurance coverage for many low-income American families, the Senate Finance Committee proposal would impose health insurance premiums that are unaffordable for families earning just over the federal poverty level (FPL), and would not sufficiently cap out-of-pocket health care expenses, leaving many low-income families vulnerable to economic hardship in the event of a serious illness. Under the Senate Finance proposal, a family of three earning $27,465 with a catastrophic or chronic illness could spend up to 14 percent of their income on out-of-pocket costs, while the House and HELP bills would cap them at 5 percent or 8 percent respectively.

“The success of healthcare reform hinges on making healthcare affordable for all Americans,” said Robert Restuccia, Executive Director of Community Catalyst. “While all of the proposals being considered by Congress make important strides in this direction, this report shows the Senate Finance bill would leave many low-income working families with health care costs they simply cannot manage. It’s time for Congress to put the interests of working Americans ahead of wealthy and powerful special interests.”

To protect low-income families from potentially devastating financial consequences of unaffordable premiums and high out of pocket expenses, the report recommends Senate leaders merging the Senate Finance and HELP bills:

1. Adopt the HELP bill’s Medicaid expansion up to 150 percent of FPL and recommended subsidies for those earning between 150 percent to 200 percent FPL.
2. Reduce out-of-pocket costs for low income families by adopting the lower cost sharing limits proposed in the Senate HELP bill and capping annual out-of-pocket expenses at no more than 5 percent of family income, an amount lower than the HELP or Senate Finance bills currently offer, but similar to provisions in House legislation.

The report proposes the following fiscally responsible cost-saving and revenue-raising provisions to pay for the affordability fixes that preserve the net $81 billion reduction in federal budget deficits the Senate Finance bill is projected to produce in the next 10 years:

Introducing a public plan: Projected savings is $25 billion to $110 billion over 10 years, depending on whether it has the power to set provider rates based on Medicare rates. The HELP bill includes a public plan.
Requiring drug companies to pay the Medicaid rebate for “dual eligibles”: Projected savings is $50 billion over 10 years. The Medicaid Drug Rebate Program requires drug manufacturers to offer rebates to state governments for prescription drugs the states purchase for Medicaid beneficiaries. This rebate program, however, does not apply to “dual-eligibles”– Medicare-recipients who are poor enough to also qualify for Medicaid.
Requiring employers to pay their fair share: An employer mandate could raise between $29 billion to $140 billion over 10 years. The HELP bill includes an employer mandate.
Creation of a Community Living Assisted Services and Supports (CLASS) program: According to the CBO, projected savings is $58 billion over 10 years. CLASS was proposed in the HELP bill.
Freezing the value of itemized deductions for those in the top two income tax brackets: Projected savings is $68 billion to $89 billion.

According to the report, a typical family of three living in a large metropolitan area needs at least $37,087 in income (equivalent to about twice the FPL) to meet their basic needs for housing, food and transportation before factoring in health care costs. Below this level, families will have a hard time keeping up with regular monthly premiums and could face penalties as a result while remaining uninsured. According to the Community Catalyst-PICO analysis, the Senate HELP Committee comes closest to meeting the needs of low-wage working families while the Senate Finance proposal falls short.

“Under the Senate Finance proposal, many low-wage working Americans may still face very difficult choices – whether to put food on the table or face penalties for not paying health insurance premiums,” said Rev. Cory Sparks of Lafayette, LA, clergy spokesperson of PICO National Network. “And many may not get the care they need, and may decide to skip tests or not take the drugs prescribed by their doctor, if they are unable to pay the out-of-pocket costs. This defeats the very purpose of health care reform.”

Unaffordable premiums can deter enrollment, result in frequent losses of coverage based on small income changes, and cause serious financial stress among low-income families. For example, in 2003 Oregon increased premiums for adults under the poverty level to $6-$20, depending on their income. These seemingly low premiums had a dramatic effect on access to health insurance for low-income adults: enrollment in the Medicaid program dropped by nearly half, or roughly 50,000 people.

The report can be found at: http://www.communitycatalyst.org/doc_store/publications/Comparing_Affordability_Protections_for_Low_Income_Families.pdf

About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all. Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system. With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone—especially vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

PICO National Network is a national network of faith-based community organizations working to expand health care coverage and improve communities in 17 states. www.piconetwork.org

Major consumer, faith, patient & civil rights groups rally on affordability for families

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

WASHINGTON - Under the banner of Affordable Health Care is a Family Value, national consumer, faith and patient organizations representing tens of millions of families, held a lobby day and rally on Capitol Hill this afternoon pressing Congress to make sure that legislation includes clear affordability protections for families.

"We're here today to send a message that affordable health care is a family value," said Rev. Cory Sparks a Louisiana pastor from PICO National Network, an alliance of 1,000 congregations nationwide. "We welcome the Senate Finance Committee moving forward as another step on the path to reform, but we are worried that the Senate Finance Mark is off-mark on affordability for families. We urge Members to make improvements that reduce premiums and lower out of pocket costs that families are expected to pay."

As the Senate Finance Committee prepared to take up health reform legislation, sponsors of the event issued a joint statement, together with AARP and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, calling for five specific affordability protections for families as a crucial component of any successful health reform legislation. Read the statement here.

Tony Garr, from the Tennessee Health Care Campaign and Community Catalyst, spoke about the need for strong affordability protections in a reformed health care system. "The responsibility on individuals to buy health coverage must come with a commitment to provide people with affordable health care choices," said Garr. "People need to know that the cost is reasonable and the benefits adequate."

The rally included remarks from Senator Michael Bennet from Colorado, as well as testimonies from families, including Karen McManus from San Diego whose brother passed away last year because he could not afford the medication for he needed to control his high blood pressure and diabetes. "My brother worked for an employer who did not provide health care," said McManus. "He worked 50-60 hours a week but he made to much money to get government assistance but yet he could not afford his prescription. He paid the ultimate price for not having affordable health care, the price he paid was his life."

Patrick Gusman, Chief Innovation Officer of the National Urban League, spoke at the event about the urgent need for health reform this year. "The real story coming out of the August recess isn't about the conflict in town hall meetings, but about the estimated 2,000 people who died during August either because they didn't have health insurance, or - like many of us here - had insurance that didn't cover the care they needed," said Gusman.

The lobby day and rally came the day after PICO and Community Catalyst, together with faith allies including Faith in Public Life and Sojourners, organized a massive Congressional Call-in Day that generated over 20,000 calls to Congress. Over the course of the lobby day, PICO and Community Catalyst met with over 100 offices of Members of Congress from 19 states.

Organizations sponsoring the Statement, Lobby Day and Rally include National Urban League (www.nul.org), American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (www.acscan.org), American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org), Community Catalyst (www.communitycatalyst.org), Consumers Union (www.consumersunion.org), Families USA (www.familiesusa.org), and PICO National Network (www.piconetwork.org).

"40 Days for Health Reform": Consumers, patients go to the Hill for affordable care for families

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

WASHINGTON – The nation’s largest consumer and patient organizations – including American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Consumers Union, Families USA, National Urban League and Community Catalyst – and PICO National Network are jointly pressing to make coverage more affordable in health care reform. Activities include a joint statement, a lobby day and Capitol Hill Rally for Affordability at the Upper Senate Park on Wednesday, September 16 at noon.

Sponsors call for a series of clear Affordability protections for families as a crucial component of any successful health reform legislation. The rally will put a human face on the issue of affordability by including testimony from families struggling to afford health insurance, clergy and religious leaders, and consumer groups from 19 states.

This week’s activities come on the heels of an active month during which faith and consumer groups demonstrated widespread support for making quality health insurance affordable for all families — 300,000 people listened to the August 19th health care web-cast and call-in with faith leaders and President Obama; tens of thousands of people attended events and town hall meetings to build support for affordable health reform; and tens of thousands more are expected to participate in a massive Congressional call-in Day on September 15.

WHO: Rev. Cory Sparks (Louisiana), PICO National Network; Tony Garr, Tennessee Health Care Campaign; Dan Smith, American Cancer Society; Sherita Pierce Milton, a mother of an uninsured daughter suffering from Crohn’s disease; Marc Morial, President & Chief Executive Officer, National Urban League

WHAT: Joint statement, Lobby Day and Capitol Hill Rally for Affordability

WHEN: September 16, 2009, 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Upper Senate Park, corner of New Jersey Ave & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, D.C.

VISUALS: Rally participants holding “Affordable Health Care is a Family Value” signs; U.S. Capitol building in background; Members of Congress speaking

Organizations sponsoring the Statement, Lobby Day and Rally include National Urban League, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Community Catalyst, Consumers Union, Families USA, and PICO National Network.

National Consumer, Faith and Patient Groups Call for Strong Health Reform Affordability Protections for Families

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

“As consumer and faith-based organizations representing tens of millions of American families, we hear every day from people who cannot afford to get the care they need. That is why our organizations are doing so much to support passage of comprehensive health reform legislation this year, so that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health coverage options.

“As the President and Members of Congress from both parties have emphasized, America’s families are most concerned about the affordability of health coverage and care. It is essential, therefore, that health reform result in families getting meaningful health coverage at an affordable cost. Our organizations consider affordability to be of paramount importance.

“As Congress moves ahead with historic health care legislation, we believe it is essential that the responsibility to purchase health coverage come with strong consumer protections and adequate subsidies that make it possible for families to obtain quality coverage at a cost they can afford. Requiring families to purchase coverage that costs more than they can afford, or that leaves them under-insured, would undermine the fundamental goal of extending coverage to all families and diminish the public support needed to pass and sustain reform.

“That is why we urge Members of Congress and the Administration to support a strong Affordability Standard that caps what families are expected to pay for their insurance as part of comprehensive health care reform legislation.

“After reviewing the available data and surveying and consulting our own members, we believe that a strong Affordability Standard that will work for American families should include the following five protections:

1. Provide adequate benefits that people need to stay healthy, guaranteeing coverage similar in value to the basic package offered to Members of Congress and federal employees.

2. Protect the lowest-income households in the Health Care Exchange from premiums, consistent with current Medicaid rules.

3. Limit premium rate differences based on age so that premiums for older individuals are no more than twice the premium amount for younger individuals.

4. Provide subsidies on a sliding scale to families earning up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Line, with a cap on out-of-pocket costs that protects families from being under-insured.

5. As a last resort, if necessary exempt families who do not have an affordable coverage option available from penalties under the individual mandate and insure that a safety net exists.

“Our organizations are working tirelessly for the passage of comprehensive health reform legislation. We are confident that the American people will overwhelmingly support health reform if it makes their health care more secure and affordable.”

AARP
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American Heart Association
Community Catalyst
Consumers Union
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Families USA
PICO National Network

Court approves $350 million settlement in drug pricing fraud lawsuit

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Alternate contact:

Audrey Browne
Director of Regulatory Compliance and Contract Procurement
AFSCME District Council 37 Health & Security Plan
(212) 815-1304
abrowne@dc37.net

BOSTON -- A Massachusetts federal court today gave final approval to a settlement that awards $350 million to consumers and insurers who were victim to a widespread fraudulent scheme affecting the prices of over 380 popular prescription drugs, such as Adderall, Advair, Allegra, Ambien, Celebrex, Clarinex, Claritin, Coumadin, Levaquin, Lipitor, Nasonex, Nexium, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Plavix, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, Prozac, Risperdal, Seroquel, Topamax, Valium, Valtrex, Zantac, and Zyprexa. The settlement is the largest-ever in a class action lawsuit based on fraudulent drug pricing.

The lawsuit alleges that the drug wholesaler McKesson Corp, one of the U.S.’s largest health care corporations, conspired with publishers First DataBank and MediSpan to raise the prices of hundreds of drugs by 5 percent in 2001. This conspiracy is alleged to have cost insurers, consumers, and government programs over $7 billion between 2002 and 2005.

Thanks to the $350 million settlement, all non-governmental insurers, health insurance plans, union benefit funds and self-insured employers who paid a pharmacy for any of these 386 prescription drugs on behalf of their members are eligible to receive part of their $288 million portion of the settlement. The remaining $62 million will benefit consumers who purchased these 386 drugs, either out of pocket, or through a percentage co-payment.

"This settlement is a great benefit to self insured plans everywhere, as well as consumers, who are struggling to pay for rising drug costs," said Cynthia Chin-Marshall, Administrator of AFSCME District Council 37 Health and Security Plan, a lead plaintiff in the case. "But we need to make sure these schemes don’t happen in the future. We need a reliable benchmark for what drugs really cost, and government oversight too."

In related litigation with co-defendants FirstDatabank and MediSpan, the court approved two settlements on March 17, 2009 that will rollback the future price of these 386 brand name drugs.

"This settlement is an important alternative to the relentless barrage of news announcing escalating health care costs” said Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of co-lead plaintiff New England Regional Council of Carpenters. “We hope it sends a message to consumers and payers that you can challenge fraud and greed in the industry."

Consumer watchdog group Prescription Access Litigation (PAL), which helped find insurers and consumers to help bring the case, said today’s agreement also underscores the need for reliable reimbursement prices and transparency as part of health care reform.

“Aside from the hundreds of dollars that tens of thousands of consumers will receive, the litigation has also shown how easily our health care system can be fraudulently manipulated for private profit,” said PAL Director Wells Wilkinson. “Looking forward, we know that the $80 billion drug industry deal negotiated with President Obama to reduce drug costs for seniors in the donut hole under Medicare needs to be monitored closely to make sure those savings don’t go up in smoke.”

The 130-member PAL coalition, a project of the national non-profit organization Community Catalyst, has played a major role in several illegal pharmaceutical pricing cases. One lawsuit resulted in over $220 million in settlements with more than 11 of the country’s largest drug makers.

About Community Catalyst

Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all. Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system. With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone—especially vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

Plaintiffs AFSCME District Council 37 Health and Security Plan and the New England Carpenters Health Benefits Fund are represented in the case by Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, one of the most experienced law firms in the country in large-scale public-impact litigation.

Co-lead plaintiff AFSCME District Council 37 Health and Security Plan (www.dc37.net) provides a wide array of health and welfare benefits, including a prescription drug benefit, for 125,000 represented municipal employees and 50,000 retirees of the City of New York, various authorities and cultural institutions, plus their spouses and dependants for a total of 300,000 covered lives.

Community Catalyst and PICO praise House's move to reduce premiums

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Alternate Contact:

Gordon Whitman, PICO (202) 481-6691

WASHINGTON, DC - National networks representing consumer and faith-based organizations praised House progressives and conservatives for a reported agreement to reduce premiums for lower and middle income families in health reform legislation moving through the House of Representatives.

“As Members of Congress head back to their districts, people will be asking what health care reform is going to mean for their families,” said Rev. Shirley Fletcher of PICO National Network in Kansas City, Kansas, “This agreement will help people understand that reform is about making quality health coverage more affordable.”

“This shows that affordability for families is one area where there is common ground,” said Michael Miller, Director of Strategic Policy for Community Catalyst. “Health care reform will go through many twists and turns, and this is a key moment that shows that Members of Congress understand that political support for health reform hinges on a strong affordability standard that protects families from costs they cannot afford.”

During July more than 200 faith and consumer leaders from PICO and Community Catalyst came to Washington, DC to lobby 120 Members of Congress on the affordability issue.

Over the August Recess local and state organizations that are part of the PICO and Community Catalyst networks will be meeting with Members of Congress in more than 100 districts to demonstrate the broad public support in local communities for comprehensive health care reform without delay and to provide feedback on the legislation being crafted by Congress.

www.piconetwork.org

www.communitycatalyst.org