Today's Enzi diary is short and to the point: The Senate plans to vote today on ending debate (a vote for "cloture") on the Enzi bill, a nasty bill that would endanger vital healthcare protections by overriding state laws guaranteeing coverage for crucial services such as cancer screenings, mammograms, mental health, well-child care and many others.

We've been beating the drum on this here for two weeks, but today may be our last chance to stop this bill from passing. If you're anywhere near a phone, please pick it up, call your Senators and tell them to oppose the Enzi bill by voting against ending debate (against cloture). Here's our toll-free number: 1-800-828-0498. Don't wanna call? Then email your Senators here.

See our previous diaries or our Enzi Center for more info--but above else, take action!

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From the folks who brought you Medicare Part D(isaster), here's yet another bad idea for health care reform: the so-called Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (S.1955), known here in the Beltway as the "Enzi Bill." From the bill's intro:

...to expand health care access and reduce costs through the creation of small business health plans and through modernization of the health insurance marketplace.

Sounds harmless enough, right? In reality, this is an extremely dangerous bill that, if passed, could jeopardize the health care of 85 million Americans. Find out why after the jump. If you can't wait to do something, a coalition of national organizations is sponsoring a national call-in day tomorrow, May 3rd. Please take a minute tomorrow to call your Senators, toll free--1-800-828-0498--and tell them to vote NO on the Enzi bill.

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Having had a Grandfather with diabetes, my ears perked up about a month ago when I heard that diabetes advocacy groups were lobbying against a recent bill sponsered by Sen. Enzi entitled the "Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act."

The bill seeks to make it more affordable for small businesses to offer insurance plans, but does so, in part, by essenitally gutting state requirements for what sort of treatments insurance companies are required to cover.  Everything from treatment for diabetes to cancer screenings to coverage for contraceptives is at risk.  

These state requirements were passed for important reasons.  The legislatures and the people of these states have determined over many years that if insurance is going to be offered in their state, there are certain basic protections that states want to ensure all consumers have.  To allow insurance companies to ignore these requirements in the name of health insurance "modernization" is ridiculous.

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