Transcript Presentation Title - American Pharmacists Association

Presentation Title
Subtitle, Presenter
• Campaign to promote student pharmacist involvement
in the 2012 Presidential Election
• Encourages student pharmacists to advocate our
position on key issues facing pharmacy
• Provides chapters with resources to take action
– Voting registration procedures
– Absentee and early voting
– Presidential candidates’ healthcare platforms
– Other opportunities to take action as Election Day
approaches
• Voting is the single most important action student
pharmacists can take to have their voices heard
• Why?
– Support candidate who are aligned with your political
views
– Support candidates and policies that promote the
value of a pharmacist
• 1800: Thomas Jefferson was elected President by one
electoral vote
• 1845: One vote made Texas part of the United States
• 1960: John F. Kennedy was elected President by carrying
one state by less than one popular vote per precinct
• The U.S. Constitution spells out the basic presidential
election process. The 12th, 22nd, and 23rd Amendments
modified this process.
• The U.S. Constitution requires the following to be
eligible for presidential candidacy:
– At least 35 years old
– A natural born citizen of the United States
– A resident of the United States for 14 years
• Step 1: Primaries and Caucuses
– Primaries: Candidates are awarded a certain number of
delegates to represent them at the national convention.
– Caucuses: Leaders of a political party meet to decide upon
candidates for Presidency.
• Step 2: National Conventions
– Delegates nationwide gather to
finalize each political party’s
Presidential nominee.
– Winner chooses a running mate to be the candidate for Vice
President.
• Step 3: The General (or Popular) Election
– Voters in each state cast their vote for a group of people known as
the electors who comprise the Electoral College.
– The number of votes determines how
many electoral voters a candidate receives.
• Step 4: The Electoral College
– Consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is
required to elect the President.
– Each state’s entitled allotment of electors corresponds to the
number of members in its Congressional delegation: one for each
member in the House of Representatives and two for a state’s
Senators.
• Step 4: The Electoral College
– In December, electors vote for a Presidential candidate based on the
results of the general election in their state.
– Ballots are sent to Congress and the National Archives.
– On January 6th, each state’s electoral votes are counted before a
Joint Session of Congress and a winner is announced.
• Step 5: Inauguration
On January 20th, the President takes the
oath of office to “preserve, protect, and
defend the Constitution of the United
States.”
Mitt Romney photo by Gage Skidmore
President Barack Obama supported the Affordable
Care Act (ACA) of 2010, which:
– Bars insurance companies from dropping patients when
they get sick, or limiting the benefit amount
– Prohibits discriminating against or charging higher rates for
individuals with pre-existing conditions
– Allows young adults to stay on their parents’ plans
– Allows individuals with income up to 133% of the poverty
line to qualify for Medicaid
– Fines individuals who do not have insurance $695
– Requires complete coverage of
preventative care
Governor Mitt Romney
– Supports the repeal of the Affordable Care Act
– Would allow states, not the federal government, to set
standards and requirements for both Medicaid and private
insurance plans
– Would require individuals to maintain continuous coverage
in order to avoid discrimination based on pre-existing
conditions
– Would increase flexibility of and competition between
insurance plans
President Barack Obama
– The ACA requires coverage of preventative care with no
out-of-pocket cost, which includes: well-woman visits,
contraceptive methods and counseling, STD counseling,
testing for HIV and HPV, gestational diabetes screening,
breastfeeding support, domestic violence counseling, and
cancer screenings
– The ACA prohibits insurance companies from charging
different premiums based on gender
– The ACA requires all insurance plans to include maternity
benefits
Governor Mitt Romney
– Supports the Blunt Amendment, a congressional proposal
allowing employers to not cover certain services (such as
contraception) on their insurance plans because of their
beliefs
– Has stated that he would eliminate federal funding for
women’s preventative health services provided by Planned
Parenthood
– Would eliminate most federal requirements for health
insurance plan benefits, including preventative care
President Barack Obama
– The ACA will increase Medicare’s solvency by reducing
costs by $700 billion due to waste, fraud, and inefficiencies
over the next ten years. These cuts do not affect benefits,
but providers will receive less reimbursement if costs grow
faster than projected
– Seniors now receive preventative care, including an annual
wellness visit, cancer screenings, and flu shots, at no outof-pocket cost
– Bonus payments to primary care providers are designed to
increase access to care
Governor Mitt Romney
– Seniors would receive a fixed-amount benefit to spend
towards premiums and other costs of the insurance plan of
their choice
– “Traditional” government-administered Medicare would
compete with private insurance plans
– All plans would provide benefits at least equivalent to those
provided by Medicare today
– Seniors would be financially responsible for any costs over
those covered by the fixed-amount benefit
Issue
Romney
Obama
Affordable Care Act
Opposes national
healthcare policy
Supports national
healthcare policy
Prescription Drug
Disposal Program
No specific proposal
Supports use and
development of
Prescription Drug
Importation
No specific proposal
Supports, from developed
countries only if proven
safe
Medicare Part D
Supports prescription
drug programs but pushes
for Medicare reform
Supports negotiation of
Medicare drug prices and
closure of the “donut
hole”
MTM
No specific proposal
No specific proposal
BTC Class of Drugs
No specific proposal
No specific proposal
• Must be registered in order to vote
– Except in North Dakota
• Requirements for registration
– U.S. Citizen
– 18 years of age on or before
election day
– Be a resident in the state you
plan to register
• Most states require registration 30 days prior to the
election
• Mail-in registration forms
• Local registrar of voters office
• Other locations vary by state
–
–
–
–
–
–
Department of Motor Vehicles
Public Libraries
College & Universities
Office of the Country Clerk
Organized Voter Registration Drives
Online
Download a National Voter Registration Form at
http://www.eac.gov/voter_resources/register_to_vote.aspx
and then mail the form to the address provided
OR
Contact your local registrar of voters
• Locate and confirm your polling place
• Educate yourself on the candidates
– Use a variety of media sources
• Mark your calendars for November 6
• For those who are unable to make it to the polls on
election day
– Most states do not require a reason to vote early
• Conducted via mail or in person
• Must ask for a ballot to be mailed to your physical
address
– Special requirements for college dormitories
Does registration cost anything?
No, it is free.
How do I know if I am already registered to vote?
If you are not sure if you have registered before, you should call your Registrar of Voters or
City/County Elections Office and ask if you are registered.
Am I registered once I fill out and mail the registration form?
You must receive your voter registration card in order to be registered. If you have not received
your card you can call your Registrar of Voters or City/County Elections Office and ask if you are
registered.
Do I have to register every time I vote?
No. The only times you have to reregister are when you move, change your name, want to
change your political party, or if you have completed all conditions of a felony charge.
If I didn’t vote in the last election do I need to register again?
If you registered but did not vote you are still registered and do not need to register
again.
• What is a political campaign?
– An organized effort which seeks to influence the
decision making process
– To educate or push a particular stance on an issue
• Another way to support initiatives that improve
the practice of pharmacy
• Getting involved
– Passing out stickers or
pamphlets
– Writing e-mails
– Calling or visiting voters
– Organizing meetings
– Staffing events and Rallies
• It can take as much or as little time as you have available
• Legislators’ offices may not call you back or answer your
email message
– This doesn’t mean that they don’t need your help
– Polite persistence is key
• Communicate any special skills you have when
volunteering
– If you want to volunteer on a regular basis, consider applying
to become an intern
• Candidates with a party affiliation may have staff from
the state around
President Obama’s Campaign
Action Center:
https://my.barackobama.com/page/s/bec
ome-a-volunteer?source=primary-nav
Governor Romney’s Campaign
Action Center:
http://www.mittromney.com/action
• Host a Voters Registration
or Pledge Drive
• Host patient care events at polling sites
– Collaborate with organizations
focused on national health:
• Million Hearts Campaign
• Voteandvax.org
• Educate your school and
community
• Raise funds for the APhA PAC
• Contact your
– APhA-ASP Chapter SPAN Liaison
• (Insert name)
– APhA-ASP Policy Standing Committee Regional Liaison
• (Insert name)
– Local Registrar of Voters
Questions?