Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 10, 1994 TAG: 9408100074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
During a national telephone conference Tuesday, Clinton alluded to TV commercials by the insurance industry that have used a make-believe couple named "Harry and Louise" to attack the Clinton administration's health reform efforts.
Tuesday's conference call included Harold and Louise Francisco, a Roanoke couple who operate a flower shop and a beauty parlor.
Louise Francisco talked with the president's wife about how hard it is for owners of small businesses to get affordable health insurance for themselves or their employees.
Clinton talked on the phone with small-business owners in Virginia, Oregon, Nevada, California and Connecticut a few hours before the Senate began debating the compromise health plan that President Clinton now backs.
Louise Francisco told Hillary Clinton she supported her health reform efforts ``100 percent - we're behind you.''
Clinton said owners of small businesses often cannot afford coverage "because small business is discriminated against" by insurance companies.
Insurers say they favor government-mandated coverage for everyone, but competition rather than government regulation would better control costs.
Harold Francisco, 59, runs Flowers by Louise in Salem, and Louise, 58, runs the New Style Beauty Salon in Roanoke County.
Louise told Clinton that one insurer canceled their health policy after Harold had chest pains - which turned out to be the result of a hernia, not a heart attack.
After that, they signed up for a small-business group plan with Blue Cross/Blue Shield through the florist shop. They put themselves, a part-time employee and a customer on the plan.
But, Louise said, the premiums grew so high that the employee and the customer had to drop out. Then the insurer told them that they no longer had enough members for a group plan.
Because Harold had developed diabetes, she said, the best plan the company could come up with would have cost the couple $854 a month - more than $10,000 a year.
They could not afford it, so they now pay $270 a month for limited insurance through the American Association of Retired Persons.
After her part in the telephone conference was over, Louise said Clinton "talked like she was a real friend" and showed she understood the problems that owners of small businesses are facing.
Louise said that the members of Congress who are threatening to filibuster the administration-backed plan "should be without insurance a couple of years and see how we feel. I think maybe they'd stop the filibuster."
The plan is supposed to cover 95 percent of Americans, rather than the 100-percent coverage which President Clinton originally pushed.
The Franciscos said they hoped that all Americans eventually would get health insurance.
"It may not happen in our lifetime," Louise told reporters gathered in her living room. "But just think about our children, our grandchildren."
Louise's conversation with Clinton was the result of a "Dear Hillary" letter she wrote last year outlining her family's health insurance woes.
``I didn't think about writing `Mrs. Clinton,''' Louise said Tuesday. ``Somebody said: `You shouldn't have said ``Dear Hillary.''' I said, `Well, that's her name.'''
The Franciscos received a thank-you card from the White House after the letter, but they never expected to get to talk to Clinton - and have their living room packed with news people.
``It's funny how you write one little old letter and it gets into all this, isn't it?'' Louise Francisco said.
by CNB