Presentation TitleSubtitle, 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

APhA-ASP Your Voice, Your Vote 2012 Campaign

• 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

Making Your Voice Heard

• 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

What Can One Vote Do?

• 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

Presidential Elections 101

• 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.

Presidential Elections 101

• 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.

Presidential Elections 101

• 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.

Presidential Elections 101

• Step 5: InaugurationOn January 20th, the President takes the oath of office to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

The Candidates

Mitt Romney photo by Gage Skidmore

Presidential Candidates on Healthcare

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

Presidential Candidates on Healthcare

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

Presidential Candidates on Women’s Health

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

Presidential Candidates on Women’s Health

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

Presidential Candidates on MedicarePresident 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 out-of-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

Presidential Candidates on Medicare

Major Issues Facing Pharmacy

Presidential Candidates on Healthcare

Issue Romney ObamaAffordable Care Act Opposes national

healthcare policySupports 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

Registering to Vote

• 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

Where can I register?

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

How do I register to vote?

• Locate and confirm your polling place• Educate yourself on the candidates

– Use a variety of media sources• Mark your calendars for November 6

Preparing for Election Day

Absentee and Early Voting• 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

FAQs when registeringDoes 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 registeragain.

• 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

Campaigning

• 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

How to get involved with a campaign?

• 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

Tips for Campaigns

APhA-ASP Your Voice, Your Vote 2012 Campaign

President Obama’s Campaign Action Center:

https://my.barackobama.com/page/s/become-a-volunteer?source=primary-nav

Governor Romney’s Campaign Action Center:

http://www.mittromney.com/action

• Host a Voters Registrationor 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

Ideas for Your Chapter

• Contact your– APhA-ASP Chapter SPAN Liaison

• (Insert name)– APhA-ASP Policy Standing Committee Regional Liaison

• (Insert name)– Local Registrar of Voters

It starts with one…Vote!

Questions?