Insurance industry forming activist army
By Chris Frates
POLITICO
July 16, 2008
Ahead of the approaching health care reform storm, the insurance industry is building an ark: a nationwide education campaign aimed at raising an activist army at least 100,000 strong.
The unprecedented effort by America’s Health Insurance Plans, called the Campaign for an American Solution, includes a nationwide listening tour, advertising and an intense recruitment effort aimed at signing up Americans who are satisfied with their private insurance coverage.
Often viewed in Washington as a faceless, profit-driven industry, health insurers hope that hitting the road and starting a fan club will help lawmakers better understand the value of their products.
The group is pushing for universal coverage through strengthened private/public partnership. The industry wants to expand access to Medicaid and the state Children’s Health Insurance Program; provide tax credits to parents covering their children with private insurance; and create more portable and flexible tax-free health savings accounts, (AHIP spokesman Michael) Tuffin said.
If states were to provide coverage for those too expensive to insure, he said, the industry would be willing to offer guaranteed coverage to everyone else…
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11814.html
Comment:
By Don McCanne, MD
So the insurance industry wants to sign up 100,000 individuals in its fan club to provide free marketing for the private insurance concept. In spite of criticisms, the industry has not changed its goals. They want taxpayers to provide coverage for those too expensive to insure – the 20 percent of people who are responsible for 80 percent of health care costs, but the industry is quite willing to offer guaranteed coverage to everyone else – the 80 percent of people who are quite healthy.
Just imagine the placards that these fan club members might carry at the demonstrations supporting the private insurance industry:
KEEP THE SICK OUT OF MY HEALTH PLAN!
SOCIAL INSURANCE SUCKS!
WE WANT CHEAP HEALTH INSURANCE – NOT EXPENSIVE HEALTH CARE!
MEDICARE MY A**!
NO PATIENCE FOR PATIENTS!
LONG LIVE PRIVATE INSURANCE MARKETS!
DON’T TAX ME – TAX THAT SICK ONE BEHIND THE TREE!
