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Hundreds Protest as Health Insurance Lobby Plots to Kill Reform
More than 500 union members and health care activists in Washington, D.C., this afternoon packed the sidewalks in front of and across the street from the meeting of the giant health insurance lobby group, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), in support of health care reform.
AHIP, whose top honchos, including its head, Karen Ignagni, are meeting at the Capital Hilton to plot their assault against health care reform, refused to meet with any of the seven families who traveled here to tell how they were denied needed health care despite having insurance coverage.
Before marching to the Hilton, hundreds gathered at the AFL-CIO building, where AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka laid out the principles that must underlie any health care reform: a real public option to decrease costs for families and create competition, employer responsibility so companies like Wal-Mart are held accountable and no new taxes on workers’ benefits.
As Trumka said:
Health care reform isn’t to make insurance companies happy, it’s to make the American people healthy! Today we are going to make sure that they hear loud and clear what this fight is about. It’s about the families who will be with us at the Capital Hilton—the families who’ve suffered so much—not about the big insurance companies’ bottom line.
They think it’s OK to make more money by calling everything under the sun a pre-existing condition and denying people coverage. We’re here to say it’s not OK. They think it’s OK to make more money by controlling 94 percent of the markets and not giving people any choices. We’re here to say it’s not OK. They think it’s OK to keep making more money by blocking health care reform. We’re here to say it’s not OK.
We’re going to let insurers—and our senators—know that we have no time to wait, Trumka said. We need health care reform now.
Cheers to Health Care for America Now (HCAN), which was key to sponsoring this event.
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11 Comments
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Any “public” option (especially when called demagogically called “medicare option e”) tacked on to confuse the public, provide a “cover” for the corrupted politicians, and end up with a windfall for the gangster corporations.
No “public” option will be realistically allowed to compete against the established corporate giants who have bought out Congress, and have kept “single-payer” completely “off the table” and is not allowed discussion by the corporate owned mass media on the talk shows, on NPR or PBS.
But Mr. Trumka carries on setting up false targets to rally against, urging union workers to write letters, send emails, etc.
for this phony basically pro-corporate legislation.
The BBC News on line today just reported:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8304375.stm
Senate panel passes health bill
“A Senate committee has approved a bill to reform US healthcare, a key step in President Barack Obama’s attempt to overhaul the system.”
WHEN YOU READ FURTHER DOWN IN THE ARTICLE, THIS
LITTLE PIECE CREEPS INTO THE ARTICLE:
“Lawmakers are divided, however, over whether there should be a new government-run insurance scheme – the so-called “public option”.
The finance committee’s bill is the only one not to include a public option, an element advocated by Mr Obama and some Democrats as the means of creating competition between
insurers. ”
The industry shills in Congress realize that any meaningful
“public option” would be more affordable (i.e. less profit to
health care industry middle men) to working people than anything
that would offered through an employer.
Many small businesses cannot afford offering health insurance to their employees because the extremely expensive employer premiums are forever increasing, without any regulation.
The article says that a final bill will require much further consideration in Congress. Possibly some sort of corrupted
and horribly inadequate “public option” will be tacked on so
the Democrats can “save face” and will be saying they “did their best” blah blah.
Organized labor and working people, to see real change, must dump the corporate funded and corrupt Democrats, and form a new political party that is dedicated to the promoting the economic interests of working people. Only about 10 percent of
the Democrats are “pro-labor”.
All other countries (France, England, Canada) COMPLETELY
ELIMINATE PRIVATE HEALTH PROFITEERING IN THEIR NATIONAL HEALTH PLANS. THIS IS WHY the plans in all these countries cost the nations AT LEAST ONE HALF OF THE COST OF THE U.S. PRIVATIZED SYSTEM.
(See the “sidebar” on this BBC article.)
The vast majority of working people see the truth behind the “Public Option”. The Insurance industry is guaranteed income and subsidized by taxpayers to “play nice”.
They’ll never give up their blood sucking nature.
Single payer nattional health care is the answer. Why doesn’t the AFL-CIO stand up to the corporate vampires? Is a unanimous vote of your member unions not enough?
I do not understand why, unions are opposed to paying a tax on “cadillac” healthcare plans. I’ve talked to many of my friends and co-workers and the majority of us are VERY fortunate to have them and we would be willing to pay a tax….we already do pay a similar tax for our extra life insurance – so what’s the problem with paying a little more tax to help get healthcare for everyone?
As long as “Health Care Reform” doesn’t cut out the seniors Medicare rights.
Congress wants to tax our health care, John McCain revisted? Also heard today the Senate is considering a “public option” that gives individual states the right to opt out of it. Where is the reform with that? As the months go by and the chiseling and chipping away of real reform, with insurance and AHIP given the opportunity to sit at the table, it becomes more clear there is no reform happening. As long as the insurance lobbyist, HCAN rules out single payer or Medicare For All, this is a waste of time. I say boycott any more “rallies” for “health care reform” until we know Medicare For All is strongly considered. Rep. Weiner’s amendment to HR3200 should be coming up for a vote. His amendment HR676 would replace HR3200. Also Rep. Kucinich’s provision to HR3200, would allow individual states to adopt their own single-payer systems is coming up also. Why are we paying dues to the AFL-CIO if they won’t listen to the membership? Medicare For All is the answer. Sweeney is out, but his wrong way to reform health care remains.
Santa Clarita Mom: So why not pay an extra tax to insure ALL Americans via Medicare For All, single payer, universal health care or whatever you want to call it?
Dear Santa Clarita Mom –
Your willingness to share what you have with others is admirable, and in the best tradition of the labor movement.
There is, however, a history that must be considered.
In 1946, and again in 1962, and yet again in 1978 Congress passed laws that essentially protected workers against job-loss due to mass production and cheap foreign imports. If labor had fought technological advances way back then where would the U.S. be today? Instead, labor agreed to allow mechanization, in exchange for various protections for workers. Business and government were elated! (At the time, 37% of all U.S. workers belonged to unions.) Health care and pensions are examples of the protections.
Over the years, both Congress and corporate America have reneged on their promises. Anonymous stockholders represented by corporate chieftains were handed guarantees that are unavailable to people like you me. Corporate America literally purchased powerful politicians who thereafter did what they were told. That is one of many reasons why the living standard of working class America has been stagnant over the past 30 years.
Corporations and Congress double-crossed us. When Reagan was allowed to bust the air traffic controllers we got double-crossed. NAFTA was a double-cross, and so was WTO, CAFTA, and other anti-worker trade schemes.
Today, the wealthiest 400 families in the U.S. have a total combined net worth if $1.57 trillion! Yes, trillion! How can that be when at the same time 20% of our people live in poverty? That’s the price the working class pays for being double-crossed.
Fast-forward to the issue of taxing “Cadillac Plans”. Yes, that would raise a good deal of money, but nowhere near what is needed to cover every resident of our nation with good, accessible health care. Why? Because the profit-takers (insurers, for-profit hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry) would continue to purchase favors from Congress. Profits are the only thing that are important to stockholders. History shows us that their corporate representatives will stop at nothing to keep them happy.
Besides, a small tax on the richest 400 families would produce as much revenue as would a tax on “Cadillac Plans”. Let’s face it, those 400 families wouldn’t even miss it!
Here’s a deal for you. Rather than agreeing to join a ten lap race after nine laps have already been run, let’s tell Congress that we’ll consider the Cadillac tax the day after the millions of our jobs that have been shipped offshore are returned.
The long and short of it is that corporations and Congress double-crossed is, and now they want to double-cross us again.
There is a solution. It is a humane and ethical solution. It is something that compliments your giving nature. It is single payer.
Despite all the propaganda put out by corporations and their surrogates in Congress and the media, single payer would cost no more than the $2.7 trillion that will be spent on health care this year. It would cost no more, yet would cover everybody for virtually everything, without deductibles or co-payments. How? By taking the profits out of health care. Gone would be the 1300 different insurers and their endless paperwork and bureaucracy. Price-gouging, for-profit hospitals would be replaced by non-profits. (By the way: One of the 400 richest families is the Frist family. They own the Hospital Corporation of America. Not so coincidently, Bill Frist was the former GOP senate majority leader. When we follow the money great revelations are made!)
Pharmaceutical companies would be required to control costs.
Doctors would be fairly compensated. And don’t be fooled. Single payer would expand choices. People would be free to choose any doctor, anywhere, anytime.
Facilities and equipment would be funded according to need, not profit.
The average family of four currently pays about $13,375 in premiums, plus deductibles and co-pays. With single-payer, that family would pay 4.75% of household income for 100% health care. The median income of a family of four is about $55,000. Under single payer they would pay $2612.50 per year for the whole family (not per person) and everything would be covered. They’d choose their own doctors. There would be no deductibles or co-payments. Single payer would give them what amounts to a $10,762.50 yearly “wage increase”. What would they do with the additional money?” They’d spend some and save some. It would be the ultimate stimulus to our economy.
Alas, the solution is not in the cards right now. The medical-profits industry has bought too many politicians. We’ll have to raise some real hell in order to get health care justice. We must not, however, give up. It is within our grasp! Until then, let’s refuse to reward our double-crossers. Let’s refuse to join a race that is designed to assure we’ll finish last.
Keep the fire burning! Your post is inspiring. It is a prime example of unity and caring for one another. Perhaps you’ll consider traveling the single payer road to get there.
For more information go to Healthcare-NOW.org
Peace and justice to you.
We, the American working people, tax payers all, hereby do declare that affordable healthcare is our right. We all demand that the Healthcare Reform Act be passed only if it contains a “Public Health Insurance” option. We do not expect the Federal Government to run such a program. They will act as the Insurance Underwriters, the program itself would be administered
by State Government. A governing board would be formed by elected officials, who would be paid a reasonable wage. It would be strictly not for profit and could become self sufficient within ten years. It could be called, for example Wisconsin Public Health Board (WPHB).
The concept is simple. The operations will be fully transparent to all members of the public. Certain Federal guidelines would be written governing how the money is to be spent, but this will be purely administrative and under no circumstances would the Fed be allowed to make medical decisions.
Yes the premiums must be affordable, so they will be based on income and current debt load. For a family of four I see the premiums costing $300 a month. This WHPB policy will have no deductibles. Co-pays must be at least 50% less than the current private rate.
Yes, such a plan will give rise to competition with the Insurance Industry. May I remind us all that what makes America such a great country is that we are a free country and do not tolerate ‘protectionism’.
The Insurance Industry has no right asking for protections from the Federal Government. We are a sporting people and we all expect to have to compete to succeed.
Now is the time to break up the monopoly the Insurance Industry has on the health care industry. Indeed it should not be an Industry. Since we are the champions of Human Rights, now is the time to declare that affordable healthcare is our right!
This thing is so screwed up now, that its not about us anymore if it ever was. I believe with all the deals every one is gonna make to pass “any thing” its gonna make things worse and cost us more.
Like I said its not about us anymore,its about somebody winning something! Time to start over and try doing it right this time.
I hate to say I told you so but in Nov. I said within six months we would all be very unhappy with the new administration and the Democratic Party.We have been lied to again whatever health care bill gets the nod will do little for us.Next year is a mid term election and if you haven’t noticed the AFL-CIO is already pouring money into the Democratic coffers as usual.There is no mention of how to oust these liars or how to get a viable thrid party going.Only letter writing and marching and donations to the folks already in office that proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the could care less about what working people want.Unless we can come up with more money than the lobbyist we are not likely to get anything more than lies.