We're Going on Tour!
Posted on July 24th, 2008 by Jason Rosenbaum in Take Action!
 |
AHIP's astroturf campaign, the "Campaign for An American Solution" (http://www.americanhealthsolution.org) is going on a full "listening tour" across the country, purportedly to solicit input from Americans on how to fix health care. The only problem? AHIP doesn't actually want to fix health care. They want less regulation and more "corporate citizenship." They will work against a public health plan. In short, they are part of the problem, not the solution.
But they are sneaky. Their website and documents outlining their "solution" are filled with nice sounding claims saying they want to "lower costs" and "cover everyone." We hope to have a full examination of their plan posted here shortly. Even their tag line sounds familiar. (Affordable, high-quality health care for every American…where have I heard that one before…oh, that's right, it's just like our slogan!)
Health Care for America Now will be following AHIP around the country, making sure America knows exactly what they stand for, just like we did in Columbus, OH on Tuesday. Not surprisingly, AHIP hasn't published their schedule of events, only cities they are planning on visiting. But no matter. Health Care for America Now is building a real grassroots campaign, and we'll be at AHIP events telling people the truth.
As soon as we have information on where these events will be taking place, we'll let you know. In the meantime, sign up for our campaign and we'll let you know when we will be mobilizing in your town.
I am very distressed that you present your unworkable solution as an either or "Which side are you on?".
The side for a solution that works, which is single payer universal coverage for every one in this nation.
This could start with HR 676 which for some reason you are not even advocating. You are getting these groups to endorse you without their realizing that your solution is economically unfeasible. The insurance companies are not necessary. They drain off up to 30% of our health care dollars and only act to obstruct medical care every way they can. There was a 1.5 billion dollar class action settlement for multiple major health insurance companies and there still needs to be an enforcement toolkit for doctors to try to get the companies to abide by their agreements. They waste our doctors' time, as much as 30%. That is time that our doctors could spend taking care of us.
Private insurance offers nothing that can't be done better by Medicare, modified by HR676. Ask your doctor who is the more reliable less obstructionist payer, private insurance or Medicare.
True Medicare operates with a 3% administrative overhead. Compare that to private insurance, with up to 30% overhead and profit. Medicare is something our government does that works.
HCAN should give people the choice to advocate for the National Insurance Bill, HR676, Medicare for All. It is a real solution, not a bunch of bells and whistles to waste HCAN's 40 million dollars on. HCAN should work for us, the people. Not be a smokescreen. The majority of people and the majority of doctors want universal health insurance that has all of us in one financial pool, that is single payer.
So put your money where our mouths are.
Thank you for your comment. In fact some of the advocates of this solution have joined us in our actions against AHIP because we all agree they should not be a part of the health care solution. You can read a post from Nyceve on Daily Kos here that explains her position:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/23/91344/7037/955/555354
While we do not support any particular bills, we also do not reject any particular bills. We are currently promoting the ideas in our statement of support. A properly designed single payer plan would fit into our statement of support. You can read our statement of support here: http://healthcareforamericanow.org/site/content/statement_of_common_purpose
I also think that you can continue to advocate with passion for your ideas and support our work as well. We hope you will join us.
Well said Dr. Klein Trazkovich. Levana, a lot of us sigle payer folks can't support you since your agenda is so nebulous. In advocating for a hybrid system we fear that you are calling for something similar to the current mess in Massachusetts that mandates the purchase of low quality, high co-pay, high deductible insurance products and subjects those who can't afford to comply to stiff tax penalties. What is the point in retaining the private insurance industry in anything more than a supplemental capacity? Won't this doom the public plan through adverse selection? I'm sorry, but before we can endorse your goals, you have to have clearly articulated goals. We've been fooled too many times before.