 |
Video From AHIP’s Online Forum |
 |
In just under three hours, Health Care for America Now members submitted over 1,000 questions and comments for America’s Health Insurance Plans to respond to. I attended the live chat event and took a video afterward with most of the questions (I missed the first few due to connection issues). Judging by the questions Karen Ignagni answered, the fact that only 45 minutes were allotted for questions, and the lack of followups, it’s unlikely the public’s concerns were really represented.
Here is a video of the chat:
To recap:
- This event was entirely online, with questions submitted by email beforehand or screened by a moderator during the chat. Either way, there was a heavy dose of screening involved, and no followups.
- The event lasted for only 45 minutes, hardly enough time to discuss such an important issue. And Karen Ignagni’s responses came extremely slowly. Maybe she was vetting everything she said with her corporate overlords before she typed it. At least that’s what it looked like from the spin.
- The questions that were selected allowed AHIP to spin their answers to look like they were for a solution.
As soon as we’re done compiling the questions you all submitted, we’ll make them public and show you what the health insurance industry declined to answer. From a quick perusal of the questions, you folks asked some *excellent* things. Not surprisingly, they weren’t chosen as part of AHIP’s “listening tour.”
Oh, and the next stop on their listening tour is this Wednesday in Salt Lake City, Utah. Not surprisingly, there is no word yet on a location or time.
Come on, AHIP. Publish the dates, times, and locations of these events so the public can speak it’s mind. Otherwise, you’re not really listening.
(also posted at the NOW! blog)
