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The Health Insurance Industry Can’t Hide From The Truth |
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On Tuesday, the health insurance industry, represented by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), held another stop on their sham “listening tour” in in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Under pressure from Health Care for America Now (thousands of people asked AHIP two weeks ago at their online forum to release the dates of the “listening tour” in advance so members of the public could attend, something they’ve been reluctant to do), AHIP informed the world about the New Mexico event a few days prior. Health Care for America Now grassroots activists showed up in force.
Here’s the report I got from our organizer, Kendra Jimenez, who was on the ground (emphasis added):
It’s a hot Tuesday morning in New Mexico and a crowd stands outside of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce shouting boos and waving Health Care for America Now signs in response to ACORN member Yvonne Lopez’s attacks against American insurance companies. After making our point to the press, three community members from ACORN (the only of our group permitted to enter the sea of suits and ties) walk past suspicious security guards and are greeted warmly by the facilitator, an insurance company ex-CEO, and AHIP CEO Karen Ignagni.
After the initial rhetoric we finally get to the Q&A where ACORN’s Mouath Baesho poses the first question to Karen, asking if she can explain the quote from fellow insurance CEO that, “Profitability is priority over membership.” Karen profusely thanks Mouath for the question (an obvious filler as she figures out what to say next) and begins a long tirade of words so confusing and seemingly off-point that even the people of the industry seem perplexed.
From there on out, we from ACORN have been identified as anti-AHIP, and our hands are obviously ignored as they call for new questions. Eventually, other community members and health care professionals get in other “difficult” questions and at one point success is clear: we have flustered the AHIP CEO. A comment that insurance companies are playing games and separating themselves from patients left Karen ferociously taking notes and nodding in a bobble head fashion, obviously taken aback.
At the end, after the token thank yous, we realize that the facilitator of the event is sternly calling us over. He pulls us aside and asks where we are from. When we explain we are concerned community members, he says that it is necessary for the insurance industry to make profit to cover costs. This sets off Kristy Theilen from ACORN. She rips into AHIP, accusing it of being untrustworthy. “Are you really working for the people? Do you really want reform?” she asks. “You’ve crushed reform efforts in the past, and your profits are unbelievable!” Heads from the crowd snap to watch as the frightened facilitator stumbles back over someone with his hands up saying, “Kristy…Kristy…calm down…!”
The point has been made, and New Mexico Representative Mimi Stewart approaches and thanks us, saying, “We need more concerned citizens like you!”
Out in the hall we check out what’s for lunch. Kristy gloats loudly, “You think insurance companies could afford better lunches!” Another CEO nervously laughs and walks away as we eat our soggy sandwiches and smile at our success.
I think I’ll go ahead and say the truth came on in New Mexico on Tuesday.
The first time AHIP released their “listening tour” dates, at their very first stop in Columbus, Ohio, an SEIU member and Health Care for America Now supporter Kim posed tough questions to the insurance industry (the video is really worth watching). After that confrontation, the insurance industry was running scared for a while. There were a few stops on the “listening tour” that were announced the day of, without location information, to discourage our protests. And then there was a series of online forums that were heavily moderated.
It was clear that the health insurance industry was only “listening” to the side of the story it wanted to hear. AHIP didn’t want to hear about profits before people. They didn’t want to hear about rising costs and lowering benefits. And when they did, they got flustered, unable to spin their way out of the truth.
After pressure from people all over the country, the New Mexico event was announced in advance, and once again, despite AHIP’s evasive maneuvers, they couldn’t help but hear about the health care crisis in America, the one they caused.
This issue can’t be sugar-coated. The lines can’t be blurred. No matter how hard the health insurance industry tries to shut out real voices in this debate, the truth comes through: The insurance industry is the enemy of health care reform, and America knows it.
We’ve heard AHIP has postponed the next leg of their tour, scheduled for Providence, Rhode Island, indefinitely. I think that’s a sign that maybe they’re getting the message that we all know this “listening tour” is nothing more than propaganda.
