How To Neutralize The Healthcare Insurance Industry’s Attack. Part 2
Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP,MACE
Move On.org ability to social network is legend. MoveOn.org acted immediately with a call to action as soon as it was obvious that the healthcare insurance industry was going to attack President Obama’s healthcare plan. Its plan is to attack the healthcare insurance industry
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“Dear MoveOn member, “
Breaking news on health care: The Washington Post is now reporting that insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield "is putting the finishing touches on a public message campaign aimed at killing a key plank in Obama’s reform platform."1
The Huffington Post sums it up as "Insurers Planning on Double-Crossing Obama."2
MoveOn.org drew the line in the sand before the healthcare insurance industry using old media tactics finished its storyboard.
“We knew the insurance companies would eventually turn on the president, but this is much sooner than expected. And they’re targeting the public health insurance option—the crucial piece that will help cover everyone. So we’re immediately launching a rapid-response campaign to go toe-to-toe with Blue Cross Blue Shield and win quality health care for all Americans.”
MoveOn.org makes the point that the insurance companies turned on the President. It has prepared a rapid-response to help the President get his healthcare reform package passed in 2009.
“We need to raise $150,000 in the next two days. It’s a lot, but we’ll need every penny to take on Goliath. We’ll run ads, hold events, and work like crazy to get the real truth out to voters. AND we’ll keep the pressure on Congress to make sure they don’t get bullied into gutting the president’s plan to guarantee health care coverage for everyone. Can you chip in $35 right now to make it happen?”
https://pol.moveon.org/donate/blueshield.html?id=16165-7180088-yqI_hAx&t=3
MoveOn.org’s message is clear. It is asking people to send money to prevent the healthcare insurance industry from destroying a key provision, (“National Insurance Exchange”) in the President’s healthcare reform plan. President Obama’s healthcare reform plan claims it will provide a public health insurance plan option that will not subsidize neither healthcare Insurance companies CEO’s salaries nor stockholders profits therefore reducing healthcare costs.
MoveOn.org ignores the fact that our country presently cannot afford the costs of Medicare . Expanding Medicare will be a disaster.
“If we had the choice of a public plan, private insurers would have to lower rates and improve quality to compete, so they’re dead set against it. Today’s news just confirms that fact.”
You bet the healthcare insurance industry is dead set against his plan. However the healthcare insurance industry is the administrative service provider for government operated healthcare plans. Everyone will move to the public plan. The healthcare insurance industry will make a greater profit because everyone will be insured. The process of setting price will be in the hands of the healthcare insurance industry.
There will be not improvement in access to care or quality of care because the incentives in the healthcare system will not be changed.
“In the past, Blue Cross Blue Shield has been sued for underpaying doctors and fined for refusing to cover necessary medical treatments for their customers.3 Now, with what watchdog group Media Matters calls a "desperate attempt to deceive,"4 they’ve gone one step too far.”
The healthcare insurance industry has killed the goose that laid its golden egg. It is impossible for consumers or physicians to sue the government. The government will be forced to underpay physicians as well as restrict access to necessary medical treatment.
The debate is not a debate on Repairing the Healthcare System. It is a debate between the government and the healthcare insurance industry about who controls the healthcare dollar
MoveOn raised $270,000 in 24 hours surpassing the goal of $150,000. The message is loud and clear. Consumers are mad as hell and they do not want to take it any more.
“Dear MoveOn member,
Amazing! After news broke of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s new campaign to defeat Obama’s health care plan, MoveOn members responded in a huge way. Together, we smashed our goal and raised $270,000 in just one day. (Thanks!)”
Move on.org will not stop there and set a new goal of $350,000 for the next 24 hours.
“If we can hit this mark, we’ll send a strong message to the entire industry that if they start trying to block Obama’s key health care proposal to cover everyone, we’ll be ready to fight back—hard.”
This is too much for Harry and Louise to take on. When consumers realize that President Obama’s plan will not work they will demand control of their healthcare dollars.
There are three take home points.
1. The old media will not work.
2. People power using the new media is very powerful
3. Healthcare will become consumer driven.
4. The debate is focused on the wrong issues