AHIP Ad Buy Supports 'Bipartisan Solution' For Health Care
America's Health Insurance Plans--the insurance industry's main professional association--with a seven-figure ad-buy, putting themselves on the side of reform. Sort of.
"Last December, we proposed reforms that would cover all Americans, guarantee coverage for pre-existing conditions, and bend the health care cost curve," said AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni.
One thing that would help bend the health care cost curve, of course, is a public option, which AHIP still opposes. But it is, perhaps, significant, that this ad is silent on the issue, even as three congressional committees have endorsed the proposal. Compared to the Harry and Louise ads of 1994, this stuff is downright mild.
The ad is called "Illness," and the narrator insists: "illness doesn't care where you live...or if you're already sick...or if you lose your job. Your health insurance shouldn't either." By the same token, I suppose, illness doesn't care whether reform legislation is bipartisan--but one step at a time.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Shorter AHIP: "We will do and say and promise anything right now in order to kill health care reform. Once it's dead, we'll just go back to business as usual...except we'll have to jack up our rates even more to recoup what we paid for our ad blitzes and to pay off our pals in Congress."
July 20, 2009 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
But this is a short term solution. The way that people are losing their health care in the USA is basically an epidemic (pardon the pun). Eventually, and without reform, in a very short time-frame, there won't be enough people willing to pay the exhorbitant costs just to have healthcare.
What they are doing is very shortsighted. If they continue this track, they will not exist. In effect, due to their greed, the whole US healthcare system may come crashing down in the near future.
I think the AMA has finally realized that point.
July 20, 2009 8:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
AHIP:
We don't understand what everyone is so upset about with health care. When you get laid off, you can still buy into your previous employer's health care through COBRA.
And if you can't afford it, and/or if your employer didn't provide insurance, well,
/snark
July 20, 2009 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Insurance Co profits have increased 428% in the years since 2000! They spend 1.4 million dollars a DAY inside the beltway to sway the Congress away from a public option! They do not want true competition---only for-profit driven options.
Call Congress --tell them that we do not need them to continue to cater to the Lobbyists --They were elected to do the work of the people!
Call the knuckle draggers 1.800.828.0498..or write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper--elect people hate that!
July 20, 2009 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
nice.
July 20, 2009 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
SUGGESTION: Go to the youtube page and "flag" the ad as "spam => mass advertising" and/or "spam =>misleading text"
July 20, 2009 7:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. Best ad on health care out there that I've seen, and totally manipulating.
The more I thought about it, the angrier it made me: "Ad Nauseam"
July 22, 2009 1:09 AM | Reply | Permalink