Health Care For America Now

“If The Insurance Companies Win, You Lose”

***See the ads here: HealthCareforAmericaNow.org/GetRich ***

Washington, DC – Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign – launched a new national advertising campaign today, honing in on the private insurance industry’s bad practices and excessive greed and stating that if the insurance companies win and get their way in shaping health care reform, the American people lose. The ads all call for good health care people can afford with the choice of a public health insurance option.

The television ad titled ”How to Get Rich” shows how America’s health insurance companies charge too much, pay overblown CEO salaries, and deny medical claims. The ad points out that if the insurance companies win in shaping legislation to their satisfaction, the American public loses. The initial television buy is $1.2 million for two weeks on national cable and local DC stations. 

Beginning today, HCAN runs the first of three print ads in the following five publications: Roll Call, The Hill, Politico, Congress Daily AM and Congressional Quarterly. On Wednesday, a second ad will run in Roll Call, The Hill, and Congress Daily AM. On Thursday, a third ad will be in Roll Call, Congressional Quarterly, and Politico. See the first print ad here:

HealthCareforAmericaNow.org/GetRich

“We’ll know that health care reform is a success if people can get good coverage they can afford and have a real choice beyond the private health insurance companies,” said Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now.  “Without guaranteed affordability, comprehensive coverage, and the choice of a strong national public health insurance option, we’re handing the private health insurance industry a government-sponsored monopoly. It’s time for Congress to prove it’s on our side, and it’s time to tell big insurance companies, we’re sick of it.”

HCAN is also running companion online ads on national political blogs and news sites. See the online ads here: HealthCareforAmericaNow.org/GetRich.

“How to Get Rich” script:

Video:

              
Fade up on the cover of a book.  

Title:  HOW TO GET RICH By America’s Health Insurance Companies

Book opens showing chapter one and a pile of money.  
CHAPTER ONE Charge A Lot!
SUPER:  Raise health insurance premiums 4 times faster than wages

Book turns to chapter two with an image of a mansion.
CHAPTER TWO Make A Lot!
SUPER: Pay your CEO $24,000,000 a year.

Book turns to chapter three with a “DENIED” stamp on a pile of forms.
CHAPTER THREE Deny A Lot!
SUPER:  Deny 1 out of 5 treatments prescribed by doctors.

TEXT: If the Insurance Companies win … You lose.

Book flips back to front cover, but now it has a different title with of family:  REAL HEALTH CARE REFORM

SUPER with HCAN logo: We want good health care we can afford with the choice of a public health insurance option.
http://www.healthcareforamericanow.org
Paid for by Health Care for America Now

Audio:

How to get rich….by America’s health insurance companies.

Raise health insurance premiums 4 times faster than wages.
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation & Health Research And Education Trust, “Employer Health Benefits: 2008 Annual Survey.” Accessed at http://ehbs.kff.org/pdf/7790.pdf.

Pay your CEO twenty four million dollars a year.
Source: Forbes, "Ronald A Williams Profile," 2008. Accessed at http://people.forbes.com/profile/ronald-a-williams/1960

Deny payment for 1 out of every 5 treatments doctors prescribe.

Source: California Nurses Association, "California's Real Death Panels: Insurers Deny 21% of Claims" September 2, 2009. Accessed at
http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/press-releases/2009/september/california-s-real-death-panels-insurers-deny-21-of-claims.html.

If the Insurance Companies win … You lose.

Tell Congress to rewrite the story.

We want good health care we can afford with the choice of a public health insurance option.