Hundreds of Ohioans Protest Sham Health Care Industry “Reform” Event in Columbus
For Immediate Release
Tuesday July 22, 2008
Contact: Brian Rothenberg
614-207-3237
Health Care for America Now Releases Facts on How Industry Takes Advantage of Local Ohio Residents
Leading Labor Groups, Community Organizations, and Online Activists Join Together to Organize Rapid-Response Effort
Columbus, OH- Today, Health Care for America Now, an unprecedented coalition of major organizations including labor unions, large Ohio-based membership groups, women’s groups, doctors, nurses, small businesses, and leading netroots activists, organized an informational picket at the YMCA in Columbus at 12pm, to protest a sham health care industry “reform” event. Hundreds of Ohioans joined together to hold the industry accountable for being part of the problem, not the solution and to demonstrate wide-ranging support for quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.
“Who does the insurance industry think it’s kidding? Americans know that the last people we can trust to fix the health care mess are insurance companies,” said Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now. “Their entire business model revolves around putting profits before people. They make money by denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, dropping coverage when people get sick, or raising premiums at rates so fast, we can’t keep up. Any campaign they front is a sham. We’ll be there at every stop, every step of the way, making sure the American people hear the truth.”
Health insurance premiums in Ohio increased more than 8 times faster than paychecks .
o From 2000 to 2006 family health insurance premiums rose 8.4 times faster than median earnings.
o While wages increased by 8.7 %, the amount that workers paid for family premiums increased by 79%. And the amount that employers paid increased by 71%.
While the biggest health insurer in Ohio saw its profits double – and shipped out of Ohio:
o From 2003 to 2007 the net earnings of Community Insurance Company, the Ohio subsidiary of WellPoint, increased from $204 million to $420 million, up 106% .
o In 2007, Community Insurance sent $310 million in dividends from Ohio to its parent company, ATH Holding, which is part of Indiana-based WellPoint.
“I’m a state nurse here in Ohio and a member of the SEIU District 1199 WKO. My grandson has autism and my daughter, a single mother who works hard yet barely gets by, has a very difficult time providing for his very sensitive medical and health needs and insurance does not provide the coverage she needs,” said Michelle Gray. “It is a horrible feeling to watch my grandson and daughter suffer because health insurance companies care more about making money than actually helping people get the care that they need. As someone who has been fortunate enough to have quality, affordable health care all my life, I have joined this movement to help ensure that my family can be guaranteed the same coverage I receive.”
“The question that Ohioans should be asking is, Do health insurance companies really care about the high cost of health coverage or the 1.2 million people in Ohio who don’t have any health insurance?” said Katy Gall of ACORN. “WellPoint’s CEO, Angela Braly made the answer clear when in April 2008 she told investors: “We will not sacrifice profitability for membership.”
At the same time WellPoint’s profits doubled, their two top executives each made more than $9 million .
o In 2007 the Chairman of WellPoint’s Board made $9,611,502. That was down from the $23,886,169 he made in 2006.
o In 2007 the CEO of WellPoint, Angela Braly, made $9,094,000.
“The people of Ohio need real solutions that bring quality, affordable health care for all, not a pseudo campaign organized by the health insurance industry who claim to be part of the solution, but whom we all know are really the problem,” said Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of Progress Ohio. “Ohioans cannot afford to be left at the mercy of the same private insurance companies that have gotten us into this mess. We need quality, affordable care we all can count on.”
Two weeks ago, Health Care for America Now launched with events in Ohio and 52 cities (including 38 state capitals) across the country. Between now and election day, the group plans to spend $25 million in paid media and have 100 organizers in 45 states.
The campaign’s steering committee includes ACORN, AFSCME, Americans United for Change, Campaign for America’s Future, Center for American Progress Action Fund, Center for Community Change, MoveOn.org, NEA, National Council of La Raza, National Women’s Law Center, Planned Parenthood, SEIU, UFCW, and USAction.
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Tuesday July 22, 2008
Contact: Brian Rothenberg
614-207-3237
Health Care for America Now Releases Facts on How Industry Takes Advantage of Local Ohio Residents
Leading Labor Groups, Community Organizations, and Online Activists Join Together to Organize Rapid-Response Effort
Columbus, OH- Today, Health Care for America Now, an unprecedented coalition of major organizations including labor unions, large Ohio-based membership groups, women’s groups, doctors, nurses, small businesses, and leading netroots activists, organized an informational picket at the YMCA in Columbus at 12pm, to protest a sham health care industry “reform” event. Hundreds of Ohioans joined together to hold the industry accountable for being part of the problem, not the solution and to demonstrate wide-ranging support for quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.
“Who does the insurance industry think it’s kidding? Americans know that the last people we can trust to fix the health care mess are insurance companies,” said Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now. “Their entire business model revolves around putting profits before people. They make money by denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, dropping coverage when people get sick, or raising premiums at rates so fast, we can’t keep up. Any campaign they front is a sham. We’ll be there at every stop, every step of the way, making sure the American people hear the truth.”
Health insurance premiums in Ohio increased more than 8 times faster than paychecks .
o From 2000 to 2006 family health insurance premiums rose 8.4 times faster than median earnings.
o While wages increased by 8.7 %, the amount that workers paid for family premiums increased by 79%. And the amount that employers paid increased by 71%.
While the biggest health insurer in Ohio saw its profits double – and shipped out of Ohio:
o From 2003 to 2007 the net earnings of Community Insurance Company, the Ohio subsidiary of WellPoint, increased from $204 million to $420 million, up 106% .
o In 2007, Community Insurance sent $310 million in dividends from Ohio to its parent company, ATH Holding, which is part of Indiana-based WellPoint.
“I’m a state nurse here in Ohio and a member of the SEIU District 1199 WKO. My grandson has autism and my daughter, a single mother who works hard yet barely gets by, has a very difficult time providing for his very sensitive medical and health needs and insurance does not provide the coverage she needs,” said Michelle Gray. “It is a horrible feeling to watch my grandson and daughter suffer because health insurance companies care more about making money than actually helping people get the care that they need. As someone who has been fortunate enough to have quality, affordable health care all my life, I have joined this movement to help ensure that my family can be guaranteed the same coverage I receive.”
“The question that Ohioans should be asking is, Do health insurance companies really care about the high cost of health coverage or the 1.2 million people in Ohio who don’t have any health insurance?” said Katy Gall of ACORN. “WellPoint’s CEO, Angela Braly made the answer clear when in April 2008 she told investors: “We will not sacrifice profitability for membership.”
At the same time WellPoint’s profits doubled, their two top executives each made more than $9 million .
o In 2007 the Chairman of WellPoint’s Board made $9,611,502. That was down from the $23,886,169 he made in 2006.
o In 2007 the CEO of WellPoint, Angela Braly, made $9,094,000.
“The people of Ohio need real solutions that bring quality, affordable health care for all, not a pseudo campaign organized by the health insurance industry who claim to be part of the solution, but whom we all know are really the problem,” said Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of Progress Ohio. “Ohioans cannot afford to be left at the mercy of the same private insurance companies that have gotten us into this mess. We need quality, affordable care we all can count on.”
Two weeks ago, Health Care for America Now launched with events in Ohio and 52 cities (including 38 state capitals) across the country. Between now and election day, the group plans to spend $25 million in paid media and have 100 organizers in 45 states.
The campaign’s steering committee includes ACORN, AFSCME, Americans United for Change, Campaign for America’s Future, Center for American Progress Action Fund, Center for Community Change, MoveOn.org, NEA, National Council of La Raza, National Women’s Law Center, Planned Parenthood, SEIU, UFCW, and USAction.
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