Leaked Memos Reveal AHIP Is Recycling Playbook Against Michael Moore To Derail Health Reform
Leaked Memos Reveal AHIP Is Recycling Playbook Against Michael Moore To Derail Health Reform
Wendell Potter, a former top CIGNA health insurance official, left his job recently and is trying to atone for his role in propagating what he called “Wall Street-run health care that has proven itself an untrustworthy partner to its customers, to the doctors and hospitals who deliver care and to the state and federal governments that attempt to regulate it.” Appearing on PBS two weeks ago, Potter also divulged that the private health care industry “was really concerned” with Michael Moore’s documentary SiCKO because Moore “hit the nail on the head with his movie.” Host Bill Moyers posted copies of internal strategy memos from AHIP, the trade group and lobbying juggernaut representing the health insurance industry, detailing how to discredit Moore and conduct a PR campaign to maintain the status quo.
Now, as Congress moves into high-gear for reforming health care, AHIP appears be positioning itself to defeat a public option by using the same playbook they used against Moore in 2007. The AHIP anti-Moore memo similarly states:
Define the Health Indusrance Industry as Part of the Solution … Spread the word about ‘proactive solutions’ for health care … Highlight the value of managed care … A Debate We Can Win: Improving U.S. System Versus Enacting Government-Run Care
This week, AHIP released a new feel-good ad that posits private insurance as the cure to America’s health care crisis, along with a statement reaffirming that Congress must enact reform “without creating a government run plan” to compete with insurers. Similar to its message against Moore, the narrator for the new AHIP ad declares that “we’re America’s Health Insurance Companies, supporting bipartisan reforms.” Watch it:
A central strategy of the anti-Moore memo is described as: “Focus on Our Reform Proposals While Patients and Allies Make the Case Against Government-Run Care.” The allies were instructed to “showcase victims and horrors of government-run systems” and “bring victims of single-payer systems to the US for a media tour.” Indeed, while AHIP has made significant efforts this year to portray itself as “for reform” without a public option, it has left allied groups to do the dirty work.
The allies AHIP is leaning on this year include vicious attack groups such as Conservatives for Patients’ Rights (CPR), a group run by the same firm that managed the “Swift Boats” campaign against John Kerry, and Patients United, an astroturf group run by a former associate of Jack Abramoff. CPR is spending $20 million dollars running fear-mongering ads featuring people upset with the health care system in Canada and the UK. In addition, as AHIP had planned for Moore in 2007, CPR manages a website with various videos showing the supposed horrors of government-run systems. Patients United has organized advertising campaigns and media tours for experts and similar “victims” of government health care.
The ultimate goal of the anti-Moore strategy, to “disqualify government-run health care as a politically viable solution,” appears to mirror what we see AHIP doing today.
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Everyone who has health coverage is trying to derail health care reform.
How about the new GOP talking point:
The new health care legislation will make private health coverage illegal.
See for yourself.
http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2233
July 21st, 2009 at 3:46 pmThis is shapining up to be a fight to the death between President Obama and the right wing nuts. The Insurance industry is repoted to be spending 1 million/day to broadside the initiative.
They know if they can force the President to delay action, they can kill it..
July 21st, 2009 at 3:46 pmSort of funny that a multi-billion dollar organization is running screaming because one person has managed to produce something that can tear their precious sh*thouse down.
America, watch “Sicko” and pay attention. There is a big reason why the health care industry is terrified of his work.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:46 pmDefine the Health Insurance Industry as Part of the Solution
It is ………..Remove it and the problem is solved.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:47 pmThe new health care legislation will make private health coverage illegal.
And vaccines are made from baby juice and monkey kidneys.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:48 pmMy apologies, there is a very valid reason why the ‘health insurance’ industry is terrified.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:49 pmChyron HR says:
“And vaccines are made from baby juice and monkey kidneys.”
Not just any baby juice, my friend.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:54 pmDead baby juice!
Were these the same front groups that sponsored Max Baucus’s summer picnic last weekend? Obama ought to stage a photo-op with Moore and people like Howard Dean and Teddy Kennedy to fire up the base and stop this end run around the public option. Either “get tough or die” should be the Progressive battle cry and Obama needs to get tough now.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:55 pmagain…. and notice a 14th name has been added
from: billpressshow.com
Health Care: The Public Plan Option
These Democratic Senators have NOT agreed to support it:
1. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
2. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)
3. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
4. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)
5. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
6. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)
7. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
8. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
9. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
10. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
11. Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN)
12. Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR)
13. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
14. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)
These names are reported by The Hill here and here
Update: Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) says she supports a public option.
Update: Senator Jeff Binghaman (D-NM) says he supports a public option.
You can also contact the White House and voice your opinion
July 21st, 2009 at 3:56 pmComments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
As a bit of an aside, there are many channels on cable running and rerunning movies. I have yet to see “Sicko” on national or cable TV. Why is that?
July 21st, 2009 at 3:56 pmNo big surprise what they are trying to do. These sort of tactics need to be exposed as well as the campaign contributions to put the heat on Senators and representatives.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:56 pmAMEN, linkwray!
July 21st, 2009 at 3:58 pmIt’s just wishful thinking, but these ads need to be required to list in big letters who is actually paying for them. No cutesy names or acronyms.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:01 pmLewis Black on health care reform.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:08 pmThey think they can win because they inserted the word “government” in their message. Our health care system has been a known problem dating back to at least Harry Truman. How many more decades do they get to “improve” the current system. The simple answer, it won’t happen. That doesn’t sound like a winning sound bite to me. Besides, the new plan will still be dominated (run) by the private health insurance industry but with a public (government) option. This dishonesty needs to be hammered home again and again.
Too bad MSM doesn’t do analysis any more. As it is Americans are left with competing messages that both can’t be true. That can be fleshed out only by analysis and individual Americans lack the tools to perform this function. Without a neutral 3rd party to perform this analysis function we are disfunctional.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:09 pmEvery article is like a Tom Tomorrow satire, but they aren’t joking!
July 21st, 2009 at 4:12 pmDefine the Health Indusrance Industry…
– - Stephen Colbert writing for you guys now?
July 21st, 2009 at 4:13 pmThis week, AHIP released a new feel-good ad that posits private insurance as the cure to America’s health care crisis, along with a statement reaffirming that Congress must enact reform “without creating a government run plan” to compete with insurers.
This is the most ridiculous premise I’ve ever seen in my life ; are these twits actually claiming that a monopoly-run industry works out to cheaper prices than creating competition does ?
Gimme’ a friggin’ break…………
July 21st, 2009 at 4:13 pmThe only analysis I’ve seen the local CBS and FOX networks do is against health care reform.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:15 pmThe term “pre-existing condition” was coined by this industry to shut out undesirable prospective clients and to unfairly disallow claims to protect their profits.
Now they want us to trust them to treat us fairly?
I don’t think so.
Not unless they have to compete, or are regulated, or both.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:16 pm“We must defeat Michael Moore, or Howard Dean.”
July 21st, 2009 at 4:17 pm“What about defeating rising costs, or cancer?”
“But wouldn’t that mean less money? Treatments beat cures. Come on, let’s go to the free clinic and laugh at some people.”
Define “as affordable as possible.”
July 21st, 2009 at 4:18 pmAh, Republicans protecting the corporate greed of private health insurance companies. How can anybody stomach anymore lies from these criminals? Right-wingers are vile beyond belief. And many of the average Joes are cheerleading for the continued rape of their own pocketbooks by these corporations. They’ed rather have a team of greedy corporate lawyers come between them and their doctor. Masochistic and stupid.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:20 pmMO does have a regulating committee on insurance. The head has traditionally been a member of the insurance industry because only a member of said industry can understand the insurance business. lol
July 21st, 2009 at 4:20 pmThis is like Jim Crow.
“Well, how many will really be lynched? Hundreds out of millions? I mean look at the odds.
The schools aren’t equal… but they’re schools, right? Don’t rock the boat.”
Southern Peggy Noonan “Why, what good would come of this? Just fussin’ and fightin… some things are just better in the dark, I do believe.” (one of the worst quotes this year, adapted).
July 21st, 2009 at 4:22 pm#9 had enough says:
Thanks for the list, I will send a message to these fine Senators and remind them WHO they are supposed to represent.
Also, please drop a line to bluedogs at their site:
July 21st, 2009 at 4:22 pmBlueDog@mail.house.gov
drsforamerica.org
you can see a map, names of physicians and what they have to say about our existing health insurance system:
View map here
Is your physician listed?
July 21st, 2009 at 4:25 pmThe bottom line that needs to be hammered into the heads of ALL Americans is this:
“For-profit healthcare” represents an insurmountable conflict of interest.
Period.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:41 pmhad enough says:
Is your physician listed?
July 21st, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Wow. Not one doctor is listed in northern Idaho, and only two in Boise.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:47 pmPrivate health corporations should be excluded from any talks on this, due to
Pre-existing conditions that prove you’re sick of democracy and obsessed with profit.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:49 pmO/T
July 21st, 2009 at 4:55 pmTroll stomper needed on Dobb wonders thread.
Not my specialty.
I sent an email to all 14 Senator’s listed (#9 had enough says…took about 20 minutes. Once you complete 1 email the info is saved for the next.
If you have time, let these Senator’s know what you think.
PS: give a yell at the bluedogs as well
July 21st, 2009 at 5:10 pmNational Health Care Spending
In 2008, health care spending in the United States reached $2.4 trillion, and was projected to reach $3.1 trillion in 2012.1 Health care spending is projected to reach $4.3 trillion by 2016.1
Health care spending is 4.3 times the amount spent on national defense.3
In 2008, the United States will spend 17 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care. It is projected that the percentage will reach 20 percent by 2017.1
Although nearly 46 million Americans are uninsured, the United States spends more on health care than other industrialized nations, and those countries provide health insurance to all their citizens.3
Health care spending accounted for 10.9 percent of the GDP in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.4
Source;http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml
Please tell me why we shouldn’t have SINGLE PAYER????
Please tell me why the congress and senate will not look at HR676 ???? This bill is complete and ready for voting.
Please explain if it is a right or a privledge to be a corporate slave in America?????
Bipartisan…..code word for delay, distract, dilute .
Don’t be fooled America. Not with the lies from commercials or politicans. And please always ask….if socialized health care is so bad, why do you in government have it? and not a private insurance plan?
PRESS THE ISSUE ONTO THE POLITICIAN!!!!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:17 pmkevsters
No it wont. That is an idiotic rightwing talking point. They will stop individual coverage. You get a job that offers a private plan you can sign up for it. I WISH it would get rid of those parasitic bloodsuckers and just go to single payer but Congress is craven
July 21st, 2009 at 6:56 pmI read a diary on DKos a few days ago that debunked the claim of the woman in one of the ads who says she lives in Canada, was diagnosed with brain cancer, and had to come to America for the surgery because she woulod have had to wait 6 months for the surgery in Canada. It was revealed in the diary that this woman had a cyst, not brain cancer. I’ve looked at these ads when they come on, and not one of the people is very convincing, so I’m thinking they are shills hired by the insurance industry. If anyone else knows the facts about the people or stories they tell, please post it on DKos.
July 21st, 2009 at 9:34 pmThanks
latest add on msnbc anti reform; showing idyllic picnic and fishing with the family;
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:44 am“we don’t want our traditions of juice and soft drinks attacked…” by putting a nickle on to pay for public option.
traditions? whoa…. since when ? peak oil?
Man are these people on the down slope.
Sicko has aired on some of the paid movie cable channels but Michael Moore also has show times on his website:
On TMC Xtra
08/02/09 at 10:45 PM
On TMC Xtra
08/05/09 at 7:30 AM
On TMC Xtra
08/05/09 at 2:15 AM
On The Movie Channel
08/07/09 at 4:15 PM
Since Congress is debating health care reform right now, I’d just go rent Sicko if you haven’t already seen it.
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:17 am“A Debate We Can Win…”
If the insurance industry can’t win the real debate, they’ll just insist on having the debate they can win. Isn’t that what Bush and Cheney spent the past decade doing?
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:32 am